VegNET Gippsland eNews, curated for you by the East Gippsland Food Cluster for Hort Innovation, Australian horticulture's R&D council. No Images? Click here JANUARY 2019Salads are perfect in the searing heat of Summer - so is cold beer but this eNews is all about the vegetable industry, not brewing! QUICK QUESTION - Have you completed the project survey? Don't delay - it takes less than ten minutes CLICK HERE You can contact your Industry Development Officer, Shayne Hyman, on 0417 330 081 or shayne.hyman@eastgippslandfoodcluster.com.au A Brand for Gippsland Produce to Support Your BrandThis is the start of an important conversation about putting Gippsland produce on the map. Invest half a day on Tuesday 29 January 2019 in your brand, and ours, and Gippsland's....9:00am - 1:00pm at Century Inn, 5 Airfield Road, TraralgonBookings are essential so please CLICK HEREYour Levy at WorkThe vegetable levy is collected by the Australian Government and then entrusted to Hort Innovation. The grower-raised statutory vegetable R&D levy is set at 0.485 per cent of the sale value. Investments specific to the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund are guided by the industry’s Strategic Investment Plan (SIP). The SIP document is used like a ‘roadmap’ by the vegetable Strategic Investment Advisory Panels (SIAPs). SIAPs have growers and other industry representatives on them. Currently, Gippsland growers on the three SIAPs are: Emma Germano (Market & Value Chain SIAP), Bill Bulmer (Farm Productivity, Resource Use & Management SIAP), Matt Zagami & Chris Schreurs (Consumer Alignment SIAP). The SIAPs provide advice to Hort Innovation on potential levy investments. Paying a levy doesn’t automatically make you a Hort Innovation member. If you'd like to become a member (it's free) or to learn more about SIPs , SIAPs and the Vegetable Fund CLICK HERE Information Session - Area Wide Management of Vegetable Diseases: Viral & BacterialWednesday 20 February, 4:00-6:00pm, Duart Homestead, 20 McLean Street, Maffra (venue tbc) join national project leader, Cherie Gambley, and Victorian team members, Fiona Constable, Cliff Kinoti, Len Tesoriero & John Fletcher, to learn more about why "area wide management" is crucial to safe, economical vegetable production & technology developments. FIAL - LVA - RDV Focus on Food & FibreAs Gippsland positions itself to be a leader in Australian food and fibre production, what role will Food Innovation Australia Ltd, the Latrobe Valley Authority, and Regional Development Victoria play? What role would you like them to play? Tuesday 5 February, 5-7pm at the Criterion Hotel, Sale. For more information CLICK HERE To book CLICK HERE and note discount for EGFC & AGI members Quality Improvement & Error Prevention WorkshopsVegNET Gippsland and 'Doing Business Better' have partnered again to bring another invaluable short course to growers and stakeholders across Gippsland. Ideal for owners, managers, quality leaders, postharvest and field scouts. Southern Gippsland (Korumburra) Wednesday 27 February 8:30am-12:30pm. This workshop is FREE. To reserve your place CLICK HERE Eastern Gippsland (Lindenow) Tuesday 5 March 8:30am-12:30pm. This workshop is FREE. To reserve your place CLICK HERE Measuring the Worth of Rural PropertiesThis platform was launched a week ago. The Rural Intelligence Platform, owned by a start up company, Digital Agriculture Services, allows you to zoom in on agricultural land anywhere in Australia and for the first time see a whole bunch of information about a property in the same place at the same time. Imagine the possible uses for this information. Read the article HERE and find out more about Digital Agriculture Services HERE Community Climate Change Adaption Grants3CA for short - Grants between $25-75k for climate change planning or actions. Applications close on 31 March 2019. Interested? CLICK HERE East Gippsland Field Days SAVE THE DATES26 - 27 April at the Bairnsdale Aerodrome. Interested in: Exhibiting? Sponsoring? Attending? Check out the Facebook page. More details? CLICK HERE Closing with the training we have all been waiting for ....Vegetable growers and other farmers in 2015 participated in a feasibility study about Sustainable Workforce Solutions for the agrifood sector in Eastern Gippsland. One of the needs identified was training in Workforce Planning to support the sustainability of regional workforces in agrifood businesses. It has taken a lot of patience and determination to respond to this need, in a cost-effective manner, but here it is .... If you'd like to read the study CLICK HERE If you'd like to book in for the training CLICK HERE |