Webinar: Competition Law 101 with NextGen
2026-07-03 14:00 - 15:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Webinar
AUSVEG has invited Neil Rechlin from NextGen to deliver a practical webinar on the fundamentals of Australian competition law and how it applies to horticultural businesses.
NextGen Group is Australia’s leading provider of Code training, working closely with industry peak bodies and regulators. Since 2022, NextGen has delivered negotiation training programs for horticulture growers across Australia, training more than 230 growers in 2024/25 alone.
What Will Be Covered?
The webinar will explore:

The fundamentals of competition law
Anti-competitive behaviour and prohibited conduct
Misuse of market power

Why Is This Important?
The regulatory environment facing growers continues to become more complex. For many businesses, particularly SMEs, it can be difficult to keep up with the rules that apply to everyday commercial decisions.
The Competition and Consumer Act 2010 sets the ground rules for how businesses engage in the marketplace. Understanding these obligations can help growers reduce risk and make informed business decisions.

Webinar: Quantium for Vegetables - Intro session 1
2026-07-24 14:00 - 14:30
A new vegetable industry dashboard is giving growers direct access to Woolworths retail scan data and shopper insights through Quantium.
For the first time, growers can get a clearer view of what’s happening in-store – including sales performance, shopper behaviour, price response, and which products or packs are driving growth.
The dashboard uses the same underlying data trusted by major grocery companies, customised to make it easier to navigate and more relevant for the vegetable industry.
It is designed to help answer practical questions growers ask every day:

Why are my sales up or down?
Are shoppers responding to price or pulling back?
Which products and packs are actually driving growth?

Whether or not you currently supply Woolworths, the data can help you better understand market trends, prepare for category conversations and make more informed business decisions.
To help you get started, Hort Innovation and Quantium are running a short three-part online series showing how to move from viewing the data to using it in real business and category conversations:

Session 1: Getting started – gain an introduction to the project, learning how to register, and access the data – Friday 24 July, 2:00–2:30pm AEST – Registration Link
Session 2: Using the data in Woolworths category conversations, including examples using the dashboard Friday 31 July, 2:00–2:45pm AEST – Registration Link
Session 3: Using the data to support decisions in your business, including examples using the dashboard Friday 21 August, 2:00–2:45pm AEST – Registration link

Growers are encouraged to join all three sessions, even if you’re not sure yet how you’ll use the data. It’s a practical introduction to what’s available and how to start exploring it.
Learn more about the Quantium scan tracking FY25/26 project, including registration for the dashboard here.
This project has been funded by Hort Innovation, using vegetable and onion research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government.

Hort IQ Webinar: What cost-of-living pressures mean for fresh produce
2026-07-27 11:00 - 12:00
As Australians continue to adapt to cost-of-living pressures, the way they shop for fresh produce is evolving. Understanding these shifts can help growers and industry make more informed decisions about demand, pricing, marketing and future opportunities.
Join Hort Innovation’s Consumer Insights team and Fiftyfive5 for the next Hort IQ webinar, where we’ll translate the latest consumer and retail insights into practical takeaways for the horticulture sector.
Here’s what’s on the agenda:

🛒 How shopping behaviours, channels and value perceptions are changing
📈 What these shifts could mean for demand and category growth
💡 Key opportunities and actions for growers and industry

Webinar: Employing Workers from the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste
2026-07-28 11:00 - 12:00
The Department of Home Affairs, through its Business, Industry and Regional Outreach (BIRO) network, would like to invite you to attend upcoming free information sessions on employing overseas working within the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) stream and the Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV). These sessions are open to any business or organisation who would like information on visa options for employing an overseas workers from the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste.
The PALM is a temporary residence visa available for eligible citizens of participating Pacific countries and Timor-Leste. The PALM scheme is an employer sponsored visa for unskilled, low-skilled and semi-skilled positions. This visa allows eligible businesses to recruit workers for short-term jobs for up to 9 months or long-term roles for between one and 4 years. The PALM scheme helps to fill labour gaps in rural and regional Australia and nationally for agriculture and select agriculture-related food product manufacturing sectors.
The PEV is a permanent residence visa available for eligible citizens of participating Pacific countries and Timor-Leste. The PEV is not an employer sponsored visa however applicants need an offer of ongoing employment for a genuine position in Australia to be granted the visa. PEV holders can live and work anywhere in Australia in any occupation.
The BIRO network invites employers to attend a webinar to learn more about the PALM and PEV programs.
The Department of Employment and Workforce Relations (DEWR) will be in attendance to provide an overview on the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFaT) will be in attendance to provide an overview on the Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) Support Service.
These webinars will provide information on visa products and there will be an opportunity for questions with subject matter experts following the presentations.

Webinar: Woolworths Scan data (Quantium) Vegetables & Onion - session 2: How to use with Woolworths
2026-07-31 14:00 - 14:45

Webinar: Official Launch of the VegMech Technology Catalogue
2026-08-04 17:00 - 18:00
The Australian vegetable industry is undergoing significant transformation. Automation and mechanisation are reshaping how farms operate. However, with so many technologies emerging globally, and specifications to compare, it can be hard for growers and industry stakeholders alike, to know where to start.
That’s exactly why the VegMech Technology Catalogue was developed—a comprehensive, easy-to-navigate resource created through the VegMech program to bring together automated and mechanised field machinery solutions for the Australian vegetable industry.
Whether you manage a small family farm or large-scale operation or work in research, agribusiness, or technology development, the catalogue is designed to save you time and support smarter, more informed decisions.
The catalogue provides a clear picture of the current technologies relevant to Australian vegetable production, identified through the VegMech program as potential solutions to the labour and crop input cost challenges facing the Australian vegetable industry.
Here’s what you’ll find inside:

Technology overviews and technical details, giving you a practical understanding of features and capabilities before connecting with suppliers

Manufacturer information and supporting resources, including case studies and additional materials, to provide further context on each technology
Business details and supplier contacts, so you have everything you need to connect, collaborate or advise with confidence

Webinar: Get RIC Ready
2026-08-19 12:00 - 13:00
Join the free Get RIC Ready webinar to understand if a RIC low interest loan is right for you and get prepared to apply, so you can take the next step with confidence.​
The Get RIC Ready webinar is an essential session to help farm businesses, advisers and interested stakeholders understand RIC loans, eligibility requirements and how to apply. Learn more about RIC loans including the new Drought Hardship Loan and the Marine Recovery Loan.​
Our RIC Agri Lending specialists and expert panellists will lead the session and provide practical insights and answers to common questions covering:​

Understanding your options​
Learn about which RIC loan may be right for you and how our low interest loans may support your business to manage financial pressure, recover from disruption and plan ahead.​
Get clear on eligibility before you apply​
Understand the key eligibility requirements, such as what we mean by financial need, having commercial debt or ability to obtain commercial debt, adequate security and the ability to service the loan.​
Be prepared early and apply with confidence​
Know what information you’ll need, why you need to talk to your commercial lender early and how to get your application ready.​
Build confidence to take the next step​
Gain the knowledge to decide if a RIC loan may be right for you and how to move forward.​

Webinar: Woolworths Scan data (Quantium) Vegetable - session 3: How to use for business decisions
2026-08-21 14:00 - 14:45
