Australian Fruitgrower APAL Industry Forum
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Altacor® Hort now registered in Almonds to control Carob moth. Realise the difference. Spray early. To produce wonderful Pome and Stone fruit, it pays to start early with Altacor® Hort insecticide. By targeting the first generation of Oriental fruit moth and Codling moth, it gets on top of the problem – before it gets on top of you. Altacor® Hort works to control Codling moth in the egg, as they hatch and any larvae that emerge, while remaining friendly to key beneficials. Visit www.fmccrop.com.au for more information. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved. Altacor® Hort is a registered trademark of FMC Corporation or its affiliates. CONTENTS From the CEO . .5 Australian Fruitgrower APAL Industry Forum . .6 Publisher Digital Orchard: agritech opportunities . .8 Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) is 08 a not-for-profit organisation that supports and provides services to Australia’s commercial MARKETING apple and pear growers. Pilot identifies opportunities . .12 Suite G01, 128 Jolimont Road, Australian Pear brand refresh . .14 East Melbourne VIC 3002 t: (03) 9329 3511 f: (03) 9329 3522 w: www.apal.org.au State Roundup . 16 Managing Editor LABOUR Alison Barber Are we really short of workers? . .19 PROFILE e: [email protected] Gender diversity and best practice lead at Ladycroft . .22 Advertising The publisher accepts no responsibility for the FRUIT QUALITY contents of advertisements. All advertisements are WA growers lift bar on apple quality . .26 accepted in good faith and the liability of advertising content is the responsibility of the advertiser. ORCHARD MANAGEMENT Marc Wilson Nutrition science delivers win win . .27 Gypsy Media m: 0419 107 143 | e: [email protected] WA chloropicrin trial update . .30 Trees take off on pre-plant treatment . .33 Graphic Design Vale Graphics PEST MANAGEMENT e: [email protected] 22 IPDM heads online . .34 Copyright Post-harvest hygiene essential . .37 All material in Australian Fruitgrower is copyright. NO material can be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher. DORMANCY & CLIMATE CHANGE While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of contents, APAL accepts no liability for the information. Heat requirements in pears . .38 Managing impacts of climate change . .40 Disclaimer Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited (Hort Innovation) and APAL make no representations and expressly disclaim BUSINESS all warranties (to the extent permitted by law) about the Outsource for greater efficiency . .45 accuracy, completeness, or currency of information in Australian Fruitgrower. Reliance on any information R&D provided by Hort Innovation and APAL is entirely at your own risk. Hort Innovation and APAL are not responsible Research review: Apple replant disease .48 for, and will not be liable for, any loss, damage, claim, expense, cost (including legal costs) or other liability International research update 50 33 arising in any way, including from any Hort Innovation, APAL or other person’s negligence or otherwise from your use or non-use of Australian Fruitgrower, or from reliance Quiz and crossword . .51 OUR COVER: Ladycroft Orchard manager on information contained in the material or that Hort Bec Whittaker (lt) and orchard supervisor Innovation or APAL provide to you by any other means. Leila Galega (rt) (see page 22). Photo: Alison Barber, APAL. ISSN 1447-5618 Edition Booking and editorial copy deadline Ad material deadline Spring 2019 12 July 2019 19 July 2019 Summer 2019/20 11 October 2019 18 October 2019 Wherever you see this logo, the initiative is part of the Hort Innovation Apple and Pear Fund. Like this publication itself, it has been funded by Hort Innovation using the apple and pear levy and, in the case of R&D, with contributions from the Australian Government. Some projects also involve funding from additional sources. www.apal.org.au AUSTRALIAN FRUITGROWER Winter 2019 03 The Apple and Pear Fund has a new website Hort Innovation’s new website allows the apple and pear NEW – completed investments: industry to find more information and more resources • View a user-friendly summary quickly and easily. of what the investment achieved • Download the final research Six pages of industry-specific content provide you with: report with in-depth information • Up-to-date details on levy fund management • Access fact sheets, publications • All ongoing investments with updates, advice and and other tools and resources actions you can take now that were developed as part • Completed investments with user-friendly summaries, of the investment. final research reports and more • More resources, information and tools than ever before • Ways to connect with