Netafim renews Strategic Partnership with AUSVEG

AUSVEG is proud to announce the continuation of its Strategic Partnership with Netafim.

Netafim is a global leader in smart drip and micro-irrigation solutions, looking to meet modern irrigation challenges and maximise production efficiency.

AUSVEG looks forward to continuing its productive partnership with Netafim by working together to build a better future for the Australian vegetable and potato industries.

To learn more about Netafim, please click here to visit its website.

 

Butler Market Gardens joins as Strategic Partner

AUSVEG is proud to announce the commencement of a Strategic Partnership with Butler Market Gardens, growers of a wide range of vegetables.

Butler Market Gardens is highly regarded for its quality vegetables, lettuce and herbs, and is committed to sustainability and environmental practices within its business.

AUSVEG looks forward to working with Butler Market Gardens. For more information on Butler Market Gardens, please click here.

 

Expressions of interest for export seminar for Australian vegetable growers

On Monday 15 May, AUSVEG will host an export seminar for Australian vegetable growers on behalf of Horticulture Innovation Australia. The seminar will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre from 12:00noon – 4:00pm, directly before the opening of Hort Connections 2017.

The focus of this event is to provide the industry with an overview of the recently developed Vegetable Industry Export Strategy 2020 and how it will help the industry to drive export growth.

An exciting range of speakers will present on key areas outlined in the strategy, including product differentiation, value-adding, branding, collaborative partnerships and supply chain efficiency. This event aims to assist in providing Australian vegetable growers with the tools and resources to build a successful export operation.

Expressions of interest are now welcome. Vegetable levy paying growers can apply to have associated travel and accommodation costs covered in full.

To express your interest, contact AUSVEG on (03) 9882 0277 or email sam.clayfield@ausveg.com.au. To view the flyer, please click here.

This seminar has been funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Update on tomato potato psyllid detection in Western Australia

Please find below links to the latest domestic trade notices from Australian state governments and information on other movement conditions following the incursion of Tomato potato psyllid in Western Australia.

We will continue to communicate any new or updated information.

Growers are asked to contact the relevant state departments for queries on any information provided here.

If you think the tomato potato psyllid may be present in your crop or backyard plants, you need to report this to your state or territory department of agriculture or primary industries. You can do this by phoning the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.

In Western Australia you can report your detection to the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881 or you can use the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia’s MyPestGuide Reporter app. Details about how to access and use the app are available on the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia website.

Vegetable Feature Article

Vegetable Strategic Investment Plan: Queensland workshop locations and survey

Venues have been booked for the Queensland consultations for the vegetable industry’s Strategic Investment Plan. Queensland vegetable growers are encouraged to attend the consultations and meet with consulting firm Consulting & Implementation Services (CIS) to have their say, and ensure the SIP accurately reflects how to best spend the R&D levy to maximise the industry’s funding priorities for the next five years, with the value of these investments estimated to be worth over $100 million.

Queensland
Monday 27 February – Ayr
Location: Ayr Research Station Conference Room
Address: 343 Old Clare Road, Ayr
Date/time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm, Monday 27 February, 2017

Tuesday 28 February – Bowen
Location: Bowen Research Station Conference Room
Address: 45 Warwick Road, Bowen
Date/time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm Tuesday 28 February, 2017

Thursday 2 March – Bundaberg
Location: Burnett Club
Address: 5 Quay St, Bundaberg
Date/time: 1:30pm – 4:00pm Thursday 2 March, 2017

New South Wales
Monday 6 March – Richmond
Location: Richmond Demonstration Farm
Address: Southee Road Richmond NSW
Date/time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm Monday 6 March 2017

Victoria
Wednesday 8 March – Werribee
Location: Fresh Select
Address: 610 Duncans Road Werribee South
Date/time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm Wednesday 8 March, 2017

Thursday 9 March – Gippsland
Location: Criterion Hotel (upstairs)
Address: Corner York and Macalister Streets, Sale
Date/time: 2:00pm – 5:30pm Thursday 9 March, 2017

Venues for the following workshop will be released shortly. Growers are encouraged to save the following date:

Queensland
Wednesday 15 March – Lockyer
Venue TBC

RSVPs can be sent to veg@consultingis.com.au.

CIS has developed a short online survey for growers and industry members to provide feedback on what they think the opportunities are for the vegetable industry in the next five years (it only takes about 10 minutes to complete).

Just by filling out the survey you go into the draw to win a $350 R.M. Williams voucher.

To complete this survey and have your say on the future of investment in the vegetable industry please click here.

This consultation has been funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

VegNET farm walk at Fresh Select in Werribee – Don’t miss out!

A farm walk will be held in Werribee at Fresh Select on Wednesday 8 March 2017 as part of the National Vegetable Extension Network (VegNET).

Attendees at the farm walk will hear from Fresh Select CEO John Said, look at a strategic approach to weed management, and receive an overview of the new VegPro initiative, as well as having the opportunity to provide feedback on levy investment during a Vegetable Strategic Investment Plan consultation session.

