The latest edition of leading industry journal Vegetables Australia was released this week, drawing focus to a range of issues central to rural communities and Australian food security.

“In light of the turbulent times facing the mainstream media, Vegetables Australia turned to some of Australia’s prominent media figures to assess the significance of rural media in 2012,” said AUSVEG spokesperson Jeremy Story Carter.
“National Editor of ABC Rural, Leigh Radford, Editor of The Weekly Times, Ed Gannon and President of the National Press Club, Laurie Wilson, each shared their views on the present state of rural media and what its future holds,” said Mr Story Carter.
This edition of Vegetables Australia also canvasses the latest Research and Development (R&D) work being undertaken in the vegetable industry, and includes coverage of the fascinating Future Technologies seminar held by AUSVEG recently in Hobart.
“The AUSVEG Future Technologies seminar brought together some of the world’s leading experts in agricultural technology and science to help shine light on what our vegetable industry might look like in the years to come,” said Mr Story Carter.
“Among the ground-breaking potential innovations highlighted in the magazine are flexible batteries that could be produced by domestic printers thanks to nanotechnology and fully automated tractors that could operate without drivers.”
In a series of in-depth features, Vegetables Australia also profiles some of the key members of the vegetable industry.
“The 2012 AUSVEG Grower of the Year, Mr Frank Ruffo, speaks at length about his farm, family and the devastating floods that inundated the Gippsland region recently,” said Mr Story Carter.
“The floods had a damaging effect on Mr Ruffo’s Boisdale farm, but his determination to overcome such challenges was extremely heartening and serves to underline the resilience of our nation’s vegetable growers.”
Elsewhere, the magazine features a conversation with one of Australia’s most respected historians, Professor Geoffrey Blainey.
“Professor Blainey stands as one of the most knowledgeable and engaging historians of our time, so it is a real treat for readers to have him talk about his life, experiences and the unique role that vegetables have played in Australian history,” said Mr Story Carter.
Published by AUSVEG – the National Peak Industry Body representing approximately 7,000 vegetable growers – the 52-page magazine is designed to communicate emerging R&D findings funded by the National Vegetable Levy with matched funds from the Australian Government.
To receive a free media copy of Vegetables Australia magazine, email your mailing details to info@ausveg.com.au.
MEDIA CONTACT: Jeremy Story Carter, Writer/Journalist – Vegetables Australia, AUSVEG Phone: (03) 9822 0388, Mobile: 0431 723 533, Email: jeremy.storycarter@ausveg.com.au. 
This communication has been funded by HAL using the National Vegetable Levy and matched funds from the Australian Government.