AUSVEG

Workshop: Labour access focus group (Myalup)
2018-03-14 17:00 - 18:30 UTC | Binningup Country Club, Lakes Parade, Binningup, WA, 6233, Australia
vegetablesWA will be coordinating labour supply focus groups in mid-March to help growers contribute to a new report about Australia’s labour laws and visa options.
The focus groups will be attended by Dr Joanna Howe, Associate Professor in Law at the University of Adelaide, and Alex Reilly, Professor in Law at the University of Adelaide. Dr Howe will be asking growers for their views on Australia’s labour laws and visa options and how these affect growers’ businesses, with this information to be used in a report that will be used by the horticulture industry to lobby the government for better labour supply options.
As well as Dr Howe and Mr Reilly, these focus groups will also be attended by vegetablesWA CEO John Shannon and vegetablesWA Vietnamese Industry Extension Officer Truyen Vo.
For more information, see the vegetablesWA website.
If you’re interested in attending this event, contact Christina Ford by Friday 9 March 2018 at christina.ford@vegetableswa.com.au.

HARPS workshop (Bowen)
2018-03-20 11:30 - 13:30 (Australia/Brisbane) | QDAF Bowen, 45 Warwick Road, Bowen, QLD, 4805, Australia
The Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme (HARPS) harmonises the additional food safety, legal and trade requirements developed by the major Australian chain retailers into a single scheme. Certification to a recognised base scheme (such as Freshcare, GLOBALG.A.P. or SQF) plus HARPS is now accepted by the five chain retailers, eliminating the need for duplication and unnecessary costs.
If you want to know more about HARPS, if your business requires HARPS approval, how to implement HARPS, how to register your interest in HARPS or where you can get additional support and guidance, a series of workshops are being held around Australia to help you get the information you need.
For growers in other regions, a pre-recorded webinar will be available on the HARPS website.
If you have any questions about HARPS, please call 1300 852 219 or e-mail harps@harpsonline.com.au.

HARPS workshop (Brisbane)
2018-03-21 09:00 - 10:00, 2018-03-21 10:00 - 11:00 (Australia/Brisbane) | Brisbane Markets, 385 Sherwood Rd, Rocklea, QLD, 4106, Australia

Hort Code webinar
2018-03-21 12:30 - 13:30 UTC | NT
Do you know how the new Horticulture Code of Conduct applies to you? How do you make sure your business is compliant?
If you are a grower who sells produce you need to understand the Code and your obligations under the Code. VegPRO, the vegetable industry’s own national training program, is working with the VegNET program to deliver a free webinar for vegetable growers covering:

An overview of the Horticulture Code of Conduct
Areas of the Code relevant to vegetable growers
The obligations of growers and traders under the Code
Fines under the Code
Record-keeping requirements and Horticulture Produce Agreements

This webinar will be presented by Jill Briggs and Jacqueline Sutherland from Horticulture Code Consultants, and is free for vegetable industry members as part of a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund. To register for this webinar, click here.
If you have any questions, get in touch with Carl Larsen at carll@rmcg.com.au, Jill Briggs at jill@horticulturecodeconsultants.com.au or Jacqueline Sutherland at jacqueline@horticulturecodeconsultants.com.au.

HARPS workshop (Bundaberg)
2018-03-21 16:00 - 18:00 (Australia/Brisbane) | Rowers in the River, 2 Toonburra St, Bundaberg, QLD, 4670, Australia

Exporting vegetables workshop (Pooraka)
2018-03-22 08:00 - 11:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | South Australian Produce Markets, Burma Rd, Pooraka, SA, 5095, Australia
AUSVEG SA will be hosting a workshop at the South Australian Produce Markets for growers who are interested in learning more about the export process and how to become export-ready.
The workshop is targeted at levy-paying vegetable growers that want to know more about how to commence exporting and identify export markets, and who are just starting out or looking to move into exporting and want to understand what is involved.
The workshop will be facilitated by experienced trainers from the Export Council of Australia with vegetable industry support from AUSVEG and AUSVEG SA.
The workshop will cover:

Are you ready to start exporting?
What resources are available to growers to assist them commence exporting.
Which export markets to target, and where you can and can’t export to.
Pricing for export.
Free Trade Agreements and how to use them.

