Industry update – Tomato potato psyllid

Tomato potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli) has been found at more than 20 locations across the Perth metropolitan area, including residential, commercial and retail properties.

The new detections are a result of surveillance activities by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA).

To see more information from DAFWA’s industry update, please see the DAFWA website.

 

Peracto renews Strategic Partnership with AUSVEG

AUSVEG is pleased to announce the continuation of its Strategic Partnership with Peracto. As one of Australia’s largest private agricultural research organisations, Peracto is extremely experienced across a broad range of agricultural industries.

Peracto’s head office is located in Devonport, Tasmania, and the organisation has field staff throughout Australia who work with all levels of industry to ensure the advancement of Australian agriculture through research.

Peracto offers a diverse range of services, including applied field research, product development expertise and quality assurance for field residue trails.

AUSVEG looks forward to continuing work with Peracto. To learn more about Peracto, please click here.

 

CHT Australia joins as Strategic Partner

AUSVEG is proud to announce the commencement of a Strategic Partnership with CHT Australia.

CHT Australia is an expert in wet chemistry, providing value-added products and solutions and helping its customers implement process improvements for a wide range of markets and applications – in particular, providing chemistry and technology to customers in the manufacturing sector.

AUSVEG looks forward to working with CHT Australia. For more information on CHT Australia, please click here.

Vegetable Strategic Investment Plan: New workshop locations and survey

Venues have now been booked for all Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales consultations for the vegetable industry’s Strategic Investment Plan. Vegetable growers are encouraged to attend these consultations and meet with Consulting & Implementation Services (CIS) to have their say. This will ensure the SIP accurately reflects how to best spend the R&D levy to maximise the benefits from industry’s funding priorities for the next five years, with the value of these investments estimated to be worth over $100 million.

Queensland
Thursday 2 March – Bundaberg
Location: Burnett Club
Address: 5 Quay St, Bundaberg
Time: 1:30pm – 4:00pm

Wednesday 15 March – Lockyer
Location: Four Hearts Brewing
Address: 88 Limestone Street, Ipswich
Time: 4:30pm – 6:00pm

New South Wales
Monday 6 March – Richmond
Location: Richmond Demonstration Farm
Address: Southee Road, Richmond
Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Victoria
Wednesday 8 March – Werribee
Location: Fresh Select
Address: 610 Duncans Road, Werribee South
Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Thursday 9 March – Gippsland
Location: Criterion Hotel (upstairs)
Address: Corner York and Macalister Streets, Sale
Time: 2:00pm – 5:30pm

RSVPs can be sent to veg@consultingis.com.au.

CIS has developed a short online survey for growers and industry members to provide feedback on what they think the opportunities are for the vegetable industry in the next five years (it only takes about 10 minutes to complete).

Just by filling out the survey you go into the draw to win a $350 R.M. Williams voucher.

To complete this survey and have your say on the future of investment in the vegetable industry please click here.

This consultation has been funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

Vegetable Feature Article

Vegetable and Potato Industry Communications Survey

As part of levy-funded projects VG15027 and PT15007, AUSVEG delivers communications for the vegetable and potato industries about levy-funded R&D.

These communications include Vegetables Australia and Potatoes Australia magazines, the Weekly Update e-newsletter, the Vegenotes series, InfoVeg services and other communications.

AUSVEG is conducting a brief, 10-minute survey about these communications to ensure they are tailored to the industry’s needs. Levy-paying growers and industry members who take part in the survey can go in the running to win a pack of four John Deere wrench and socket sets with a combined value of over $1,000!

To take the survey and help ensure these communications deliver value for the industry, please click here.

VG15027 is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

Potato Vegetable Article

Request for Quotation: Extension activities for the Australian potato industry 2016/2017 (PT16000)

Hort Innovation is seeking a suitably qualified, experienced and capable service provider for the project: Extension activities for the Australian potato industry 2016/2017 (PT16000).

The objectives of the services being sought are to help Hort Innovation and the potato industry to:

  • Develop and deliver extension activities to the Australian potato industry that are innovative and relevant as identified in the annual extension plan;
  • Ensure that the most appropriate expertise is used to develop and deliver these activities to industry stakeholders; and
  • Create an awareness of new and improved technologies or practices that could potentially benefit Australian potato growers and the wider industry.

Specific extension activities being sought relate to:

  • Seed quality and handling impacts;
  • Potato pest and disease diagnostics app;
  • A ‘back to basics’ series of demonstrations and webinars;
  • Cost of production information and awareness.

Hort Innovation has prepared a Request for Quotation (RFQ) document that provides background information, outlines the scope of services, the procurement process and the information required from interested parties.

