AUSVEG

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

Webinar: Employing Workers from the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste
2026-07-28 11:00 - 12:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Webinar
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.

New Zealand Horticulture Conference
2026-07-28 - 2026-07-29 | Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, New Zealand
This year marks a new era. The individual Horticulture Conference and RSE Conference have now come together as one unified event: The New Zealand Horticulture Conference.
By bringing both audiences together, this combined national conference creates a single powerful platform for growers, industry leaders, researchers, employers, and policymakers to connect, collaborate, and shape the future of horticulture in Aotearoa.
Join for two days of insights, innovation, and industry‑wide conversation as they focus on building a stronger, more sustainable sector—together.
One event. Two days. One strong industry voice.

Hort IQ Webinar: What cost-of-living pressures mean for fresh produce
2026-07-27 11:00 - 12:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Webinar
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

2026 Australian Women in Agriculture National Conference
2026-07-27 - 2026-07-29 | NSW
This gathering will bring together farmers, industry leaders, and community voices for two days of collaboration, inspiration, and forward‑thinking discussions.
Banksia, Orange, NSW

Webinar: Quantium for Vegetables - Intro session 1
2026-07-24 14:00 - 14:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Webinar

Webinar: Water Act Review Discussion Paper
2026-07-24 10:30 - 11:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Webinar
Join Mr Geoff Leeper, Independent Reviewer, for a webinar on the Water Act Review Discussion Paper. Mr Leeper will be joined by Dr Teagan Shields, First Nations Advisor, and senior executives from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
The webinar will provide an overview of the Discussion Paper, including the key issues under consideration as part of the review. Participants will also hear about the review process, submission opportunities, and key timelines, and will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with the review team.
To help inform the discussion, they encourage participants to submit questions in advance. Questions can be emailed to wateractreview@dcceew.gov.au.
This webinar will be recorded and made available on our website following the event.

Soil Wealth Masterclass 2026
2026-07-21 - 2026-07-22 | NSW
The SWICP Regen Ag Masterclass is designed for growers and advisers already exploring or implementing practice change within vegetable production systems.
The Masterclass is not designed as an introductory regenerative agriculture workshop. Rather, the focus will be on practical implementation, challenges, lessons learnt and identifying realistic next steps within commercial production systems.
The Masterclass will be discussion-based and focused on peer learning and practical application. We encourage sharing experiences from within participants’ own farming operations and advisory contexts. Presenters will cover important aspects of regen ag in vegetable production. There will be an afternoon of farm visits to nearby Cranbourne operations to showcase practices in real life.
Participants should be comfortable contributing to facilitated group discussions and peer learning activities across the two-day program.
Previous SWICP masterclass participants have found these sessions practical and useful, particularly the opportunity to chat to experts.
The masterclass is free (courtesy of your levies) and includes field visits, catering during the masterclass and an evening meal on day 1 (Tuesday). You will need to arrange your own travel and accommodation.

VIC: PotatoLink R&D Forum 2026
2026-07-16 14:00 - 19:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Bungaree Recreation Reserve, Bungaree-Wallace Rd, Bungaree, Victoria, 3352, Australia
Join the PotatoLink R&D Forum, bringing together growers, researchers, advisors, and industry members to explore the latest levy-funded potato research and development projects from across Australia.
Featuring:

Integrated Disease Management (IDM) program

Life cycle analysis project

Area-wide integrated crop management

And more…

Hear directly from project leaders and industry experts as they share current findings, future opportunities, and the practical implications for Australian potato growers.
The event will also provide valuable opportunities for networking, discussion, and collaboration across the industry.
Afternoon tea and dinner will be provided during the forum, with time throughout the day for networking and discussion.

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: Level Up Hort - How to Make More Margin in Your Business
2026-07-02 14:00 - 15:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Webinar
Profitable businesses are generating up to 4× more profit per hectare.
Join us for the Level Up Hort webinar on 2 July to learn why some businesses continue to be profitable, and how you can make more margin in your own operation.
Learn about the key drivers of profitability in vegetable businesses and the practical actions growers can take now to improve productivity and maximise margins in the year ahead.
Information: Contact project manager Steff Carstairs 0428 712 852 / steff@planfarm.com.au

Webinar - Future proofing potato production: emissions, resilience, and market expectations
2026-07-02 12:30 - 13:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Webinar
Join PotatoLink for a webinar exploring:

the changing emissions reporting landscape in fresh produce,

why it is becoming increasingly important across the supply chain,

how growers can prepare for future requirements, and

growers’ current experiences with emissions monitoring and reduction.

The webinar will also feature the latest updates from the levy-funded greenhouse gas emissions analysis project being led by Lifecycles, including:

early findings,

emissions hotspots within potato production systems, and

what these results may mean for growers.

Groundswell Festival England
2026-07-01 - 2026-07-02 | Lannock Farm, United Kingdom
The Groundswell Festival provides a forum for farmers, growers, or anyone interested in food production and the environment to learn about the theory and practical applications of regenerative farming systems.

