AUSVEG

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

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

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.

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.

Workshop: Food labelling (Hobart)
2017-11-13 10:00 - 12:00 (Australia/Hobart) | CSIRO Hobart, Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS, 7004, Australia

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.

Vegetable Research Facility Open Day (Forthside)
2017-11-14 08:30 - 13:30 (Australia/Hobart) | Forthside Vegetable Research Facility, 124 Forthside Rd, Forthside, TAS, 7310, Australia
Industry and community members are invited to join the The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) as it showcases the innovative research being undertaken to enhance the productivity, profitability and sustainability of agriculture in Tasmania.
TIA’s Forthside Vegetable Research Facility (Forthside) is the site of leading-edge agricultural research. Some of the research to be showcased at this event includes:

Overview of TIA, Professor Holger Meinke
Systemic downy mildew in poppies, Dr Jason Scott
Industrial hemp trials, Dr Mark Boersma
Soil health and management for optimum crop yield, Dr Bill Cotching and John McPhee

The Open Day will also feature presentations from guest speakers with a focus on precision technology. Guest speakers are Ryan McMahon from Remote Aviation Australia and Tim Neale from Data Farming (Queensland).
For more information, see the event website.

Workshop: Workplace Essentials (Caboolture)
2017-11-14 08:45 - 16:00 (Australia/Brisbane) | Caboolture Hub, 4 Hasking St, Caboolture, QLD, 4510, 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 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.

Forum: Potato diseases and soilborne health (Forthside)
2017-11-14 14:00 - 16:30 (Australia/Hobart) | Forthside Vegetable Research Facility, 124 Forthside Rd, Forthside, TAS, 7310, Australia
Industry are invited to attend a forum to hear an international perspective on potato diseases and soilborne health issues. The forum will be held at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture’s Vegetable Research Facility at Forthside, and there is an opportunity for a field walk to learn more about a current biofumigation trial.
Speakers include:
Dr Bob Larkin from the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). Dr Larkin is a Research Plant Pathologist with a focus on the biological and cultural control of soilborne diseases of potato, disease-suppressive rotation crops, sustainable cropping systems, soil health, and soil microbial communities.
Professor Richard Falloon from the New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research. Professor Falloon has spent the last 25 years focussing on soilborne diseases, especially those caused by Spongospora subterranea, linking root infection with reduced potato plant productivity.
Associate Professor Calum Wilson from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture. Assc Prof WIlson is a Plant Pathologist with more than 25 years experience working on potato diseases and his presentation will focus on recent advancements in tackling both powdery and common scab of potato.
For more information, see the event website.

Workshop: Biosecurity update (Bowen)
2017-11-14 14:30 - 17:00 (Australia/Brisbane) | QDAF Bowen, 45 Warwick Road, Bowen, QLD, 4805, Australia
As part of the VegNET project being delivered in Bowen, Gumlu and Far North Queensland by Bowen Gumlu Growers Association, a workshop is being held to provide local growers with updates in key biosecurity projects that are receiving investment from the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund.
This event will include two key speakers: Dr Paul Walker (TIA), discussing the TPP incursion in Western Australia and the strategic levy investment into surveillance efforts in South Australia and the eastern states; and Dr Jessica Lye (AUSVEG), providing an update on the newly launched strategic levy investment project preparing the industry for an incursion of vegetable leafminer into production areas.
Jessica Volker from Prospect Ag will also present at the workshop. For more information, please see the event flyer.
To register for this event, please click here.

ABARES Conference (Tamworth)
2017-11-15 | ibis Styles Tamworth, , 80-90 Ebsworth Street, Tamworth, NSW, 2340, Australia
Join ABARES at the Tamworth Regional Outlook conference on 15 November and hear from local producers, industry leaders and ABARES speakers at sessions exploring Innovation in agriculture – capturing the opportunities, Innovation in livestock enterprises and Growing crops and collaboration in a changing environment.
Bring your colleagues – it’s a great opportunity to update your industry knowledge, network with delegates and industry experts, discuss regional trends and opportunities, plus access the latest ABARES commodity forecasts and economic data.
This one day conference is free to attend, but pre-event registration is essential.
For more information, and to register for the event, please visit the ABARES website.

