Resilience, research and regional collaboration shape the future for vegetable growers in South-East Queensland
28 May 2025Robotic yield projection in Bundaberg eggplants
28 May 2025
VegNET Western Australia Regional Update
Participants in the Vietnamese chemical cluster training program
With vegetable growers spread across a mosaic of regional locations, the Growing Relationships initiative focuses on building stronger, more consistent connections to increase awareness of VegNET, enhance engagement, and respond flexibly and promptly to region-specific needs.
A key objective of the subproject was to resource an expanded cross-regional presence. This approach supports strategic, locally informed extension practices by ensuring that challenges and opportunities specific to each growing area are acknowledged and included in wholistic project annual planning and decision making.
In addition to improving outreach, Growing Relationships plays a crucial role in expanding the Regional Extension Advisory Group (REAG) network. By inviting broader participation from growers across WA— including underrepresented regions— the project ensures a wider industry voice is included in guiding VegNET’s priority focus areas, extension deliverables, and innovation fund initiatives.
This not only strengthens the relevance of project outcomes but also supports a more inclusive and collaborative approach to industry development.
Revitalising the project:
strengthening regional engagement
A key step in revitalising VegNET WA was reassessing how project time and resources were allocated. It became clear that building meaningful relationships across regions required a greater investment. In response, a further 20 percent of total project time was dedicated to the Growing Relationships subproject, recognising the value of trust-building and consistent regional engagement.
Expanding the REAG was also a priority in the review; with most current members based in one production zone, efforts are now focused on recruiting regional growers to broaden representation and ensure local challenges are better understood and addressed.
The project has also increased its on-ground presence through more frequent regional visits and direct one-on-one engagement with growers. These actions are improving local connections, aligning considered support with grower needs, and laying the groundwork for stronger cross-regional collaboration—already showing results in the year’s first quarter.
The following project snapshots of 2025 VegNET WA projects and initiatives currently underway provide an example of how building a stronger regional presence is translating projects outreach efforts into real, regionally relevant outcomes for the vegetable industry and gaining more traction across the Western Australian regions.
A SNAPSHOT OF KEY PROJECTS AND ENGAGEMENT
Carnarvon Field Day
The March Carnarvon Field Day, hosted by the Carnarvon Growers Association, offered a valuable platform for VegNET WA projects to connect with local growers, share resources, and spark new conversations.
The event was delivered alongside two new VegNET WA projects in the region, the deployment of fall armyworm (FAW) digital traps and a VegNET Innovation Fund bilingual chemical training project, cultivated engagement between VegNET and industry stakeholders and provided valuable networking and information sharing opportunities with the Carnarvon grower communities.
The field day opened important conversations on broader regional challenges, such as increasing pressure in the region from fall armyworm, chemical resistance, and the ongoing need for local agronomic support. These discussions reinforced the value of regionally focused projects that can deliver local solutions, and highlighting a collaborative effort to better equip the Carnarvon region for both resilience and prosperity.
FAW national VegNET digital trapping project
The March deployment of FAW RapidAIM digital traps for FAW moth monitoring in Carnarvon comes as pest pressure on sweetcorn and capsicum crops continues to rise. While initial pressure was low at the national project’s start, the increase has since challenged local control efforts.
These traps are now helping collect essential pest pressure data, support regional discussions, and potentially contribute to a coordinated area-wide approach in Carnarvon and linkages with other regions through cross-regional data collection under the national VegNET initiative, with traps now deployed in three key growing areas in Western Australia.
Bilingual chemical training expands regional market access opportunities
Funded through the VegNET Innovation Fund, this first round marked a significant milestone—delivering the first successfully delivered bilingual chemical training in WA in over five years.
The first pilot round of nationally accredited bilingual chemical training was successfully delivered in both Carnarvon and Perth in March, providing 27 growers with essential chemical cluster units in safe chemical use, and the required training to update skills or to consider new market access food certification pathways.
Delivered in both Vietnamese and English by industry-experienced trainers and assessors from Veg Education Victoria, two regional two-day workshop sessions addressed critical knowledge gaps in the regions where access to bilingual agronomic support is limited.
VEG Education trainers and assessors co-delivered the pilot, with participants able to choose their own weighting of Vietnamese and English delivery, and choose to complete assessment in either Vietnamese or English. The program was tailored to meet individuals’ specific learning needs, including English as a second language (ESOL) support, and it proved very successful with all participants succeeding in the assessment.
The training opened up valuable opportunities for growers to improve on food safety compliance, strengthen market access opportunities, and sharpen their skills-base and business practices. Participants provided valuable feedback to inform the design and delivery of the second round of training, offered up in November 2025.
Pathways for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community leadership
A case study will be completed as part of the funded project to feature the coproduction steps in developing a CALD learning program. In addition to training, a scholarship has been introduced to
support a Vietnamese grower in obtaining a training and assessment qualification.
This Innovation Fund initiative aims to build long-term capacity for delivering industry skills training within Vietnamese growing communities across regional Western Australia.
OWL project: advancing precision weed control in Southwest regions WA
Jake from OWL project
The OWL (OpenWeedLocator) project is a new VegNET Innovation Fund project initiated and launched by the Warren Cauliflower Improvement Group in Manjimup to support smarter, low-cost weed control solutions for vegetable crops, and to address financial access challenges in precision agriculture.
The project focuses on developing hardware based on open-source technology for implementing precision weed spraying using AI technology and a start-up of a comprehensive, publicly accessible weed image library in Australia.
At the heart of the initiative is the use of the OWL camera system to systematically capture and annotate images of key weed species—such as wild radish, ryegrass, and thistles—within crop environments. These images form the foundation of a growing dataset designed to train weed detection systems, enabling techniques like spot spraying. This targeted approach significantly reduces herbicide use, lowers input costs, and minimises environmental impact, while also offering farmers access to practical, DIY agtech solutions
The funded project includes the assembly of OWL camera units and open-source training workshops, where growers can learn how to capture and annotate images, refine detection algorithms, and integrate the system into their existing farming operations. Initially targeting brassica crops, the project aims to provide scalable solutions that can be adapted to other regions and crop types over time.
Conclusion
As a result of these activities, the visibility of VegNET activities has improved in WA, helping growers better understand and access the tools, resources, and networks available through the project. Ultimately, this subproject is about growing more than just vegetables—it’s about growing partnerships.
By fostering direct engagement and building stronger regional networks, VegNET WA is supporting a more connected, informed, and resilient vegetable industry, driven by the needs and insights of growers across the state.
Have a voice in shaping regional extension priorities
VegNET WA invites vegetable growers across Western Australia to join the Regional Extension Advisory Group (REAG). Your involvement will help guide the planning and delivery of key local projects, ensuring that future initiatives reflect the needs of the industry and progress Innovation For more information on becoming a REAG member or to learn about the projects highlighted in this article, or to run an idea past the project for potential innovation funding please contact Katrina Hill.