Australian Blueberry Grower AUTUMN 2018 Issue 39

Australian Blueberry Grower AUTUMN 2018 ISSUE 39

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Blueberry Code of Conduct

BerryQuest

Finding reliable workers

Peru-Australia Free Trade Agreement

Key labour programmes available to assist

Nothing to fear in the domestic market

Raising the bar for us all

A room full of like-minded people and a credit to the industry

Also • Welcome Alex Smith • David Jordan – New Committee member • Spray Management in Blueberries • Minor Use Permits Booklet

Australian Blueberry Growers’ Association Inc. 1372A Bruxner Highway, Lindendale NSW 2480

AUTUMN 2018 / ISSUE 39 Editor Jane Richter

Australian Blueberry Grower

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Contributors Peter McPherson Alex Smith Melinda Simpson Simon Dornauf Marion Regan Tristan Kitchener Margie Milgate Bronwyn Koll Liam Kendall Anthony Poiner Kasey Ciappara Martin Inderbitzin David Jordan Jill Sanders Rebekah Pierce Howard Aru Sophie Parks Rosalie Daniel Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of this Journal, the information contained is necessarily of a general nature and should not be relied upon as a substitute for specific advice. Permission must be obtained from the ABGA Committee prior to copying any material from the Journal.

THIS ISSUE From the Editor – Jane Richter

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President’s Report – Peter McPherson

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Introducing the Blueberry Code of Conduct

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Executive Director – Alex Smith

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Industry Development Officer’s Report – Melinda Simpson

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A ‘Berry’ Fruitful BerryQuest – Melinda Simpson

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BerryQuest Highlights – Simon Dornauf

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Insights into the Berry Industry in the UK – Marion Regan

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Amazon has landed – Tristan Kitchener

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Summary of ABGA Committee Meetings – Margie Milgate

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Meet your new Committee Member – David Jordan

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Eradication of Queensland Fruit Fly from Yarra Valley – Bronwyn Koll 22 Securing Pollination: A project update

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Kureen Farming: Meet the Inderbitzin farming team

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Market Access Update: Japan – Anthony Poiner

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Marketing Report – Kasey Ciappara

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Drum Drum Farm: Growing the Biodynamic Way – Rod & Jill Sanders 34 Design & layout by Kern & Kraft Design using the original design created by Peppercorn Creative with thanks to Kate Prezioso

My Berries: Growing a berry big success story

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www.kernandkraftdesign.com.au

Labour Schemes: Supporting horticultural business

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Front Cover: Photo by Kaboompics at www.kaboompics.com

The next biosecurity threat – Rebekah Pierce

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Spray Management in Blueberries – Melinda Simpson

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Peru-Australia Free Trade Agreement – Jane Richter

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Pinata Farms leads the way with Seasonal Workers

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Evaluating reflective mulch – Dr Sophie Parks

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For advertising enquiries and the latest rate card, please contact: Jane Richter jane@chorizotrading.com 07 5438 7662 All advertising is subject to approval by ABGA

Australian Blueberry Grower

Blueberry Rust Management: fungicide trials update – Rosalie Daniel 66 ABGA Committee Member Contact List

BACK COVER

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ABGA

From the Editor JANE RICHTER

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’m Jane Richter and I’m your new editor for the Australian Blueberry Growers Journal.

So, who am I? I’ve been a communications professional in Australia and the UK for nearly all of my career. I’ve worked in businesses large and small, focussed in fresh food, horticulture, consumer products and even cement would you believe! The common theme is that I have pioneered new processes or channels within those businesses to improve the flow of communication and essentially bring to life the adage that ‘knowledge is power’. More about that later.

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As Roy T. Bennett always says, ‘change begins at the end of your comfort zone.

If you have any topic areas or content you would like to see in the journal, please drop me a line.

Jane Richter jane@chorizotrading.com

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In recent years, I have undergone a complete tree-change. I moved to the Glass House Mountains in Queensland with my husband and started a commercial passionfruit farm nestled at the base of Mount Beerwah. Four years, 3500 wooden posts and 15km of wire later, we have the capacity for 4,500 passionfruit vines across a couple of hectares.

Had we understood the gradient of the learning curve that we were undertaking, I sincerely doubt that we would be where we are today.

I believe in being 100% engaged in my life and so I joined the Management Committee of Passionfruit Australia in 2016.

It is a compulsory levy industry and in 2017, our current Industry Communication programme funded through Hort Innovation was expiring and going out for competitive tender. With the background I have, it was a no-brainer for me to submit a proposal on behalf of our industry association and we won that project in September 2017, beating six other proposals.

Why am I telling you all this? I want to assure you that I am not just here as a paid editor, I am

passionate about the role that horticulture plays within our economy and, as a grower myself, I have a first-hand understanding of many of the challenges that you face as an industry and as farmers. I fundamentally believe that as an industry – whether that be blueberries or passionfruit – we are stronger together. Sharing knowledge, getting together to solve problems and promoting the best practices to raise everyone’s bar, ultimately benefits all.