BFVG AGM and levy consultation (Bundaberg)
2017-11-17 14:15 - 16:30 (Australia/Brisbane) | BFVG, 23 Enterprise St, Bundaberg, QLD, 4670, Australia
As part of the Bundaberg Fruit & Vegetable Growers (BFVG) AGM and Christmas party, Hort Innovation is hosting information and Q&A sessions for the Avocado, Macadamia and Vegetable Funds.
Attendees will hear the latest updates on some key levy investments in the Funds from the people who are involved in the projects, and will also have the opportunity to ask Hort Innovation questions about their levy funds.
For more information on the levy consultations, please see the event flyer. For more information on BFVG events, including the AGM and Christmas party, please see its website.

Australian Organic Annual Awards for Excellence (Adelaide)
2017-11-17 18:30 - 22:30 (Australia/Adelaide) | National Wine Centre, Hackney Rd & Botany Rd, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
Join Australian Organic for their 30th anniversary at the Australian Organic Annual Awards for Excellence, being held this year at the National Wine Centre in Adelaide on Friday 17 November.
For more information, see the event website.

TropAg2017 (Brisbane)
2017-11-20 - 2017-11-22 | Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Merivale St & Glenelg Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4101, Australia
TropAg2017 brings together the best in research and innovation across plant, animal and food sciences. TropAg2017 focuses on science and technology solutions across the agriculture and food supply chain, including technology and investment. Now incorporating the agricultural technology AgFutures conference, TropAg is held in Brisbane, Australia.
TropAg2017 is for anyone concerned with addressing the many challenges in tropical and sub-tropical agriculture and food production. The 2017 conference theme is “high impact science to nourish the world”, reflecting the critical role of science, technology and innovation to the many challenges facing tropical and sub-tropical agriculture and food production globally.
For more information, see the event website.

National Agriculture Day
2017-11-21
National Farmers’ Federation President Fiona Simson and CEO Tony Mahar, along with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Barnaby Joyce, have launched the National Agriculture and Related Industries Day (AgDay).
To be held on 21 November 2017, AgDay will encourage all Australians to celebrate the nation’s farm sector and the work of our growers. For more information on National Agriculture Day, and to learn how to get involved, please see its website.

TIA National Agriculture Day panel
2017-11-21 17:00 - 19:00 (Australia/Hobart) | University of Tasmania, Churchill Avenue, Sandy Bay, TAS, 7005, Australia
The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) is marking the first-ever Australian National Agriculture Day with a panel discussion about the current state of Tasmania’s food and agriculture sectors and where they are heading into the future.
Leading experts from across the University of Tasmania will explore key topics like how consumers are influencing the way food is marketed and the politics of food, what the emerging trends in agricultural technologies are, and what the key pressures and opportunities are for the future of Tasmania’s agrifood sector.
There will also be opportunities for networking at the event, with the evening starting and concluding with drinks and refreshments. For more information, please see the TIA website.

Workshop: Workplace Essentials (Logan)
2017-11-22 08:45 - 16:00 (Australia/Brisbane) | TBA

Webinar: Soil and nutrition management
2017-11-22 12:30 - 13:30 (Australia/Melbourne)
Join an informative and interactive one-hour lunchtime session to get the latest updates from vegetable industry experts on healthy soil and correct nutrition management, which are essential to a productive vegetable business and protecting the natural environment. While the focus will be on nitrogen, the team can also answer your questions about other nutrients during the discussion.
The webinar, to be delivered by Dr Doris Blaesing (RMCG) and Andrew Shaw (AUSVEG), will offer a unique insight into how to manage vegetable soils and nutrition with a focus on environmental and economic sustainability. Growers Belinda Adams and David Anderson will also share the main benefits from being involved in the EnviroVeg program.
For more information on this webinar, please click here. To register for the webinar, please click here.
This session is being delivered as a collaboration between the Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection projects (delivered by RMCG and AHR) and the EnviroVeg program (delivered through AUSVEG in partnership with Growcom and Freshcare), which are strategic levy investments under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund.

