13 September 2021
Water is a potential source of microbial contamination for vegetable crops – whether applied through irrigation, crop protection sprays, or postharvest washes. Ongoing work is investigating […]
13 September 2021
Queensland’s Lockyer Valley was the place to be on 6-7 June, with the 2021 Lockyer Valley Growers Expo taking place. The event was hosted by the […]
13 September 2021
Annie Attard is the vice-president for Women in Sugar as well as a Director at both Bundaberg Sugar Services and Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers. Her […]
13 September 2021
The VegNET – Wide Bay-Burnett project continues to deliver local trials and workshops to vegetable growers across the region, which spans hundreds of kilometres north of […]
13 September 2021
Kim Ngov grows vegetables in Wedderburn, located in Sydney’s south-east. VegNET – New South Wales Regional Development Officer Sylvia Jelinek chats to Kim about his business and […]
13 September 2021
AUSVEG SA is the state-wide representative body for South Australia’s $2 billion vegetable industry. It works with governments at all levels to advocate on key issues […]
13 September 2021
The vegetable season is peaking in north Queensland, and all eyes are on new ways to manage fall armyworm (FAW) and thrips as well as new […]
13 September 2021
The VegNET Western Australian Strategy is a roadmap for enhancing the state’s vegetable growing businesses. As part of this strategy, VegNET – WA Regional Development Officers […]
13 September 2021
Now that we have reached the end of the second phase of VegNET – Victoria (South-East, West and Northern Regions), Regional Development Officer Dimi Kyriakou revisits […]
13 September 2021
VegNET – Gippsland’s commitment to increase workforce capability has been in overdrive in 2021, with forums taking place to highlight the opportunities available. It has also […]
13 September 2021
The Phase II VegNET – Northern Territory Regional Extension Plan found an identifiable gap in grower awareness and understanding of NT soils. Unearthing NT Soil Wealth […]
7 September 2021
Farm hygiene is the first step to helping growers protect their own business and the wider horticulture industry, while minimising production losses and unnecessary costs associated […]
31 August 2021
Michelle Flowers is the Human Resources Manager at Koala Farms, which is located in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley region. Koala Farms produces vegetables over 1,500 acres and […]
31 August 2021
IrriSAT is a free satellite-based irrigation scheduling app. It combines satellite images with weather data to estimate crop water use Read a case study on the […]
31 August 2021
A three-year trial examining the impact of compost as an organic soil amendment has just wrapped up at the Soil Wealth ICP demonstration site in Richmond, […]
31 August 2021
Watch this masterclass recording to indulge in the complex world of soil biology and how it relates to healthy and profitable vegetable production. Basic principles are […]
26 August 2021
One of the best defences against pest and diseases is to implement on-farm hygiene practices, which will limit the entry, spread and establishment of pests and […]
24 August 2021
The Soil Wealth ICP team has released another update to the Biological Products Database, an online tool to help growers navigate the range of biological products […]
16 August 2021
Harvest to Home, funded by Hort Innovation, is an interactive online dashboard that provides users with up-to-date retail information and consumer trend data on a range of […]
3 August 2021
Earlier this year, parts of New South Wales and south-east Queensland experienced the worst flooding seen in decades. Vegetable growers – particularly those in Greater Sydney […]
3 August 2021
PotatoLink is the new extension and communication project for the Australian potato industry led by Applied Horticultural Research (AHR) with funding through Hort Innovation using potato […]
27 July 2021
Most good crop management practices begin with the soil. Enhancing natural populations of beneficial soil organisms can help the growth and establishment of crops, as well […]
20 July 2021
Hort Innovation has funded a new project Co-developing and extending integrated Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) management systems for the Australian vegetable industry (VG20003), which will support […]
13 July 2021
Keep up to date on any developments in the regulatory oversight of crop protection chemicals via the Ag Chemical Updates that are produced as part of […]
8 July 2021
Project VG18002 was facilitated by AUSVEG. The tour was led by Elyse Rosewall from AUSVEG. Major findings Project VG18002 funded a two-week study tour for a […]
8 July 2021
