Taro Topics Number 9 Special Edition

Hi Members,

A lot has happened in the last few days and I'm sorry in the delay of getting this exciting news out to you. John (TGA Treasurer) got a phone call on Wednesday (24th May) from Biosecurity Australia telling him that they are going to stop the import of the Japanese type variety of taro from China. He addressed issues with them regarding all taro, especially Bun Long with respects to Taro Leaf Blight & associated pest/diseases & propagation from 'seed' with can be from any part or piece of any variety of taro edible corm. They seemed interested, by Johns accounts and he is now currently drafting a formal letter pursuing these concerns.

I rang Tim Johnson in NSW (who had brought the matter to TGA & Philippes attention last year) thinking he would be pleased to hear of the news. I was quite surprised that he knew about it already and we discussed the issue for quite some time.

Apparently they've been severely hit by the Japanese type variety of taro imports suffering large losses on returns for their crops ( well over 50%) some of them had invested in expensive machinery, as you can imagine with the multiple number of Japanese type variety of taro cormels, it is extremely hard to harvest and wash by hand. Crippled by these imports they have been fighting tooth and nail to protect their livelihoods. Tim told me of and exceptional character "Leo" who persisted .. 'every second day, on the phone ringing somebody, to push the import issue' Only recently, he got time on the radio who took up their cause and gave it supportive airplay.

From what I can gather, from this little available information so far, is that, with their constant hammering and Johns letter being the arrow that may have finally backflipped Biosecurity into realising our concerns. I will tell you that this group of taro growers in NSW are an exceptionally motivated and dedicated group.

I've attached an email John received earlier from Biosecurity on Friday May 12 and as you'll see it's totally absurd ( potato virus for taro?? No mention of taro diseases/pests & we must prove of propagating from corm) A total turnover from what we've just heard!!

We don't have yet, to my knowledge, any formal written correspondence from Biosecurity finalising the details of the phone call. This is a great step that Biosecurity has acknowledged these concerns and these NSW guys get some much deserved reprieve. Hopefully they will address of Bun long and other taro as well. We do have to remain vigilant as they could may well be trying to side step us somehow.

Prior to this , I put forward an idea of using "Fresh Australian Grown, Fumigation & DDT Free" stickers on our boxes of taro, (as a platform to raise public awarenes as to why we are doing this 1 and to put pressure on Biosecurity Australia) to Jeff Daniells (S. Johnstone DPI&F), by which he kindly and quickly, gave me the door, with his referral, to the CEO of the Australian Banana Growers Council. Tony Heidrich, in order to ask for advice or assistance to our cause. During these short few days I went to their website (ABGC) to gather background information to familiarise myself, before ringing Tony and presenting our case. Of course, our urgency with matters regarding Biosecurity Australia have subsided with these recent developments and I put this to one side and attended to further matters that Jeff had supplied me with. Jeff gave me the two websites to forward to you members for your information as he mentioned at the meeting. One is the Hawaiian taro variety guide available at http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/botany/taro/ The other is the TaroPest Beta Website being the product of an ACIAR funded project involving the South Pacific Commission Plant Protection Service, [PNG] National Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection Agency, and the Queensland University of Technology. http://taropest.sci.qut.edu.au/ He couldn't access the Taropest site, so asked me to check it out and send him feed back. During the course of all these events, I did that and as a taro grower found the site extremely useful, fulfilled his request and sent it back to him. Jeff, of course was busy preparing for his imminent departure to South Africa ( which he left last Wednesday & won't be back for 2 weeks) I wanted to gather more information about this project to relay to you, and of course, by this time Jeff was long gone.

So I rang the developers of this Taropest site, Dr Anthony (Tony) Clarke, to get in touch with Amy Carmichael who has been in touch with Jeff in relation to this project. I had heard this was a 'pilot project' and wished to know more, and to whether feedback would be appreciated from us as 'end users', as references in his (Dr Tony Clarke) accompanying email ( attached below) only spoke of, '....with the target audience being quarantine/biosecurity officers, plant protection workers and field extension officers.'

They were most pleased to get my call and my conversation was held with one and then the other (Tony Clarke & Amy Carmichael). And this is what happened...

They had had no feedback, done a lot of work and had a dedicated team. I told them as an end user, as a taro grower, I found their website the best thing since sliced bread, and proceeded to tell of the merits of what I thought both in the information content and usability. Fast, simple etc One of the highlights being alternate biological or IPM methods of control for pests & diseases. I asked what it meant being a pilot project? Is this being trialled on us taro growers and depending on our inputs would this project stay to finalisation and if successful, be applied to other grower industries in Australia?. They both assured me it would, only it would depend on initial response from this beta/pilot project .. I then asked if a Banana grower or a garlic grower saw this site and said I want this for my industry, could they sent you this feedback??? They said, yes.. yes.. yes.. please tell them...I then asked, well then, what about a consumer that says....I want my food produced from the biological pest & disease control methods used on this site. They said .. "yes..yes..yes.... please.. we want this feedback from them all."