For more information, please click here.

The National Vegetable Extension Network and Strategic Investment Plan consultations are funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

AUSVEG representatives visit Parliament

AUSVEG CEO James Whiteside and AUSVEG National Manager – Public Affairs Jordan Brooke-Barnett visited Canberra last week to meet with key political figures and discuss issues of importance to the vegetable and potato industries.

Among other meetings held during the visit, AUSVEG representatives met with:

  • Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP;
  • Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Senator the Hon Anne Ruston; and
  • Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry the Hon Joel Fitzgibbon MP.

During these meetings AUSVEG raised multiple issues of importance to the industry, including the recent detection of Tomato potato psyllid in Western Australia, Australia’s labour migration system, ongoing issues with labour hire companies, and Australian competition policy.

AUSVEG looks forward to continuing to build these productive relationships for the benefit of Australian vegetable and potato growers.

Implementing IPM on farm – experiences from leading growers

Werribee South vegetable grower, Daniel Fragapane, runs a 42 hectare farm growing cauliflowers and broccoli for supermarket chain ALDI. He adopted Integrated Pest Management (IPM) on his Werribee South farm following a recommendation from his cousins.

Daniel has been impressed with the results he’s seen in this crop following the use of IPM. The biggest challenge for him has been time scheduling of control options, such as avoiding peak UV periods for caterpillar control with products such as Dipel in summer.

Daniel has managed these challenges through a combination of targeted control options, including strategic location spraying rather than whole of farm, and using alternative products when required.

Read this practical case study here to learn more about implementing IPM from leading growers.

To find out more about the Soil Wealth and ICP projects visit the website, or join the Community of Practice online. You can also follow the projects on Twitter @SoilWealth and @ProtectingCrops.

Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection are funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Potato Feature Article

Collaborating with potato growers to deliver long-term, sustainable results

Using the National Potato Levy and contributions from the Australian Government, Horticulture Innovation Australia (Hort Innovation) invests in a wide-range of R&D projects that aim to improve the future viability of the potato industry and its growers.

Christian Patterson’s role as a Relationship Manager for Hort Innovation sees him ensuring the nation’s growers are aware of developments in both the fresh and processed potato industries, as well as in the sweetpotato industry.

Christian is currently working closely with the fresh and processed potato industry Strategic Investment Advisory Panels (SIAPs) to develop the next potato Strategic Investment Plan, which aims to accurately reflect the industry’s R&D funding priorities over the next five years.

He believes there is great potential for growth in the Australian potato industry, with exporting on the radar for many in the industry, and states that supporting younger growers from the ground up is one of his key priorities.

For a more detailed look into Christian’s role, please see page 13 of the latest Potatoes Australia magazine, which can be read online here.

Potatoes Australia magazine is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Potato levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Request for Quotation: Extension activities for the Australian potato industry 2016/2017 (PT16000)

Hort Innovation is seeking a suitably qualified, experienced and capable service provider for the project: Extension activities for the Australian potato industry 2016/2017 (PT16000).

The objectives of the services being sought are to help Hort Innovation and the potato industry to:

  • Develop and delivery extension activities to the Australian potato Industry that are innovative and relevant as identified in the annual extension plan;
  • Ensure that the most appropriate expertise is used to develop and deliver these activities to industry stakeholders;
  • Create an awareness of new and improved technologies or practices that could potentially benefit the Australian potato growers and industry.

Specific extension activities being sought relate to:

  • Seed Quality and Handling Impacts;
  • Potato pest and disease diagnostics app;
  • A ‘Back to basics’ series of demonstrations and webinars;
  • Cost of production information and awareness.

Hort Innovation has prepared a Request for Quotation (RFQ) document that provides background information, outlines the scope of services, the procurement process and the information required from interested parties.

This RFQ may be downloaded from www.tenders.net (you will need to be a member of tenders.net to access).

The closing date for responses is 5pm Thursday 9 March 2017 (AEST).

PT16000 is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Potato levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

2017 Global Innovations in Horticulture Seminar: Registrations for funding now open!

Following the success of the 2016 Global Innovations in Horticulture Seminar, Australian levy-paying vegetable growers will have the chance to listen to presentations from the world’s leading innovation experts at the 2017 Global Innovations in Horticulture Seminar.

The Seminar, which will take place during Hort Connections 2017, will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Tuesday 16 May.

The seminar will feature nine expert speakers from around the world on topics ranging from precision agriculture to processing machinery. Previous seminars have been very well received by growers, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to benefit from the expertise of the leading thinkers in global horticulture.

Funded positions are available for levy paying growers to attend this event. Growers interested in attending or looking for further details can contact AUSVEG on 03 9882 0277, by fax at 03 9882 6722 or via the GIHS contact form here.

The 2017 Global Innovations in Horticulture Seminar is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Hort Connections 2017 – Early bird rates extended!