Project VG16067 was a collaboration between the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland; the South Australian Research and Development Institute; and IPM Technologies. Major findings Project […]
6 July 2021
Australians love their chips, and whether we are referring to French Fries or Crisps the good news is that most of these products are Australian grown […]
5 July 2021
While the African Black Beetle (ABB) is not the most significant pest to the Australian potato industry, it can still cause extensive damage to potato crops. […]
5 July 2021
Victorian potato grower Xavier Toohey has been presented with the Corteva Agriscience Young Grower of the Year award at the Hort Connections 2021 National Awards for […]
1 July 2021
Project VG16009 was led by Julie O’Halloran from The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Major findings From 2016 to 2020, Project VG16009 was undertaken with […]
1 July 2021
Project VG19001 was facilitated by Food and Fibre Gippsland and East Gippsland Vegetable Innovation Days in collaboration with AUSVEG. Major findings Up to 1,000 people were […]
30 June 2021
On 29 June, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) released an Industry Advisory Notice to notify industry that a final 2021–22 horticulture exports cost recovery […]
29 June 2021
Fresh from showcasing the cutting-edge mobile plant pest surveillance units – also know as ‘sentinels’ – at the Lockyer Valley Growers Expo and Hort Connections, the […]
22 June 2021
Vegenotes is a technical publication that is released alongside Vegetables Australia magazine. Each edition presents the main findings of two vegetable levy-funded research projects to give growers […]
22 June 2021
It’s rare to come across someone who is as passionate about soil health as Peter Wadewitz. The founder and Managing Director of Peats Soil & Garden […]
22 June 2021
Australia’s leading agricultural research scholarship is once again open to the next generation of growers looking to unearth innovative practices and cultivate the global networks needed […]
22 June 2021
During 2020, Hort Innovation worked with research company Fiftyfive5 to provide the Australian horticulture sector with information about consumer attitudes and behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
10 June 2021
At the end of April, students in the Graduate Diploma in Protected Cropping and MSc programs participated in on-site workshops at Western Sydney University (WSU) – […]
1 June 2021
The iMapPESTS team has recently deployed Sentinel 6 (see image above) to a location near Toowoomba where we are trialling its capacity to monitor the serpentine […]
1 June 2021
Hort Innovation is leading a new, multi-industry project aimed at facilitating the rapid identification of fall armyworm (FAW; Spodoptera frugiperda) in regional Australia, through in-field testing […]
25 May 2021
The vegetable industry has a growing interest in soil health and beneficial soil microbes, including mycorrhizal fungi. Getting the benefits from mycorrhizal fungi under commercial field […]
25 May 2021
Following a 10-month hiatus due to COVID-19, AUSVEG’s Alan Nankivell has resumed his role as the National Tomato- Potato Psyllid Coordinator. In this column, Alan reports […]
25 May 2021
The Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection (ICP) project works with growers nationally to put soil management and plant health research into practice. The project team […]
25 May 2021
With an increasing range of real-time sensors and monitoring used in vegetable production, several real-time sensing options will be piloted in a new project to investigate […]
24 May 2021
In September 2020, the Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection (ICP) project team produced a case study that focused on the Three Ryans farm in Western […]
24 May 2021
iMapPESTS is a five-year project that aims to provide a framework for a plant pest surveillance system that can rapidly monitor and report the presence of […]
24 May 2021
Hort Innovation has been consulting with industry on its investment priorities so that each industry Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) can be refreshed for 2022-2026. The draft […]
24 May 2021
South Australia’s leading growers, researchers and industry members were recognised at the 2021 AUSVEG SA and William Buck Vegetable Industry Awards for Excellence dinner, showcasing the […]
24 May 2021
The main benefits of using compost in vegetable production systems include increased organic matter, adding nutrients to the soil, increased water holding capacity of the soil […]
24 May 2021
Shaun Jackson’s dedication to growing the perfect pumpkin has paid off, with his operation Daintree Fresh establishing a new variety. In this column, Jayne Caddihy speaks […]
24 May 2021
