AUSVEG

Planning Our Food Future Forum (Perth)
2017-11-14 | Parmelia Hilton Hotel, 14 Mill St, Perth, WA, 6000, Australia
While innovation and new technologies will continue to help our farmers produce more food with fewer inputs, the challenges of a changing climate and diminishing natural resources is limiting their capacity to produce enough food for a growing population.
The Planning Our Food Future forum is focused on bringing together stakeholders to identify the need and opportunities for working to achieve a more secure food city.
Through a series of presentations by key members of industry and government the forum will be looking at:

The drivers for change
Reforming our food supply chains
Land use and planning
Urban agriculture
Improving collaboration between the key stakeholder groups in Western Australia.

For more information, please see the event website.

Workshop: Food labelling (Hobart)
2017-11-13 10:00 - 12:00 (Australia/Hobart) | CSIRO Hobart, Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS, 7004, Australia
To help businesses better understand product labelling requirements (including compliance requirements) and their opportunities to maximise product performance, CSIRO is hosting a series of free workshops in October and November.
These workshops will answer common labelling questions, including:

What are the new labelling rules about country of origin and how do they affect food businesses?
What do consumers think of food labelling? Do they trust it?
What is a health claim for the purposes of food labelling and what do you need to make one?
How can businesses communicate the nutritional benefit of their food?
Should businesses support the Health Star Rating system for their products?

Attendees will also have the opportunity to have a free one-on-one meeting with CSIRO presenters for a product assessment and discussion about their business needs.
For more information, see the event website.

Australian Food Safety Week
2017-11-11 - 2017-11-18
The theme of Australian Food Safety Week 2017 is ‘Is it done yet? Use a thermometer for great food, cooked safely every time’ and it will be held from 11-18 November 2017.
For more information on Australian Food Safety Week and how to get involved, please see the event website.

Australian Agriculture Roundtable (Sydney)
2017-11-09 - 2017-11-10 | International Convention Centre Sydney, 14 Darling Drive, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia
The Australian Farm Institute’s Australian Agriculture Roundtable Conference is to be held at the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) from 9-10 November 2017.
The 2017 Australian Agriculture Roundtable Conference will be an important networking opportunity for innovative agricultural producers, supply chain leaders, agribusiness, policy-makers and lead researchers. Over 150 conference attendees will be hosted by the Institute at the new International Convention Centre Sydney which is surrounded by the iconic Darling Harbour.
This year’s roundtable conference will bring together the key minds of Australian agriculture and agribusiness to discuss the role of effective partnerships in significant agricultural and regional issues.
For more information, see the event website.

Workshop: Food labelling (Perth)
2017-11-06 10:30 - 12:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | DPIRD Perth, 3 Baron-Hay Court, Kensington, WA, 6151, Australia

Workshop: NSW Farmers Roadshow (Cowra)
2017-11-03 12:00 - 15:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Mulyan, North Logan Road, Cowra, NSW, 2794, Australia
The NSW Farmers Horticulture Roadshow will be in Cowra on Friday 3 November 2017.
The roadshow is a chance for NSW Farmers to touch base with growers before the end of the year. It will cover off on topics including employment relations, energy, market access and the new Horticulture code. There will also be time for Q&A so growers can give their feedback to NSW Farmers.
Karen O’Malley, Senior Land Services – Horticulture, Central Tablelands LLS, will also be attending and will give an update on the new Horticulture Strategy they are developing.
This is a free event, and members and non-members are welcome. For more information, please click here.

Workshop: Preharvest water risk mitigation (Werribee)
2017-11-02 13:00 - 15:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Fresh Select, 610 Duncans Road, Werribee South, VIC, 3030, Australia
The Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre (ITTC) for Food Safety in the Fresh Produce Industry, based at the University of Sydney, is hosting workshops for growers in Werribee and Gatton.
The workshops will address risk factors leading to contamination of agricultural irrigation water, water sampling strategies and mitigation options, and Professor Channah Rock, Associate Professor at the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science at University of Arizona, will share her expertise on environmental water quality.
To register for this event, please click here.
Professor Rock is working with ARC ITTC researchers and students to develop a risk-based model for E. coli and Salmonella in irrigation waters in Australia. For more information on the food safety ARC ITTC, please click here.