World Agri-Tech South America
2026-06-23 - 2026-06-24 | Hotel Unique, São Paulo, Brazil
World Agri-Tech’s South America Summit spotlights the vast potential the region holds in scaling innovation and driving the global transition to sustainable and climate-smart farming practices.

Future Food Tech Chicago
2026-06-15 - 2026-06-16 | Convene Willis Tower, 233 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, 60606, United States
Future Food-Tech Chicago is where breakthrough innovators unite with global food corporates, investors, ingredient providers, manufacturers and policy makers to forge partnerships, bridge supply gaps and discover the next generation of sustainable proteins and ingredients.
As America’s leading food-industry hub, Chicago takes you to the heart of major corporate decision-making, opening fast-track pathways to global food brands and high-value partnership opportunities.

Warsaw Food Expo
2026-06-09 - 2026-06-11 | Warsaw, Poland
The key event for the food industry, bringing together producers, distributors, and culinary enthusiasts. The fair offers opportunities to establish business connections, explore market trends, and discover exceptional flavors.

GreenTech Amsterdam
2026-06-09 - 2026-06-11 | RAI Amsterdam
Join us on 9 – 10 – 11 June 2026 at RAI Amsterdam for the #1 horticulture technology event! Industry professionals from all over the world come together to connect, network, share knowledge and do business.
GreenTech Amsterdam offers you a complete overview of the products and services for growing the best crops in your greenhouse.

Bridge2Food Europe
2026-06-09 - 2026-06-11 | Copenhagen, Denmark
Bridge2Food Europe 2026 is set to take place in Copenhagen, with a renewed focus on what really defines success in next-generation food innovation: products that consumers genuinely want to buy, eat, and come back for.
From taste and texture to functionality, processing, scale-up, nutrition, and cost, we’ll tackle the hard topics that stand between innovation and commercial reality.

Food Innovate Amsterdam
2026-06-09 - 2026-06-10 | NSW
Join leading food innovators, professionals, and experts as they discuss the newest innovations, technologies and developments in the industry. Our key speakers come from some of the largest companies to share their best practices, regulations, and techniques.
Those in attendance will benefit from a packed two-day programme, where they will explore the critical issues with the industry’s best speakers. There will be plentiful networking times, expect to meet fellow industry leaders, enabling meetings, connections, and business growth.

Food Matters Live London
2026-06-03 - 2026-06-04 | Olympia International Convention Centre, London, United Kingdom
The world-class event series where food takes shape – uniting insight, innovation and unforgettable experiences for the industry’s NPD, technical and nutrition professionals.

SA: Building Soil Health in practice: Cover Crops & Managing Constraints (Penfield)
2026-06-02 10:00 - 14:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | Mitolo Family Farms, Penfield, South Australia, Australia
Join in Penfield for a field walk focused on improving soil health for potato production in South Australia.
The field walk will take place at Mitolo Family Farms, where cover crops are integrated into potato rotations to build soil health and improve system resilience.
We’ll hear from guest speaker Julie Finnigan (Muirs), who will share practical insights into adopting cover crops, managing soil constraints and developing more resilient, productive farming systems. Attendees will gain actionable knowledge and real-world examples that can be applied on-farm.
Topics:

Cover cropping in practice: Integrating cover crops into potato rotations to improve soil structure and moisture retention, with focus around species selection and disease risk.

Managing soil constraints: Practical strategies for managing sodicity and salinity in sandy soils.

Building soil health: Improving water holding capacity, soil structure, and organic matter through application of ameliorants.

Healthy soil biology: Supporting healthier soils and reducing soilborne disease through improved biological function.

This is a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow growers and industry members, share experiences, and walk away with practical strategies to improve soil health and reduce input costs.

Hort Innovation Impact Update
2026-06-01 15:00 - 18:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | EOS Hotel at Sky City, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
As production costs and challenges increase, it’s more important than ever to support growers with the knowledge, tools and insights they need to make informed decisions and remain viable and competitive.
Hort Connections is a place that brings all of this together. For the first time, Hort Innovation is helping more growers get there by subsidising 100 growers to attend Hort Connections in Adelaide in June through free grower tickets, along with support for travel and accommodation. This is so they can access the research and development insights and capability‑building opportunities that inform confident, practical decisions on farm in a fast‑changing environment.
Central to this opportunity is the inaugural Hort Innovation Impact Update – an event designed specifically for growers that will take place the afternoon before Hort Connections – and registrations are now open!
Hosted by Hort Innovation, the Impact Update will bring together growers, researchers and industry leaders to share practical insights, real‑world outcomes and examples of innovation that are helping growers navigate current challenges and plan for the future.
Across the three‑hour event, growers will:

Hear directly from growers who are turning R&D into real‑world outcomes
Explore practical tools and innovations they can apply on farm
Take part in open discussion and knowledge exchange
See how Hort Innovation’s investments are delivering impact from DNA to plate

Annual Vegetable Industry Seminar 2026
2026-06-01 13:30 - 18:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | Adelaide Convention Centre, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
Designed for vegetable, potato, and onion growers, the Annual Vegetable Industry Seminar (AVIS) delivers expert knowledge, practical takeaways, and research-driven insights relevant to today’s industry.
Lunch, afternoon tea, and post conference canapes and beverages will be provided.
Levy paying growers can register now for grower funding to attend the Annual Vegetable Industry Seminar on Monday 1 June, as part of Hort Connections 2026 in Adelaide.
To Register for AVIS Grower Funding:

Step 1: Open the registration portal here.
Step 2: Register for a Hort Connections 2026 pass.
Step 3: Levy paying Australian growers will be eligible for the AVIS Grower Funding.