A new national research project is underway that aims to develop a biocontrol strategy for managing Queensland fruit fly populations in Australia. The project focuses on […]
24 May 2021
Throughout 2020, VegNET – Wide Bay-Burnett was working with vegetable industry stakeholders to develop and identify four specific topics to drive a regional strategy for the […]
24 May 2021
Since late 2019, a project has been investigating the causes behind internal fruit rot in capsicums, as well as developing management techniques for growers to prevent […]
20 May 2021
Over the last 12 months, Australia has suffered and survived fire, drought, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic. From coast to coast, the agriculture and horticulture sectors […]
20 May 2021
Works at: West Pine Ag Rob Arvier is Director at West Pine Ag, a mixed farming enterprise based near Penguin on Tasmania’s north-west coast. VegNET – […]
20 May 2021
Works at: Koala Farms Michelle Flowers is the Human Resources Manager at Koala Farms, which is located in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley region. Koala Farms produces vegetables […]
20 May 2021
Works at: Native Co. Marlon Motlop works with a company called the Native Co., which specialises in native herbs and native plants. Previously, Marlon played with […]
17 May 2021
Growers: Bluey Stoldt and Mike Scott Works at: Organic Ag Bluey Stoldt and Mike Scott are the backbone behind Organic Ag, an organic fruit and vegetable […]
14 May 2021
Works at: Scotties Point Farms Jake Shadbolt is a third-generation vegetable grower based in Beverford near Swan Hill in northern Victoria. He currently manages the business, […]
14 May 2021
Works at: Frais Farms Frais Farms is a small Victorian vegetable growing, packing and marketing business. It has three properties, one of which is an organic […]
4 May 2021
The generation of pesticide residue, efficacy and crop safety data is required to support label registration and minor use permit applications made to the Australian Pesticides […]
27 April 2021
Be part of the fastest growing food producing sector in Australia and join the only protected cropping course delivered at a postgraduate level in Australia. Western […]
27 April 2021
The generation of pesticide residue, efficacy and crop safety data is required to support label registration and minor use permit applications made to the Australian Pesticides […]
27 April 2021
Do you know which Hort Innovation Regional Extension Manager is working to enhance the coordination, communication and application of R&D outcomes in your region? To support […]
20 April 2021
Reduced tillage can produce similar or better yields than more aggressive conventional tillage. While reduced tillage has a range of key benefits including improving long-term soil […]
20 April 2021
Do you know which Hort Innovation Regional Extension Manager is working to enhance the coordination, communication and application of R&D outcomes in your region? To support […]
14 April 2021
Do you know which Hort Innovation Regional Extension Manager is working to enhance the coordination, communication and application of R&D outcomes in your region? To support […]
6 April 2021
The Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment has issued an industry advice notice advising New Zealand has lifted the suspension previously placed on the […]
6 April 2021
There are many factors that contribute to strong environmental stewardship, but when it comes to finding evidence of the strengths and opportunities of your growing operation, […]
30 March 2021
The Australian Workers Union (AWU) has made an application to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to change the Horticulture Award to install a ‘floor’ on piecework arrangements, so that the worker must earn at […]
30 March 2021
The potato industry’s leading magazine Potatoes Australia has returned and will be reaching mailboxes this week. The 40-page Autumn 2021 edition features the latest in Australian […]
30 March 2021
Vegetable growers who have trialled cover crops may be wondering about the cost effectiveness of this approach. While the overall benefits will depend on each farm […]
30 March 2021
Cabbage growers from the Northern Adelaide Plains have teamed up with TriCal Australia and the South Australian Research and Development Institute to conduct soil fumigation trials […]
29 March 2021
Keep up to date on any developments in the regulatory oversight of crop protection chemicals via the Ag Chemical Updates that are produced as part of […]
25 March 2021
A three-year project focusing on powdery scab and its pathogen has recently been completed in New Zealand. In this article, Professor Richard Falloon from the New […]
25 March 2021
PREDICTA Pt is a DNA-based soil testing service that allows growers to assess the level of soil-borne pathogens in a paddock prior to planting. In this […]