industry and people you can contact now. horticulture.com.au/apple-Xh\ӝjear FROM THE CEO Netting tops priorities for new government By Phil Turnbull CEO, APAL y the time this update reaches you, the 2019 Federal APAL has received positive interest in the program from many election will be complete and the 46th Parliament of candidates. We intend to keep pressure on elected members BAustralia decided. Irrespective of that outcome, APAL to pursue these priorities. has identified eight key priorities we will be seeking to On the issue of biosecurity, you will recall we were alerted late achieve with the newly-formed Government: last year to the Government’s planned Import Risk Assessment • Establish a National Netting Program (IRA) of US-apples into Australia. As we await its release (due end of June 2019), and with it the opportunity to lodge a formal • Introduce an Ag Visa submission, I have been pleased by Government’s (DAWR) • Accelerate the Seasonal Worker Programme willingness to listen to and consider interim feedback, including • Ensure equitable access to water welcoming a pre-draft submission by APAL’s Biosecurity Steering Committee (established in response to this IRA). • Protect the right to farm Through this interim submission, we have highlighted a number • Pursue tariff and non-tariff barriers of issues that demand further consideration, in particular • Introduce a National Labour Hire Scheme changes to the status of certain pests and diseases since the previous 2008 IRA, and the availability of more detailed • Improve education for biosecurity risks. information around fire blight surveillance and assessment. The combination of ongoing extreme weather events and less APAL will alert industry as soon as the draft-IRA is released than 40 per cent of apple and pear crops under net, ensures and advise processes for submitting your own, or contributing our priority with the new government is the establishment of to APAL’s, response. a National Netting Program. Since last quarter, a new direction for the trans-Tasman APAL has been calling on federal and state candidates to breeding program, Prevar, has also been announced which support a national scheme to accelerate depreciation for both will see Australian growers continue to benefit from this growers who do not currently have netting and those who breeding pipeline for years to come, without ongoing investment have already invested. For those who have already invested, obligations. Importantly, we retain exclusive commercialisation grower feedback has been that ongoing reinvestment is a rights to any cultivars released in Australia until 2038, but reality. In addition to accelerated depreciation, grants, and increase our agility to explore new investment opportunities accessibility to low interest loans will directly assist. for industry. With respect to the marketing levy review, we have made good progress, with Hort Innovation and APAL agreeing to the formation of a Strategic Marketing Panel. The panel, made up of industry, Hort Innovation and Fast Moving Category Goods (FMCG) marketing expertise, is charged with ensuring the marketing levy is invested against a sound marketing strategy, with measurable KPIs and accountability in the process. The next step is recruiting for the panel with the clear mandate to source high quality marketing capability. Outside the marketing levy, APAL is working to stimulate market demand by investing in retail support for the season launch of Kalei. Unlike other club varieties, Kalei is openly available through registered nurseries, and APAL and variety- owner the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF) manage the brand for the benefit of our growers and partners. I encourage growers to contact APAL if they would like to know more about being part of the program. I look forward to seeing you at APAL’s Industry Forum and Hort Connections 2019! :afg Establishing a National Netting Program will be a top priority with the new government. www.apal.org.au AUSTRALIAN FRUITGROWER Winter 2019 05 The event dedicated to apples and pears APAL Industry Forum 23-24 June 2019 Melbourne Convention Centre A jam-packed Industry day designed to complement your Hort Connections 2019 experience. Take home actionable ideas that you can implement immediately! APAL Industry Forum is your once-a-year opportunity to connect with over 100 growers, packhouse managers, researchers and exporters. Get up to speed on the latest thinking in export readiness, orchard management, business practices, new varieties, R&D and category marketing. FEATURED SPEAKERS WHO WILL CHALLENGE YOU Dr. Stefan Hajkowicz Ben van Delden Jesse Reader Dr. James Underwood Justin Niven Principal Scientist and Head of AgriFood Agri. Sector Specialist, Director, Green Atlas Managing Director, Futurist, CSIRO