Find the full program of speakers here.
For further information or assistance please contact info@hortconnections.com.au

The Annual Vegetable Industry Seminar project (VG24003) is funded by Hort Innovation using the vegetable R&D levy and contributions from the Australian Government.

Hort Connections 2026
2026-06-01 - 2026-06-04 | Adelaide Convention Centre, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
In 2026, the entire fresh produce industry will converge at the Adelaide Convention Centre from Monday 1st June to Thursday 4th June. Through the trade show, attendees will gain exclusive access to the latest products, services, and technologies driving the horticulture industry forward.

NSW: Water, soil and savings: Practical tools for growers
2026-05-29 12:30 - 14:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | The Greater Sydney Local Land Services Demonstration Farm, 40 Edwards Rd, Richmond Lowlands, NSW, Australia
Field vegetable growers are invited to attend a practical in-field session focused on soil health improvement and smarter irrigation management.
Hosted by VegNET NSW and WaterWise, the session will explore practical tools and research findings to help growers improve soil structure, monitor soil moisture more effectively, and make better irrigation decisions.
Topics

Results from a two-year Soil Wealth demonstration site
Improvements in soil porosity, biology, and structure
Soil moisture monitoring for more accurate crop irrigation
Comparison of available soil moisture monitoring technologies

RSVP
26 May for catering purposes
(call/email/text)
Contact
Sylvia Jelinek on 0427 086 724 or sylvia.jelinek@lls.nsw.gov.au
Matt Plunkett on 0428 978 390 or matthew.plunkett@lls.nsw.gov.au

Webinar: Submitting Decision Ready Nominations & Visa Applications
2026-05-27 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-05-25 14:00 - 15:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Webinar
Lodging complete applications with the Department will provide a more streamlined process and will assist with delays in decision making for both employer nominations and visa applications.
If you do not provide all required information at lodgement, your application may be delayed or decided based on the information available at the time of decision.
This webinar is targeted to Australian business employers with the aim to improve the quality of employer nominations and visa applications lodged for the following visa programs:
• Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa
• Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa, and
• Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494) visa
The session will include practical guidelines to help employers prepare and submit complete applications, including:
• Global visa processing times
• Skilled visa processing priorities
• Type of information and documents required by the Department
• Checklists and resources available to assist employers to lodge complete applications
• Useful tips to avoid oversights and pit falls

Food 4 Future – Expo FoodTech Spain
2026-05-27 - 2026-05-28 | Bilbao Exhibition Centre
Expo FoodTech is the leading food industry fair to explore innovations in automation, robotics, AI, packaging, logistics and sustainability, alongside the Food 4 Future World Summit.

Webinar: Solutions for on-farm organics: Digging into compost
2026-05-26 12:00 - 13:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Webinar
Register for this Soil Wealth ICP webinar exploring practical approaches to managing on-farm organic waste and turning waste streams into valuable compost and soil inputs. The session will focus on practical, on-farm solutions to help growers maximise inputs, reduce waste and improve resource efficiency within their production systems.
Hear directly from growers sharing their experiences, lessons learned and the practical levers they are using on-farm to better manage organics and close nutrient loops. The webinar will also explore broader industry perspectives on compost quality, standards and best-practice approaches to organics processing and reuse.

TAS: Getting seed right: Managing potato seed for optimal crop performance
2026-05-26 10:00 - 15:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Cherry Hill Coolstores, 32 Cherry Hill Road, Latrobe, Tasmania, 7307, Australia
Join PotatoLink for a day at Cherry Hill Coolstores to learn about all things seed! Cherry Hill Coolstores have the capacity to handle 15,000 tonnes of seed potatoes per annum across their 16 coolstores and three large dry store areas. They provide services including cool storage, grading, potato seed, cutting and bulk unloading.
During our visit, Cherry Hill will take us on a tour, demonstrating the different stages of their supply chain and best practices of seed storage and handling.
Designed for all members of the seed potato supply chain, this event will seek to enhance foundational knowledge on potato seed processes, certification, handling, hygiene, storage and physiological age.
Participants will leave the session having explored:

Processes through the seed supply chain (seeing it from diverse perspectives)
Risks and challenges that affect seed performance through the seed supply chain
Best practices relating to seed certification, storage, physiological age management and seed treatments
Importance of best practices on seed performance
Actions that participants can take to address key risks through their seed supply chain