2 They said if we don't get any feedback ..the project fails, if we do get feedback ..it continues, if enough feedback is given by individual fruit/vege grower consumer sectors, then our funders will see the need and will project even more effort into addressing this similar project in all these areas. The success and development is measured by feedback response!!

I also asked, The future marketing and quality targets of grower bodies would rely on the principle of applying biological IPM methods instead of chemicals, fungicides, pesticides etc... how well could you do this?? Amy told me .."We found with this project, it was much easier finding biological methods of control because we just asked the growers of the produce in subsistence areas in the Pacific what they did and they told us and this really helped. Chemical means were harder, we had to find the suitable Registrations, applications etc etc.. it was very difficult and a lot more work."

I said, I've been to the Australian Banana Growers Council website, read their Sixth Annual Banana Congress (held in Cairns), and the guest speaker Professor David Hughes suggested that “the banana display in the retail outlet should be the health centre – where health and wellbeing for the family begin”. & “I sense in the banana industry there is still a production focus in a trading environment that rewards high yields and low taste. Industry needs to get a consumer mindset because the consumer is boss.” & “The major food companies of the world are starting to redefine the way food is marketed and are pitching themselves as being in the health, wellbeing and nutrition business. The fresh food industry is nearer to God than other foods but we need to make sure we present our product in a form that meets people’s lifestyle requirements...."

After relaying a version of these words, I asked, ”If the Banana industry asked you to do a similar project using biological methods of pest & disease control to achieve these goals, could you do it.” Amy told me, "Yes, we have the team, the scientists etc, with enough support from feedback we will have more.Our funders have a large resource pool. If all these sectors want it ( banana, garlic, potato growers etc ) it would happen. At the moment we have had no feedback.... and it won't happen".

They also asked me for taro growers to send in photos and any pests/ disease info specific to our regions. She'd been to John Doyles with Jeff, to get info on wallaby/paddymelon damage to his taro. Specific examples of locality related problems, such as this, would be of great interest to them. They would also like to be notified of any errors you may find or any material you wish added. Positive and negative comments are both valued as constructive.

I said I'm about to send it to members and I am going to encourage them to respond. I will go head over toe and do anything to achieve this... you need feedback.... lots of feedback... this project cannot fail....!!!

It too... was their greatest wish...

3 The Taropest Project

This Taropest pilot project has been delivered to us as an aid in order to assist us in growing our taro. The outcomes of this project will determine whether or not this project will be available to every fruit, vegetable and primary producer of Australia.

All that it requires us to do is simply to hit the BETA TEST COMMENTS button on the home page of this website and to give a comment of any sort of how you find this site. Anything, ..'great'... 'I like it'.. if you can't think of anything , just say 'It's coming...' and give details later..

Its all set out for you, type your thing and click 'Send'. If your email doesn't support the automatic function of this button the email is: [email protected]

The future of the many Australian primary producers needs it. Especially those that have been crippled by the mass influx of produce grown by questionable means in developing third world countries. This project is instrumental in the development of 'Aussie Grown Clean and Green Produce' which is the future in the direction of consumer demand. It is only by consumer awareness that we can stop all undesirable food products into this country and give quality assurance of Australian grown produce.

We do owe to the Banana growers, The Australian Banana Growers Council spent $1.5 million to stop Philippine imports. They put a 5 cent levy on every banana growers carton to pay for it. The tireless and relentless efforts of the Australian Banana Growers Council has brought Biosecurity Australia to its knees. This has paved the way for small industries such as ours, tarogrowers, with very little funds, to be at least, be acknowledged by Biosecurity and forced them to look at our Chinese import issues as well. Their website http://www.abgc.org.au/pages/home.asp The Australian Banana Growers Council also, in their wisdom, realising the future of their industry, (as spoken by this man, Professor David Hughes http://www.abgc.org.au/pages/research/Congrs1.asp at the Banana Sixth Congress), decided in order to achieve these objectives, with research and development needed for the welfare of their industry, they would need to impose a 1.6 cent levy on each box. It went to vote and the banana growers declined by a margin, failing to see the foresight in their leaders, had chose not to pay. The Australian Banana Growers Council couldn't believe the growers they helped for so long and fought so hard, had let them down http://www.abgc.org.au/pages/media/051206_161642.asp..... Who could blame the struggling grower trying to feed his family, not wishing to be lumbered by another levy ...... and then along came a cyclone !!!!.

We do owe it to the Banana growers , this is a crucial part of the project they want... it is the project they can get.... without a 1.6 cent levy. If they hear of this, then they and other large organisations will be inclined to give us assistance if we need it. If we fail with this project...... and they hear about it ....well ....there wouldn't be a stone small enough for us to crawl under!!!! 4 We do owe it to the tarogrowers in NSW, they have suffered more than we could imagination, it is their dream to develop "Clean Green Australian produce" to squash imports.. they don't want others to go through what they did... and we have had only a beginning of what they've been through.