Knowledge truly is power for each and every one of you.

It appears to be a truly exciting time to be a blueberry grower.

Consumer interest has never been keener for high quality, high nutrition foods in Australia so domestic growth is on track.

With advances in market access underway, the growth in the number of free trade agreements and Australia’s reputation for safe, clean, high quality produce, I believe this industry has a superb future abroad. And all I can say is that I am honoured to be a small part of it.

Thank you!

Australian Blueberry Grower

ABGA

President’s Report PETER McPHERSON

ABGA Executive Director appointed As our industry continues to grow and our product becomes a staple part of consumer diets both in Australia and overseas, we must be able to present our entire industry in the most positive and cost-effective way possible. With this firmly in mind, the ABGA board has recently appointed Mr Alex Smith to the newly created role of ABGA Executive Director.

Alex comes to the role after a long corporate and public-sector career both in Australia and globally.

Alex has managed large organisations and small entrepreneurial teams, with a particular focus on technology businesses across a number of different countries. His most recent position involved managing and promoting regional development in northern New South Wales. The ABGA Committee intends to work closely with Alex to build not only on our strategic planning, but also proactive engagement with industry stakeholders, including all levels of government and most importantly to ensure our longer-term success.

Australian Blueberry Grower

Code of Conduct introduced It is critically important that through our actions as an industry we are seen as responsible farmers and citizens within the communities in which we operate. In support of this goal we recently launched the Blueberry CODE OF CONDUCT Industry Code of Conduct.

This is a first step in recognising that our industry’s conduct must at all times comply with relevant laws, should take into account the concerns of neighbours and stakeholders and must strive to set a benchmark for good practice that all growers not only aspire to, but also meet. Specifically, the Code is designed to inform and direct growers toward helpful information covering all levels of government laws, regulations and good practice. The Code also outlines sustainable farming practices, gives guidance about the responsible application and safe use of inputs (including chemicals), the ethical sourcing and engagement of labour and provision of a safe working environment.

Australian Blueberry

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Peter McPherson Mobile: 0418 666 651 president@abga.com.au

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ABGA

A copy of the Code has been sent to you with this edition of the Blueberry journal and it is also available on the ABGA website – www.abga.com.au.

Broadening our levy base The ABGA is your industry voice and undertakes many initiatives that benefit all growers across the industry. It is the levy payers that fund these initiatives and we are particularly grateful that we have growers as members who have the capacity to make such contributions. However, broadening the levy contribution base is vitally important for the industry in order for it to grow and thrive, while ensuring all participants share in the cost of making this a reality. I would strongly encourage those growers who currently do not make a voluntary levy contribution to consider doing so and how they may wish to become involved in playing a role in shaping the future of the industry.

Greg McCulloch Finally, I wish to recognise the outstanding contribution that Greg McCulloch has made to the Australian blueberry industry. Greg stepped down as ABGA President in December last year having served in the role and on the committee for many years. He played a leading role in the development of the industry, working tirelessly to promote its growth both within Australia and overseas markets.

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On behalf of the ABGA and all those involved in the blueberry industry I want to sincerely thank Greg for his work and dedication over so many years.

Key priorities The current key priorities for the industry revolve around trade, in particular reopening market access to Japan and establishing an export protocol to enable exports to China. With work having now been completed on treatment methods for Queensland and Mediterranean fruit fly, we are hopeful that we may see some movement with respect to the Japanese market in the near future. The timing of this will ultimately be decided by the Japanese government however the ABGA will continue to work closely with Hort Innovation and the Federal Department of Agriculture on this. Discussions have also commenced with the Department of Agriculture on establishing the agreed process for gaining access to the Chinese market. The success of other produce categories in gaining access to China suggests that this will by no means be a quick process, however rest assured that we will continue to progress this important market access initiative at every opportunity. There is also a need to continue to develop markets that have no protocol issues, including the UAE, Singapore and Hong Kong.

GREG MCCULLOCH - RETIRED PRESIDENT

RENEWED MARKET ACCESS TO JAPAN IS PENDING

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Australian Blueberry Grower

ABGA

Introducing the Blueberry Industry Code of Conduct T

he Australian blueberry industry has experienced significant growth over the past decade. This has been propelled by growing consumer demand, improved varieties, technical advances in the way berries are grown leading to production efficiencies, and the opportunities presented by emerging export markets.

With double digit growth forecast over the coming years, the expansion of the industry will continue and the economic and social significance of the industry to Australia’s horticultural exports will become even more prominent through increased capital investment and direct and indirect jobs growth in regional Australia.

With opportunity comes responsibility. It is with this in mind that the Code of Conduct (the Code) has been produced.