Workshop: NSW Farmers Roadshow (Batlow)
2017-11-02 09:00 - 11:00 (Australia/Sydney) | RSL Club Batlow, 6 Mayday Road, Batlow, NSW, 2730, Australia
The NSW Farmers Horticulture Roadshow will be in Batlow on Thursday 2 November 2017.
The roadshow is a chance for NSW Farmers to touch base with growers before the end of the year. It will cover off on topics including employment relations, energy, market access and the new Horticulture code. There will also be time for Q&A so growers can give their feedback to NSW Farmers.
Kevin Dodds, Department of Primary Industries Development Officer – Temperate Fruits, will also be attending and will present a session on ‘5 years of local trials in 10 minutes’, a recap of some of the Future Orchards local trial findings.
This is a free event, and members and non-members are welcome. For more information, please click here.

Workshop: Workplace Essentials (Gympie)
2017-11-02 08:45 - 16:00 (Australia/Brisbane) | Gympie Civic Centre, 32-34 Mellor St, Gympie, QLD, 4570, Australia
Enrol now to attend a Workplace Essentials workshop and get the information and resources you need to boost your farm business’ health, safety and people management skills.
These workshops are being funded by the Queensland Government and facilitated by the Queensland Agriculture Workforce Network (QAWN). They have been specifically tailored for farm managers, team leaders and supervisors and will include practical activities.
During the full day workshops, the following topics will be covered:
SESSION ONE: Workplace health and safety
• Update on Workplace Health and Safety laws and regulations
• WHS compliance checklist
• Understanding and managing risks and hazards
• When and how and to report incidents
• Overview of useful WHS services and resources available to businesses
SESSION TWO: People management
• Performance and behaviour management
• Handling conflict, bullying and difficult conversations in the workplace
• Supervisor responsibilities
• Update on workplace relations laws, regulations and programs
• Overview of further training and funding available
COST:
$30 per person – includes workshop, resources, morning and afternoon tea, and lunch.
For more information, please see the event website.

Workshop: Food labelling (Brisbane)
2017-11-02 08:30 - 10:00 (Australia/Brisbane) | Lecture Theatre, Food and Health Sciences Precinct, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, QLD, 4108, Australia

Workshop: Food labelling (Canberra)
2017-11-01 13:00 - 16:00 (Australia/Sydney) | CBR Innovation Network, Level 5, 1 Moore St, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia

Workshop: NSW Farmers Roadshow (Berrigan)
2017-11-01 13:00 - 15:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Federal Hotel & Motel, 80-96 Chanter St, Berrigan, NSW, 2712, Australia
The NSW Farmers Horticulture Roadshow will be in Berrigan on Wednesday 1 November 2017.
The roadshow is a chance for NSW Farmers to touch base with growers before the end of the year. It will cover off on topics including employment relations, energy, market access and the new Horticulture code. There will also be time for Q&A so growers can give their feedback to NSW Farmers.
Potato grower Geoff Moar (Oaklands) and persimmon grower Chris Stillard (Barooga) will both be attending the Berrigan session and will shed some light on their work as members of the NSW Farmers Horticulture Committee.
This is a free event, and members and non-members are welcome. For more information, please click here.

Workshop: Preharvest water risk mitigation (Gatton)
2017-11-01 08:00 - 17:00 UTC | QDAF Gatton, Warrego Highway, Lawes, QLD, 4343, Australia

Workshop: Food labelling (Sydney)
2017-10-31 14:00 - 16:15 (Australia/Sydney) | CSIRO North Ryde, Room 101/102, Level 3, Building 53, 11 Julius Avenue, North Ryde, NSW, Australia

Workshop: NSW Farmers Roadshow (Griffith)
2017-10-31 14:00 - 16:00 (Australia/Sydney) | Southside Griffith Leagues Club, 2 Bridge Rd, Griffith, NSW, 2680, Australia
The NSW Farmers Horticulture Roadshow will be in Griffith on Tuesday 31 October 2017.
The roadshow is a chance for NSW Farmers to touch base with growers before the end of the year. It will cover off on topics including employment relations, energy, market access and the new Horticulture code. There will also be time for Q&A so growers can give their feedback to NSW Farmers.
Lake Wyangan citrus grower Sue Brighenti will be attending the Griffith session and will shed some light on her work as a NSW Farmers Horticulture Committee member and the issues they are currently working on. The committee works on a range of commodities and feeds in to the National Farmers Federation (NFF).
This is a free event, and members and non-members are welcome. For more information, please click here.