With a maximum capacity of 12 participants, secure your place now by contacting Jordan Brooke-Barnett on 0404 772 308 or email jordan.brooke-barnett@ausveg.com.au.
This project is part of a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund and is being delivered with the support of AUSVEG’s export development team.

Hort Code workshop (Lindenow)
2018-03-22 08:30 - 10:00 UTC | TBC
Do you know how the new Horticulture Code of Conduct applies to you? How do you make sure your business is compliant?
If you are a grower who sells produce you need to understand the Code and your obligations under the Code. VegPRO, the vegetable industry’s own national training program, is coordinating free workshops in the Northern Territory and Victoria to help Australian vegetable growers understand how the new Horticulture Code of Conduct will affect their businesses.
These workshops will cover key information growers need to ensure they are conducting their business in compliance with the new Code, including:

An overview of the Code
The types of trading arrangements covered by the Code
Understanding the paperwork and record keeping required under the Code
And a chance to ask questions.

These sessions will be presented by Jill Briggs and Jacqueline Sutherland from Horticulture Code Consultants, and are free for vegetable industry members as part of a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund.
For more information, see the event website.

Biosecurity webinar
2018-03-22 12:30 - 13:30 UTC | NT
Plant biosecurity is a series of measures that aid in protecting production areas from harmful insects, weeds, and various plant diseases. On-farm biosecurity best practices play a pivotal role in maintaining Australia’s reputation of producing high quality products.
To help you better understand on-farm biosecurity and how to implement practices on your farms that can protect you from damaging incursions, the levy-funded VegNET program is hosting a free webinar with industry experts for vegetable growers.
This webinar will feature Dr Jessica Lye (AUSVEG), Greg Owens (NT Farmers) and growers speaking about what you should do to protect your farm through good hygiene and biosecurity management.
To register for this webinar, click here.
Growers interested in learning more about biosecurity can also watch a VegNET video about cucumber green mottle mosaic virus in the Northern Territory and the biosecurity lessons learnt from the response to this virus.
If you’re interested in learning more about projects currently being delivered to support the Australian vegetable industry’s biosecurity, visit the biosecurity and crop protection section of our website.

HARPS workshop (Gatton)
2018-03-22 12:30 - 14:30 (Australia/Brisbane) | QDAF Gatton, Warrego Highway, Lawes, QLD, 4343, Australia

Hort Code workshop (Maffra)
2018-03-22 13:00 - 14:30 UTC | TBC

Chemical handling workshop (Devonport)
2018-03-26 08:30 - 2018-03-27 16:30 UTC | TBC
VegPRO’s face-to-face courses are designed for the vegetable industry to raise awareness of the potential hazards and risks of chemicals and how to apply them safely.
This course includes safe chemical handling, storage and transport as well as safe application of chemicals using correct personal protective equipment and understanding chemical labels. This course includes ACCHM303 Prepare and Apply Chemicals and ACHM304 Transport and Store Chemicals.
For more information, see the EventBrite page.

HARPS workshop (Bunbury)
2018-03-26 14:00 - 16:00 (Australia/Perth) | DPIRD Bunbury, 1 Verschuer Place, Bunbury, WA, 6230, Australia

HARPS workshop (Canning Vale)
2018-03-27 08:00 - 10:00 UTC | Perth Markets, 280 Bannister Rd, Canning Vale, WA, 6155, Australia

Hort Code workshop (Coolalinga)
2018-03-27 08:30 - 10:00 (Australia/Darwin) | NT Farmers Office, 460 Stuart Highway, Coolalinga, NT, 0839, Australia