Workshop: Hort Code of Conduct (Baldivis)
2017-11-22 17:00 - 19:00 (Australia/Perth) | Baldivis Market Gardens, 805 Eighty Rd, Baldivis, WA, 6171, Australia
The Horticulture Code of Conduct is set to be in full effect by April 2018, and it is important that all growers are informed as to their rights and obligations under the revised Code.
AUSVEG encourages Western Australian growers to attend one of the Code information sessions being held by vegetablesWA in the coming weeks, with vegetablesWA CEO John Shannon giving a presentation about Horticulture Produce Agreements (HPAs) and how they will affect grower dealings with wholesalers.
For more information, please see the vegetablesWA website. To RSVP for any of these events, please contact Sam Grubisa on 0427 373 037 or at sam.grubisa@vegetableswa.com.au.

Gippsland Women in Horticulture conference (Ellinbank)
2017-11-23 10:00 - 15:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | DEDJTR Ellinbank, 1301 Hazeldean Road, Ellinbank, VIC, 3821, Australia
The first-ever conference for Gippsland Women in Horticulture is being held to explore three dimensions of horticultural production: water, waste and wellness.
The morning session for the event will be devoted to individual speakers addressing the whole conference on issues of leadership, wellness and collaboration, with speakers including Nicole Griffin (Gippsland Water), Dr Nicola Watts (East Gippsland Food Cluster), Fiona Owen (Gippsland Women’s Health) and Jill Briggs (Rural Training Initiatives).
The afternoon session will be a great opportunity for group discussions on key areas of interest like irrigation, organics, biosecurity, mental health, leadership, innovation and the new generation of horticulture. These discussions will be facilitated by women with topic expertise, including AUSVEG National Manager – Science and Extension Dr Jessica Lye.
For more information, please see the event flyer. To register for the event, please see the event website.
Funding to facilitate this event has come through the VegNET project in East Gippsland as part of a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund. It is also being supported by the Commonwealth Bank, with attendees asked to contribute $30 per head to cover catering costs.

Workshop: Flood recovery (Bundaberg)
2017-11-23 12:00 - 15:30 (Australia/Brisbane) | Fairymead House, Thornhill Street, Bundaberg North, QLD, 4670, Australia
Farmers are encouraged to attend Queensland Farmers’ Federation’s (QFF) Flood Recovery Workshop to hear from technical recovery experts who can assist in getting you back on your feet.
Topics covered:

Natural disasters in Queensland
Agronomy
Soil science
Irrigation
Energy efficiency

QRIDA will be there on the day to discuss government assistance available to affected farmers.
For more information, see the event website.

Hort Innovation 2017 AGM (Tullamarine)
2017-11-24 | Mantra Tullamarine Hotel, 2 Trade Park Drive, Tullamarine, VIC, 3043, Australia
Planning has begun for Hort Innovation’s 2017 Annual General Meeting. For updates and all the latest information, please see the Hort Innovation website.

Workshop: Hort Code of Conduct (Wanneroo)
2017-11-28 17:00 - 19:00 (Australia/Perth) | Wanneroo Tavern, 18 Dundebar Rd, Wanneroo, WA, 6065, Australia

Tour de Bundaberg bus tour (Bundaberg)
2017-11-29 08:00 - 16:00 (Australia/Brisbane) | BFVG, 23 Enterprise St, Bundaberg, QLD, 4670, Australia
With a focus on sustainable agriculture, the leading ladies of Bundaberg agriculture are invited to join the BFVG on a bus tour of local farms who have implemented innovative farm practices to increase yield, productivity and profitability.
The tour will leave Bundaberg Fruit & Vegetable Growers (23 Enterprise Street, Bundaberg) at 8:00am and will return at approximately 4:00pm.
The day will include:

Guest speaker | Suzie Clarke, Bundy Food Tours
Guest speaker | Michelle Haase, VegNet Vegetable Industry Development Officer

Morning tea and Networking Lunch included
For more information, see the event website.