Workshop: SWIT Information Session (Elizabeth Town)
2017-10-31 12:00 - 13:30 (Australia/Hobart) | Elizabeth Town Bakery/Cafe, 5783 Bass Hwy, Elizabeth Town, TAS, 7304, Australia
Growers are invited to attend a series of information sessions regarding on the Australian Government’s Seasonal Work Incentives Trial, which commenced on 1 July 2017.
The Trial offers financial incentives to encourage unemployed people to take up short-term seasonal work opportunities in the horticultural industry to help address the seasonal labour demands of horticultural growers.
For a full schedule of workshop locations, dates and times, please click here. For more information on the Seasonal Work Incentives Trial, please see this fact sheet, or visit the Department of Employment’s website.
Growers who are interested in attending a workshop can register their interest by email at SWIT@employment.gov.au.

Workshop: SWIT Information Session (Burnie)
2017-10-31 09:00 - 10:30 (Australia/Hobart) | Menai Hotel Motel, 20 Edwardes St, Burnie, TAS, 7320, Australia

Workshop: SWIT Information Session (Huonville)
2017-10-30 15:00 - 16:30 (Australia/Hobart) | Huon Ex-Servicemen and Women’s Club, 25 Shield St, Huonville, TAS, 7109, Australia

Workshop: SWIT Information Session (Richmond)
2017-10-30 11:00 - 12:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Hatchers Richmond Manor, Prossers Road, Richmond, TAS, 7025, Australia

Workshop: Wind-dispersed pests and diseases (Attwood)
2017-10-30 09:30 - 14:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | DEDJTR, 475 Mickleham Rd, Attwood, VIC, 3049, Australia
This workshop will discuss:

The potential for pests and diseases to enter south-east Australia by long distance wind dispersal
New strategies for surveillance activities
Demonstrations of alternative trapping techniques for surveillance
New molecular tools for identifying exotic pests and diseases
The new National Plant Surveillance Network
An analysis of wind dispersed threats to POTATO

This workshop is suitable for:

Biosecurity surveillance and monitoring staff
Peak industry body representatives and extension staff
Industry and growers

Presenters include:

John Weiss (DEDJTR)
Kyla Finlay (DEDJTR)
Mark Blackett (DEDJTR)
Les Zeller (Univ Southern Queensland)
Callum Fletcher (AUSVEG)

For more information, see the flyer. To RSVP, contact Kyla Finlay at kyla.finlay@ecodev.vic.gov.au.

Workshop: Food labelling (Melbourne)
2017-10-30 09:30 - 11:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Monash Food Incubator, Level 4, 13 Rainforest Walk, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia

vegetablesWA Industry Summit (Perth)
2017-10-27 07:30 - 23:00 (Australia/Perth) | Crown Perth, Great Eastern Highway, Burswood, WA, 6100, Australia
vegetablesWA invites you to its Grower Group Tour and Industry Summit, to be held on 27 October in Perth!
Participants in the Grower Group Tour will visit Sativa Farms to hear about cover cropping, biodiversity and irrigation, as well as touring Loose Leaf Lettuce Company’s loose leaf processing facility.
The Summit, held at Crown Perth, Botanical Room 1 & 2, will include four presentations and panel discussions. The topics will include Precision Agriculture, Value Adding, Benchmarking and Biosecurity. At the conclusion of the Industry Summit there will be a networking function.
For more information and details on how to register, see the event flyer.

Workshop: Food labelling (Newcastle)
2017-10-26 08:30 - 10:30 (Australia/Sydney) | CSIRO Energy Centre, 10 Murray Dwyer Circuit, Mayfield West, NSW, 2304, Australia

Workshop: Food labelling (Adelaide)
2017-10-26 08:30 - 10:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | CSIRO Adelaide, Gate 13, Kintore Avenue, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia

Workshop: Vegetable exports (WA)
2017-10-26 | TBA
vegetablesWA are organising an export workshop at the end of October. Check back for more details as we get closer to the date!