Hort Code workshop (Humpty Doo)
2018-03-27 12:00 - 13:30 (Australia/Darwin) | Humpty Doo Golf Club, 565 Pioneer Drive, Humpty Doo, NT, 0836, Australia
Do you know how the new Horticulture Code of Conduct applies to you? How do you make sure your business is compliant?
If you are a grower who sells produce you need to understand the Code and your obligations under the Code. VegPRO, the vegetable industry’s own national training program, is coordinating free workshops in the Northern Territory and Victoria to help Australian vegetable growers understand how the new Horticulture Code of Conduct will affect their businesses.
These workshops will cover key information growers need to ensure they are conducting their business in compliance with the new Code, including:

An overview of the Code
The types of trading arrangements covered by the Code
Understanding the paperwork and record keeping required under the Code
And a chance to ask questions.

A Vietnamese translator will be available for this event.
These sessions will be presented by Jill Briggs and Jacqueline Sutherland from Horticulture Code Consultants, and are free for vegetable industry members as part of a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund.
For more information, see the event website.

Chemical handling workshop (Bishopbourne)
2018-03-28 08:30 - 2018-03-29 16:30 (Australia/Hobart) | TBC

Food extrusion and leafminer workshop (Tyabb)
2018-03-28 15:30 - 17:00 UTC | Taranto Farms, 57 The Crescent, Tyabb, VIC, 3913, Australia
re you interested in how to turn vegetable waste into nutrient-dense, value-added products that can help supplement your business’s profitability, or how to protect against the vegetable leafminer?
As part of the levy-funded VegNET program being delivered in northern, western and south-eastern Victoria, a workshop is being held by AUSVEG, CSIRO and RMCG to show growers the latest in food extrusion technology and walk industry members through a mock surveillance exercise designed to prepare for the arrival of vegetable leafminer.
The workshop will include:

An introduction to the vegetable leafminer, where it is found, the damage it causes and how to protect against it, with a mock surveillance exercise (Dr Jessica Lye, AUSVEG)
An extrusion demonstration of broccoli and carrot, where participants will see, touch and taste crops that have been turned into snack products and discuss opportunities for value added products within their businesses (Dr Danyang Ying, CSIRO)

A flyer for this workshop has been produced if you know anyone in your networks who would be interested in attending.
For more information about the partnership program for control, eradication and preparedness for vegetable leafminer in Australia, take a look at the project page on the Plant Health Australia website.
The VegNET program and CSIRO food extrusion technology for the vegetable industry are both strategic levy investments under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund.

The strategic levy investment project RD&E program for control, eradication and preparedness for vegetable leafminer (MT16004) is a part of the Hort Innovation Vegetable and Nursery Funds. This project has been funded by Hort Innovation using the vegetable and nursery research and development levies and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

Negotiations and influencing course (Perth)
2018-04-04 - 2018-04-05 | vegetablesWA, 702-704 Murray St, Perth, WA, 6005, Australia
VegPRO‘s free two-day negotiations and influencing workshop is coming to Perth, following successful events at Gatton in Queensland and at the South Australian Produce Market.
VegPRO is a strategic levy investment project under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund that is delivering targeted, tailored training for Australian vegetable growers. In this course, industry members who deal with people on a day-to-day basis (whether it be with customers, staff, transport and logistics companies or anyone else) can learn a wide range of useful skills, including:

increased confidence and effective communication;
managing emotional and difficult conversations;
controlling and influencing conversation to get better pricing outcomes;
preparing effectively to combat pushes from buyers; and
identifying other people’s tactics and having a strategy for responses.

This levy-funded workshop has received great reviews from growers who have participated previously, and is a valuable skills development opportunity for you or anyone else who represents your business in negotiations and other business discussions.
To register for this free workshop or to see more information, click here. If you’re interested, you can also contact Sophie Lapsley from RMCG at sophiel@rmcg.com.au or on 0426 200 996.
For more information on the VegPRO project and how growers are shaping its training opportunities, listen to the latest edition of the InfoVeg Radio podcast.