We do owe it to every grower of produce in Australia that has been effected by these cheap dumped imports....

We do owe it to every grower that is about to get hit by the next wave of another.

Most of all you owe it to yourself.. with the knowledge that you have done something for yourself and all these people.. and it didn't cost a cent!!!

We can email every banana grower we know that has foresight and vision so they can say... we want this for bananas... We can email any other fruit/vege grower we know with foresight and vision so they can say ..... we want this for our industry.... We can email every person we know that has this foresight and vision .. so they can say ... we want this for our kids... we want this for our future ... we want this for Australia....

These people of QUT have worked hard for our benefit and it would be a simple token of appreciation if they took a pile of replies 3 feet thick to the Beancounters and Heads of Departments and say... look at this!!! All it would take, is the simple task, for us to respond!!! Whatever you do don't forget the BETA TEST COMMENTS button first.

If you wish to verify anything said, you can them contact below. These developers of this project are helpful, obliging and would be only too happy to take your call. Amy Carmichael 07 3864 5050 Dr Tony Clarke 07 38645023 Cheers Sam Phillips Secretary Taro Growers Australia http://www.tarogrowers.vze.com

NB You can see most of this site by clicking on Fact Sheets on LHS menu of homepage. You'll get pest/ diseases info here. This doesn't need Java or Lucid software. http://taropest.sci.qut.edu.au/

You can install Java and have full features of this site... Amy assured me it was easy to use and geared for modems slower than 56k.

If you are worried about security of this software, it is quite safe, keep your antivirus up to date. This is used by more and more people every day. You can disable/enable activation of Java in you browser by clicking Tools/Internet Options/Advanced then scroll down and tick on or off the 5 radio buttons that refer to JAVA VM. If your computer resides within a household, the chances are, your offspring has downloaded and installed it for you. The fact you are reading this is evidence in itself that this software is safe. They use it for Avatars (walking talking images) games and other educational facilities. If you're lucky, and use the enable/disable feature wisely... you may get your taro washed for free!! This is the same Lucid software used in this Hawaiian taro variety guide http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/botany/taro/

(This newsletter may be used in any shape or form, by the nature, in which it is intended..)

Below is the developers accompanying email

From: Tony Clarke [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, 13 April 2006 1:51 PM Subject: Taropest

TaroPest: Release http://taropest.sci.qut.edu.au/

We are pleased to announce the launch of the first beta-version of TaroPest, an identification and information kit for pests (diseases, insects, nematodes, etc) of taro in the South Pacific. TaroPest is the product of an ACIAR funded project involving the SPC Plant Protection Service, [PNG] National Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection Agency, and the Queensland University of Technology.

TaroPest is aiming to be a “one-stop-shop” for information concerning regional pests of taro, with the target audience being quarantine/biosecurity officers, plant protection workers and field extension officers. While currently web based, TaroPest will eventually be available on CD-Rom, with printable hard-copy options. The product is free to access and use.

The current version of TaroPest is still far from complete. As a team we have chosen to make it public early in its development for three important reasons. These are:

1. Taropest must be accurate. We need as many people as possible to use it and to let us know your results. If it is not working please tell us so we can correct it. 1. TaroPest must contain what you need. If there are important omissions in content then let us know. If there is too much let us know, we can look at simplifying presentation style. 1. TaroPest must be easy to use. If you don’t find TaroPest easy to work with, or the output style is unfriendly, tell us. We don’t want this product sitting lost in the bottom of your office drawer.

The TaroPest project has over 12 months to run, so we fully intend to spend a lot of time listening to your feed-back and making corrections. The “Beta-testing Update” button within TaroPest will generate an automatic email to the key developers. Updates will be continuous throughout the year on a six weekly basis.

To access TaroPest go to http://taropest.sci.qut.edu.au/

To run the imbedded Lucid Key you will need to have the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) installed. This is available free of charge from Sun Microsystems at http://www.java.com. 6 Note concerning beta-version: Within the Species and Character Page Menus, only some of the species or characters have completed fact sheets, these are in black text and link to the relevant web page. Species or character pages that are intended, but not yet completed, are in pale grey text. If you have any photos or information that you would like to contribute, please email via the TaroPest site. You will be fully acknowledged for all that you provide, help make TaroPest a truly South Pacific product.

Please forward this email to anyone who you think may be interested.

From the TaroPest Team

Amy Carmichael, Tony Clarke, Rob Harding, Stephen Hazelman, Sarlesh Kumar, Roy Masamdu, Jacqui Wright

Dr Anthony (Tony) R. Clarke Senior Lecturer in Ecology School of Natural Resource Sciences Queensland University of Technology GPO Box 2434 Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia

Ph: (Int) 61 7 3864 5023 Fax: (Int) 61 7 3864 1535 e-mail: [email protected]

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