Early bird rates for Hort Connections 2017 have been extended, and now close 17 March.

If you have not yet registered as a delegate for Hort Connections 2017, take advantage of these discounts now!

To register, please click here. To visit the Hort Connections 2017 website, please click here.

 

Anhydrous ammonia for vegetable crops – Could it be a viable proposition?

Anhydrous ammonia is the most concentrated form of nitrogen (N) fertiliser, containing 82 per cent available N. It has long been used as a preplant and side dressing fertiliser in the cotton and grain industries. It results in a high retention of nitrogen in the soil, reduced leaching of nitrates through the soil and yield increases in various crops. However, it needs to be treated with care as it can cause injury to farm workers.

Anhydrous ammonia has beneficial effects on soil microbes, nitrifying bacteria and worms. It is more suited to row crops rather than babyleaf crops.

Incorporating anhydrous ammonia into vegetable cropping systems can provide a range of benefits to producers such as increased soil health, reduced cost, increased yield and reduced environmental impact from a reduction in nitrate leaching.

For more information, download the fact sheet by clicking here.

To find out more about the Soil Wealth and ICP projects visit the website, or join the Community of Practice online. You can also follow the projects on Twitter @SoilWealth and @ProtectingCrops.

Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection are funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

New Nielsen consumer research available

Nielsen’s Homescan service records the vegetable purchases of 10,000 Australian households, with the data on these purchases then collated into reports which can help the vegetable industry deliver products that best meet consumers’ needs.

New reports have been uploaded onto InfoVeg for the year ending December 2016. A wide range of vegetable commodities are covered by these reports, including Asian vegetable varieties, beans, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, fresh salad, lettuce, pumpkin, sweet corn, sweetpotato and zucchini.

All Nielsen reports are available for registered users of the InfoVeg database. Please click here to read the reports from December 2016, or here to read all reports from 2016.

Nielsen consumer research for the vegetable industry is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia using the research and development National Vegetable levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Invasive Species Council fire ant forums

The Invasive Species Council will hold forums in five capital cities to discuss the ongoing fight against fire ants in Queensland.

The forums will be held from 20 – 24 March in Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, and will feature presentations from Robert Puckett, who has vast experience in the fire ant battle in the United States of America.

For more information, please click here.

 

Bayer Watermelon and Melon Field Day

Bayer is hosting the Watermelon and Melon Field Day near Griffith on 15 March 2017.

The day will feature talks from industry experts, including Fiona Constable from Agriculture Victoria and Michael Rodgers from Horticulture Innovation Australia. Bayer experts will also present on the latest product developments in crop protection.

For more information, please click here

 

New Minor Use permits

Permit ID Description Date Issued Expiry Date Permit Holder States
PER13626 V2 Actives:Linuron
Crop: Celery
Pest: Weeds listed on approved product label		 04-May-2012 30-Apr-2022 Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited All states except VIC

All efforts have been made to provide the most current, complete and accurate information on permits. However, AUSVEG recommends that you confirm the details of any permits at the APVMA website.

Users are advised that while the pesticide can be applied legally under the APVMA minor use permit, there can be a significant delay until the maximum residue limit (MRL) gazetted by the APVMA is adopted in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Until this occurs the MRL may not be recognised and a zero tolerance may be imposed for residues of the pesticide resulting from its use according to the APVMA permit.

Please be aware that in the absence of a MRL in the Food Standards Code, the use of the pesticide according to the permit may result in the suspension of the produce in the marketplace. Please check the FSANZ website or the Australian Government ComLaw website to confirm if there are MRLs established by the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Please consult APVMA documentation before applying any product to your crop. For more information contact the APVMA on (02) 6210 4701 or Growcom on (07) 3620 3880.

If an adverse experience occurs as a result of using the permit, please fill out a Non-Performance Reporting Form for Horticultural Pesticides and return to jodie.pedrana@horticulture.com.au. To download a Non-Performance Reporting Form for Horticultural Pesticides, please click here.

This communication has been funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

AUSVEG in the media

AUSVEG CEO James Whiteside appeared in print media this week discussing the reforms to the Horticulture Code of Conduct. Mr Whiteside stated that the code had been in need of a reform, and was now more relevant to growers.

AUSVEG National Manager – Science and Extension Dr Jessica Lye appeared on radio this week discussing the detection of tomato potato psyllid in Western Australia. Dr Lye noted that New South Wales has put emergency movement restrictions into place, and urged growers to remain vigilant in checking their crops.

AUSVEG National Manager – Public Affairs Jordan Brooke-Barnett appeared on radio this week discussing the reforms to the Horticulture Code of Conduct, noting that the code will make a big difference in the industry. Mr Brooke-Barnett also appeared on radio discussing changes to Country of Origin Labelling reforms, noting that the changes will give consumers confidence about where their food has originated.

Communication of levy funded R&D activities is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable and National Potato levies and funds from the Australian Government.