This RFQ may be downloaded from tenders.net (you will need to be a member of tenders.net to access). Responses close at 5pm on Thursday 9 March 2017 (AEST).

PT16000 is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Potato Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Next week: VegNET Farm Walk at Fresh Select Werribee

Fresh Select will hold a farm walk at its Werribee farm at 4:00pm on Wednesday 8 March 2017.

The farm walk will look at a strategic approach to weed management and provide an overview of the new VegPro initiative, as well as act as an opportunity for growers to be involved in the consultation for the Vegetable Strategic Investment Plan.

For more information, please click here.

The National Vegetable Extension Network and Strategic Investment Plan consultations are funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

Hort Connections 2017 – Early bird rates extended!

Early bird rates for Hort Connections 2017 have been extended, and now close on 17 March.

If you have not yet registered as a delegate for Hort Connections 2017, take advantage of these discounts now!

To register, please click here. To visit the Hort Connections 2017 website, please click here.

 

Masterclass at Gippsland Irrigation Expo

Dr Kelvin Montagu will deliver an interactive three-hour masterclass for vegetable growers and irrigation managers at the Gippsland Irrigation Expo on Wednesday 15 March.

The masterclass will look at managing water to minimise soil borne disease, maximising plant yield and quality, and systems performance.

Sessions will run at 9:00am and 1:00pm. The event is free and includes morning or afternoon tea.

Places are limited, so register to ensure you don’t miss out. For more information, please click here.

 

Native vegetation beneficial farm walk – Victoria

Port Phillip & Westernport Catchment Management will run a native vegetation beneficial insectarium farm walk on Friday 24 March.

The farm walk will observe how the trial site is behaving six months after being planted, and the changes that occurred during spring/summer Integrated Pest Management monitoring. Speakers will include Karen Thomas from Port Phillip & Westernport CMA and Linda Thomson from the University of Melbourne.

Date: Friday 24 March
Time: 10:30am – 12:30pm
Location: 11 Fielder Road, Cockatoo

For more information, please click here to see the flyer. To register for the farm walk, please click here.

 

Stepping up the PASE to support Australian exporters

The Package Assisting Small Exporters (PASE) is a $15 million grant program for small exporters administered by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. The PASE program funds activities aimed at improving market access for small exporters.

Funding is available for projects in 2016-17 to 2017-18. Applications for Round 2 funding are now open and applications must be lodged by 5:00pm AEDT on 27 March 2017.

Applications should be made through the Australian Government GrantsConnect website.

For more information, please click here.

 

Ensure you are claiming the R&D tax incentive correctly

The Australian Taxation Office is encouraging businesses conducting agricultural activities and claiming the R&D Tax Incentive to check their eligibility and that their claims are correct. A newly released taxpayer alert also includes some further examples of common errors made when calculating the R&D Tax Incentive claims.

The arrangements under review apply to businesses claiming expenditure that is specifically excluded from the R&D Tax Incentive. These arrangements may exhibit some or all of the following features:

  • an agricultural business is being carried on, often not by an entity that is eligible for the R&D Incentive (for example a family trust);
  • the operators of the agricultural business are approached by a promoter/R&D consultant recommending that the farming activities that are happening are eligible for the R&D Tax Incentive;
  • a company registers one or more activities for the R&D Tax Incentive;
  • the registered activities use farm products or practices across all or a significant part of a farm or farms;
  • some or all of the registered activities have the character of ordinary farming activities whose main purpose is the production of crops; and
  • the company claims the R&D Tax Incentive for expenditure that is not on eligible R&D activities.

For more information, please see the taxpayer alert, or see more information on the R&D Tax Incentive.

 

2017 Global Innovations in Horticulture Seminar: Registrations for funded positions now open!

Following the success of the 2016 Global Innovations in Horticulture Seminar, Australian levy-paying vegetable growers will once again have the chance to listen to presentations from the world’s leading innovation experts at the 2017 Global Innovations in Horticulture Seminar.

The Seminar, which will take place during Hort Connections 2017, will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Tuesday 16 May.

The seminar will feature nine expert speakers from around the world on topics ranging from precision agriculture to processing machinery. Previous seminars have been very well received by growers, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to benefit from the expertise of the leading thinkers in global horticulture.

Funded positions are available for levy-paying growers to attend this event. Growers interested in attending or looking for further details can contact AUSVEG on 03 9882 0277, by fax at 03 9882 6722 or via the contact form here.