2018 Young Grower LDM (NZ + USA)
2018-04-09 - 2018-04-22 | NT
The 2018 Young Grower Industry Leadership and Development Mission will provide the industry’s future leaders the opportunity to visit farms, research institutions and some of the world’s leading and innovative agribusinesses in New Zealand and California – including a visit to San Francisco’s Silicon Valley.

HARPS workshop (Mareeba)
2018-04-11 12:00 - 14:00 (Australia/Brisbane) | Mareeba Leagues Club, Doyle St, Mareeba, QLD, 4880, Australia

HARPS workshop (Boogan)
2018-04-11 16:30 - 18:30 UTC | Centre for Wet Tropics Research, 24 Experimental Rd, Boogan, QLD, 4859, Australia

Irrigation workshop (Maffra)
2018-04-12 09:00 - 16:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Heyfield, Upper Maffra Road, Newry, VIC, 3859, Australia
VegPRO is an industry-funded national training program that delivers targeted training to growers and growing operations around the country to ensure that you have access to tailored training solutions that meet your needs.
In collaboration with the VegNET project, VegPRO is delivering irrigation skills workshops in Victoria and South Australia in the coming weeks. These workshops will give practical, hands-on training to irrigation operators in the vegetable industry, and will cover:

The relationships between water, crops and soil.
Understanding and managing the irrigation system.
Determining an irrigation schedule that matches crop water needs.
Measuring and interpretation of soil moisture monitoring information.
Strengths and weaknesses of soil, plant and weather based approaches for irrigation decisions.

These workshops are free for levy-payers thanks to a strategic levy investment by Hort Innovation.
To keep up with all the workshops VegPRO is delivering for growers around the country, use the program’s Eventbrite page!

Export training workshop (Camberwell)
2018-04-17 - 2018-04-18 | AUSVEG offices, Level 2, 273 Camberwell Rd, Camberwell, VIC, 3124, Australia
AUSVEG, in conjunction with Export Council of Australia, will be running a two-day Vegetable Export Training Workshop during April in Victoria.
This training will assist growers to develop their understanding of export documentation and procedural requirements in order to expand their export capabilities. If you are considering exporting or looking to expand your existing exports, this training program will provide you with the information and skills to do so.
If travel to Melbourne is required, AUSVEG can provide one night of accommodation for levy-paying growers.
To register and find out more about the training program, please contact AUSVEG on 03 9882 0277 or email export@ausveg.com.au by 13 April 2018 to confirm your attendance.

HARPS workshop (Epping)
2018-04-18 07:30 - 08:30 UTC | Melbourne Markets, 55 Produce Drive, Epping, VIC, 3076, Australia

TAPG Precision Ag EXPO
2018-04-19 | Hagley Farm School, 2508 Meander Valley Road, Hagley, TAS, 7292, Australia
Tasmanian growers and industry members are invited to this year’s Precision Ag EXPO, a great way to learn about the new technologies and practices that are shaping modern agriculture and helping growers maximise productivity.
This one-day event is hosted by the Tasmanian Agricultural Productivity Group (TAPG) and is a fantastic opportunity to keep up with the latest industry developments, as well as to meet up with other growers and get some fresh perspectives on the industry.
It boasts an exciting line-up of speakers, in-field demonstrations and exhibitors that can help you identify new ways of tackling the challenges that affect your business, including:

In-field demonstrations of potato equipment
Field demonstrations of the RIPPA
Discussions about the economics of drainage with Frank Mulcahy (Simplot), Reuben Wells (Ag Logic) and Will Bignell (DroneAg)
An update on the tomato potato psyllid by National Tomato Potato Psyllid Coordinator Alan Nankivell
The launch of Phase 2 of the levy-funded Soil Wealth/ICP projects

AUSVEG Environment Coordinator Andy Shaw will have a booth at the event for any growers looking to learn more about how the levy-funded EnviroVeg program can help you attain Freshcare Environmental certification. He’s also available to chat to anyone looking to learn more about sustainable resource use in vegetable production, so swing by his booth on the day!
For more information about the TAPG Precision Ag EXPO, see the event flyer here. This is a free event, but if you’re interested in coming along, RSVP for catering purposes to terry.brient@gmail.com.