Workshop: Women in farm business (Bundaberg)
2017-10-25 09:30 - 13:30 (Australia/Brisbane) | Fairymead House, Thornhill Street, Bundaberg North, QLD, 4670, Australia
In October, QFF is hosting workshops to connect with women in farm businesses. The workshops will look at the range of leadership spaces where women could have an impact and open discussions about the barriers that constrain women from stepping into wider leadership roles and the support or resources that would be useful to help them move ahead in business and beyond.
These workshops are an opportunity for women to pause for a moment, consider their options and aspirations, and plan their next move.
Jess Fealy, Mareeba mango and avocado grower and Queensland finalists in the 2017 Rural Women’s Awards, will talk about the strategies she has used to build her networks and influence, and there will be some other inspiring speakers as well.
These workshops are funded through the Office of Small Business under the Advancing Women in Business program and also supported by Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) and AustSafe Super. The workshops will help QFF prepare recommendations for the best way forward for leadership development for women in Queensland’s agricultural sector.
For more information, see the event website.

Workshop: Safety and Health Forum (Geraldton)
2017-10-25 08:45 - 13:45 (Australia/Perth) | Geraldton Multi-Purpose Centre, 254 Marine Terrace, Geraldton, WA, 6530, Australia
The 2017 Safety and Health Workshops are aimed at anyone who is a business owner, employer, manager, supervisor, safety and health representative or an OSH manager.
You will have the opportunity to hear and learn from presenters with a wealth of occupational safety and health industry experience and expertise, as well as gain tools, techniques and strategies to take back to your workplace.
WorkSafe will present a range of safety and health topics at this forum including:

The importance of safe design
Scaffolding
Q Fever – are you at risk?
Plant in the workplace
Mental Health & Community Drug Service
Harmonious workplaces
Panel discussion

Safety and health representatives, supervisors and other responsible for safety and health are encouraged to attend. You will have the opportunity to meet with like-minded people from other organisations over morning tea and a light lunch.
For more information, see the event website.

Training: Centre pivot/lateral move (Busselton)
2017-10-25 - 2017-10-26 | Busselton Bowling Club, Brown St & Kent St, Busselton, WA, 6281, Australia
Irrigation Australia are coordinating a two-day training course for growers interested in centre pivot and lateral move irrigation systems.
Centre pivots and lateral moves (CPLM) have the potential to offer greater control and flexibility of irrigation management. Growers are seeing the many possible advantages for their businesses including potential yield improvements, reduced labour, more control of soil moisture as well as possible fertigation potential.
This course includes fees of $820 excluding GST (for Irrigation Australia members) or $1210 excluding GST (for non-members).
For more information, see the event website.

Workshop: Food extrusion demonstration (Werribee South)
2017-10-24 15:00 - 16:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Fresh Select, 610 Duncans Road, Werribee South, VIC, 3030, Australia
Levy-funded project VG15076 Creating value from edible vegetable waste is developing new ways to improve recovery of edible material, with a focus on brassica vegetables and carrots. Concepts being explored include extracting ‘nutraceuticals’ from vegetable waste, processing edible waste into new ingredients and food products, and using fermentation.
The CSIRO researchers working on VG15076, which is a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund, will be demonstrating extrusion technology in action at a workshop as part of the VegNET program being delivered in the northern, western and south-eastern regions of Victoria.
This live demonstration will allow participants to touch and taste the extrusion of powdered broccoli or carrots into crunchy snacks, and discuss opportunities for value added products within your business.
For more information, see the event flyer. Levy-paying growers who are interested in attending this workshop can contact Clinton Muller on 0498 192 596 or at clintonm@rmcg.com.au.
Some of this content first appeared in Hort Innovation’s quarterly Hortlink publication, available in full here. Stay in the loop by becoming a member of Hort Innovation – paying a levy doesn’t automatically make you a member, but signing up is free and easy here.

Workshop: SWIT Information Session (Murray Bridge)
2017-10-24 09:00 - 10:30 (Australia/Adelaide) | Murray Bridge Hotel, 20 Sixth Street, Murray Bridge, SA, 5253, Australia