25 March 2021
Like many industries, 2020 brought a year of demand uncertainty for the potato processing industry with food service deeply affected in several states of Australia. Although […]
24 March 2021
Pink rot is a soil-borne disease caused by the pathogen Phytopthora erythroseptica. A factsheet – produced by RM Consulting Group – provides information on the pathogen, […]
24 March 2021
Australian potato grower-exporters have demonstrated strong resilience in their businesses and supply chains to continue to export during 2020 and their hard work is reflected in […]
24 March 2021
Earlier this month, Plant Health Australia (PHA) in partnership with AUSVEG, released the National Potato Industry Biosecurity Surveillance Strategy (NPIBSS) and its associated Implementation Plan. The […]
24 March 2021
Potato grower Kerri-Ann Lamb from Killarney, Queensland, was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship with support from Hort Innovation through the fresh potato research and development levy. Through […]
24 March 2021
A cross-industry horticulture project that has the potential to reduce quarantine testing lag times is underway. Faster quarantine testing will provide several benefits for plant industries […]
24 March 2021
In 2017, Hort Innovation commissioned SARDI to develop protocols for large-scale testing of potato leave, tuber and stem samples for area-wide surveillance of Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum […]
24 March 2021
Blackleg is the major cause of potato seed downgrading and rejections in northern Europe. So, what is the issue for Australia? Some species described overseas cause […]
24 March 2021
Barbara Hall, 2019 AUSVEG SA Researcher of the Year Senior Research Scientist, Department of Primary Industries and Regions research division, South Australian Research and Development Institute […]
23 March 2021
The Syngenta Grower of the Year award recognises outstanding achievement across all aspects of horticultural production, including growing, environmental management, staff management and quality of produce. […]
23 March 2021
Hort Innovation has funded a new project Identifying potential parasitoids of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, and the risk to Australian horticulture (MT19015), which will examine […]
23 March 2021
Harvest to Home, funded by Hort Innovation, is an interactive online dashboard that provides users with up-to-date retail information and consumer trend data on a range of […]
23 March 2021
A program that encourages Queenslanders to fill short-term labour demands in agriculture has been expanded state-wide. Under the Back to Work in Agriculture Incentive Scheme, workers […]
23 March 2021
Sclerotinia is a soil-borne fungal disease that causes significant crop damage and yield loss in various horticultural crops. Many would recognise the signs of sclerotinia. Infected […]
23 March 2021
Seasonal workers arriving from the Pacific Islands for South Australia’s citrus harvest will quarantine at a new facility in the Riverland, as part of Commonwealth Seasonal […]
23 March 2021
Cover crops are great tools for soil management. Their benefits can include improving soil structure and health, reducing erosion and weeds, adding nitrogen and contributing to […]
23 March 2021
If you’re an employee in the agriculture industry it pays to learn what you can claim. The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has developed an excellent poster […]
23 March 2021
Hort Connections is back! AUSVEG and PMA Australia-New Zealand Limited (PMA A-NZ) will once again deliver the premier event in the fresh produce industry. This year’s […]
23 March 2021
Hort Connections is a joint initiative between AUSVEG and the Produce Marketing Association Australia-New Zealand (PMA A-NZ), and this year’s event will be held from 7–9 […]
16 March 2021
Did you know that cover cropping is one of the most useful tools for managing intensive vegetable growing soils? The Hort Innovation-funded project Optimising cover cropping for […]
16 March 2021
Annual Investment Plans (AIPs) detail how levy funds will be spent over a 12-month period. Investment decisions are guided by industry Strategic Investment Plans (SIPs) and […]
16 March 2021
The Australian Government has released the National Agricultural Labour Advisory Committee’s report. It provides a roadmap to attract, retain, upskill and modernise the agricultural workforce. The […]
16 March 2021
Over the last 120 years, heat has killed more Australians than any natural disaster. Recently, the risks of heat became apparent when a business owner in […]
15 March 2021
During 2019/20, Hort Innovation engaged independent consultants to evaluate the impact of its research and development investments. This included looking across a random sample of all Hort […]