2018 Women's LDM (Europe)
2018-04-21 - 2018-05-04 | NT
The 2018 Women’s Industry Leadership and Development Mission will provide growers in the vegetable industry the opportunity of a lifetime to visit vegetable growing operations and innovative agribusinesses and research institutions in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Future Farming Masterclass (Bundaberg)
2018-04-27 - 2018-04-28 | Bundaberg Recreational Precinct, University Drive, Bundaberg, QLD, 4670, Australia
Vegetable growers in the Bundaberg region have a great opportunity to see the next wave of farming technology in action at the upcoming Future Farming Masterclass being hosted by Bundaberg Fruit & Vegetable Growers (BFVG).
Automation and robotics in the horticulture sector continue to evolve at a rapid rate, and this two-day event will be showcasing some of the most exciting new developments with practical applications on vegetable farms, including:

A demonstration of “Harvey”, a robotic capsicum harvester (Queensland University of Technology)
Insights into vertebrate pest control with drones (CQUniversity)
New information about supporting weedbusting and beneficial bugs with drones (Aerobugs)

For more information about the full range of demonstrations and technical experts at the event, you can check out the program or take a look at speaker biographies.
If you’re not in the region, you can also learn more about some of the technology on show in a fascinating blog post by Michelle Haase, Vegetable Industry Development Officer at BFVG. Click through to read about CSIRO’s RapidAIM technology, which uses internet-linked hardware and software to automate pest detection and help growers and agronomists respond quickly to incursions.
To RSVP or to speak with someone about this event, contact Michelle Haase on 07 4153 3007 or at michelle.haase@bfvg.com.au.

Soilborne disease farm walk (Carnarvon)
2018-04-30 - 2018-05-01 | TBC
A two-day series of workshops and field days is being coordinated for growers in the Carnarvon region of Western Australia who want to learn more about managing soilborne diseases in their vegetable crops.
Hosted by vegetablesWA as part of the VegNET program, these events will feature Dr Doris Blaesing (RMCG) and Dr Len Tesoriero (NSW DPI) delivering two workshops and undertaking field visits to cover some of the most common diseases affecting growers in the region.
The two workshops will provide information for Vietnamese-speaking growers in the morning, and English-speaking growers in the afternoon. The field days will cover disease issues like nematodes, fusarium, bacterial canker, phytophthora and sclerotinia. For more information, see the Soil Wealth website.
If you’d like to register your interest in attending the workshops and/or field days, contact vegetablesWA Industry Development Officer Sam Grubisa on 0427 373 037 or at sam.grubisa@vegetableswa.com.au.
Growers in southern WA who are interested in hearing from Dr Blaesing and Dr Tesoriero can attend the vegetablesWA Leafy Variety Trial day being held on Thursday 3 May.

Leafy variety trials (Gingin)
2018-05-03 10:00 - 15:00 (Australia/Perth) | Loose Leaf Lettuce Company, 198 Ashby Road, Gingin, WA, 6503, Australia
Western Australian growers looking to learn more about managing problem soilborne diseases in their vegetable crops are encouraged to attend the vegetablesWA Leafy Variety Trial day, which will also see the WA launch of Phase 2 of the Soil Wealth/ICP projects.
Dr Doris Blaesing (RMCG) and Dr Len Tesoriero (NSW DPI) will be presenting a practical session focusing on damping off diseases and their control, with plenty of in-field demonstrations, tips and tools.
Hosted by Maureen Dobra and Kevan Dobra from the Loose Leaf Lettuce Company, the day will also offer attendees a chance to tour seed plots where new green leaf varieties are being trialed, including head lettuce and baby leaf varieties.
Growers will also have the chance to speak to representatives from participating seed companies, including Bayer, South Pacific Seeds, Seminis and Rijk Zwaan.
For more information on the trial, you can view the flyer online. To RSVP, contact vegetablesWA’s Christina Ford on 08 9486 7515 or at christina.ford@vegetableswa.com.au.