The 2017 Global Innovations in Horticulture Seminar is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

$16.5M to boost Australia’s export reputation in Asia

Horticulture Innovation Australia has announced a $16.5m strategy to boost Australia’s export reputation in Asia.

In partnership with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, this four-year project will assess and aim to improve all aspects of the supply chain.

With around 10 per cent of Australian horticulture production exported, at a value of more than $2 billion, this initiative aims to help growers better understand the state of their products when they reach the import customer by monitoring the conditions from farm to arrival.

This project is being delivered as part of Horticulture Innovation Australia’s new co-investment initiative addressing key issues facing Australian horticulture industries.

For more information, please click here.

This communication was funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

 

Current project opportunities with Hort Innovation

Hort Innovation advertises opportunities to become a delivery partner on research, development and marketing projects for Australian horticulture on its website and on tenders.net.

Join Hort Innovation’s delivery partner mailing list to receive email notifications of new opportunities by registering through its delivery partner registration form.

The relevant documentation for each opportunity is available on tenders.net. To access this information, you will need to become a member by registering on the tenders.net registration page.

Please find below a table of current project opportunities directly related to the Australian vegetable and potato industries. For more details on any of the projects, or for information on other project opportunities across horticulture, please visit tenders.net.

Type Title Closing date
Request for proposal Optimising cover cropping for the Australian vegetable industry 5pm (Sydney time)
Monday 6 March 2017
Request for proposal Consumer behaviour and retail data (Part I consumer insights program) 5pm (Sydney time)
Wednesday 8 March 2017
Request for proposal Consumer perceptions and attitudes (Part 2 Consumer Insights Program) 5pm (Sydney time)
Wednesday 8 March 2017
Request for proposal Consumer insights reports (Part 3 Consumer Insights Program) 5pm (Sydney time)
Wednesday 8 March 2017
Request for quotation Extension activities for the Australian potato industry 2016/2017 5pm (Sydney time)
Thursday 9 March 2017
Request for proposal Boosting vegetable consumption through diet 5pm (Sydney time)
Friday 17 March 2017

 

Communication of levy-funded R&D is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable Levy, National Potato Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

CORRECTION: Minor Use Permit

AUSVEG would like to advise that there was an error regarding a minor use permit published in the AUSVEG Weekly Update on Tuesday 21 February.

The correct permits are listed below:

Permit ID Description Date Issued Expiry Date Permit Holder States
PER13496 V2 Actives:Linuron
Crop: Celery
Pest: Weeds listed on approved product label		 04-May-2012 30-Apr-2022 Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited All states except VIC
PER13626 V2 Actives:S-Metolachlor (Dual Gold) & Metolachlor
Crop: Silverbeet, spinach, spring onions, shallots, green beans & navy beans
Pest: Various broadleaf and grass weeds		 23-Jul-2012 30-Jun-2022 Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, NT & WA only

All efforts have been made to provide the most current, complete and accurate information on permits. However, AUSVEG recommends that you confirm the details of any permits at the APVMA website.

Users are advised that while the pesticide can be applied legally under the APVMA minor use permit, there can be a significant delay until the maximum residue limit (MRL) gazetted by the APVMA is adopted in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Until this occurs the MRL may not be recognised and a zero tolerance may be imposed for residues of the pesticide resulting from its use according to the APVMA permit.

Please be aware that in the absence of a MRL in the Food Standards Code, the use of the pesticide according to the permit may result in the suspension of the produce in the marketplace. Please check the FSANZ website or the Federal Register of Legislation to confirm if there are MRLs established by the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Please consult APVMA documentation before applying any product to your crop. For more information contact the APVMA on 02 6210 4701 or Growcom on 07 3620 3880.

If an adverse experience occurs as a result of using the permit, please fill out a Non-Performance Reporting Form for Horticultural Pesticides and return to jodie.pedrana@horticulture.com.au. To download a Non-Performance Reporting Form for Horticultural Pesticides, please click here.

This communication has been funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable Levy and funds from the Australian Government.

 

AUSVEG in the media

AUSVEG National Manager – Communications Shaun Lindhe appeared on radio this week discussing the availability of potatoes and the effects of weather on supply. Mr Lindhe noted that as long as weather remains relatively stable, growers should be able to revert to normal supply levels.

AUSVEG National Manager – Science and Extension Dr Jessica Lye appeared on radio this week discussing the detection of Tomato potato psyllid in Western Australia. Dr Lye reiterated the potential severity of the psyllid’s impact on the local industry, and noted the industry’s hopes that consumers will back growers when making food choices in stores.

Communication of levy funded R&D activities is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the research and development National Vegetable Levy and National Potato Levy and funds from the Australian Government.