The Code has been developed by the Australian Blueberry Growers Association (ABGA) in consultation with the New South Wales Department of Primary Industry (DPI) – which has extensive experience working with the blueberry industry.

The ABGA strongly encourages all growers to demonstrate their commitment to meeting and complying with the standards as set out in this document.

The code is intended to promote good practice blueberry operations across Australia, with a particular emphasis on the following: • Sustainable farming practices as they relate to the use of land and natural resources, including minimising environmental and amenity impacts on immediate and surrounding areas; • Responsible application and safe use of materials (including chemicals) used in the growing and harvesting of blueberries; • Ethical sourcing and engagement of labour inputs; and • Provision of a safe working environment.

The Code enhances industry efforts to educate stakeholders and the community about the way the industry operates and importantly its commitment to recognising

Australian Blueberry

Growers’ Association

CODE OF CONDUCT E S TA B L I S H

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and voluntarily abiding by agreed industry standards and practices.

Good practice is usually about more than what is just legally required. If growers are to firstly review their practices and then to adopt what is considered to be good practice, there needs to be an understanding and acceptance of what the consequences can be of poor practices. Adopting good practices in chemical use will result in good practice management of water use, and soil conservation will result in controlling any runoff into creeks or other waterways.

The Code was formally launched on 19 March 2018 at Corindi Beach with NSW electorate of Page MP Kevin Hogan and Federal Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) David Littleproud present. Minister Littleproud said New South Wales industry was leading the way by creating a standard to support the growing industry nationally.

A hard copy booklet of the code has been included with this edition of the journal. The code will also be available via the industry website www.abga.com.au shortly.

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ABGA

Executive Director ALEX SMITH

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ello, let me introduce myself.

My name is Alex Smith and I am your new Industry manager for the Australian Blueberry Growers Association. My most recent role was as Chief Executive of Regional Development Australia for the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. In that role I was asked by the NSW Government to review the blueberry growing industry on the north Coast of NSW. As a result of that research and the subsequent report that I wrote I became very familiar with the issues facing this dynamic horticultural industry, so when asked to consider this role I embraced the opportunity.

Our focus is on the three main areas of market growth, member value and management of risks.

I had been a Macadamia grower some years ago, so I understand some of the basic issues facing growers in Australia. My background as a general manager and senior executive of both large and small organisations over the last 30 years means that I have been confronted with a broad range of tough challenges along that journey. I bring that experience and a strongly developed sense of patience and focus to your industry association.

I am delighted to be working with such an experienced and skilled Committee representing the industry. We have hit the ground running with a new strategic investment plan nearing completion and financial plan for the industry that looks out to 2022.

It is important for our industry to keep the demand for blueberries both in Australia and for export balanced with the growth in the volume of product being produced. We do not want oversupply, so we must continue to develop new markets and eventually new uses for any fruit that cannot be sold as fresh produce. That is a longer-term objective and will be considered on an ongoing basis. The key focus right now is to continue to develop domestic consumer demand and to get market access back into Japan and into China.

We have been successful in recent years getting domestic consumer demand to a level where during the season 56% of Australian households buy blueberries on a regular basis. The future industry marketing focus will be on what other buyer categories we can penetrate and how to get their attention.

Australian Blueberry Grower

ABGA

In the near future, you will see the development of more online support for grower members with new tools and knowledge being available via the ABGA website. A good example is to look at the Blueberry Industry Code of Conduct that came with your copy of this Journal. The Code of Conduct is designed to help you to access knowledge on good farming practice for our industry. We will have this code on the ABGA website initially as a downloadable document. In the longer term we will make the checklists available and we will be able to have the links to regulations and government legislation implemented so you can go directly to the information source. Ultimately, we would hope to have a range of online tools available to all growers that support responsible and productive farm management and gather information across the industry that supports our market access cases.

All of the progress that has been made in the industry in the last decade has required significant amounts of funding to achieve. In the last two years we have invested voluntary levy money in three key areas which will continue to provide opportunities for future growth: 1. O ngoing marketing and promotion of blueberries in Australia, which over time has led to impressive increases in consumption by Australians 2. Conducting the research required for us to negotiate a new export protocol to Japan (how we will treat Medfly and QFF). This protocol is getting closer to reality 3. Research and lobbying so we can now start to negotiate a new export protocol to China. A great outcome to now be at the front of the list of all horticulture products

Australian Blueberry Grower

All these areas are critical for the future success of the overall blueberry industry, and Australian blueberry growers. If we do not drive demand and create new markets, we should expect serious challenges in finding attractive markets for our fruit. While the levy is voluntary, we highlight that where we are spending the money it is providing real value.

Further, these areas and others will require ongoing substantial investment from the industry.

So, we encourage all growers to contribute. If you are interested in making a levy contribution to your association then please contact me directly and I can help you with the process.

We will also be implementing a variety of initiatives that help us manage any future risks to our industry. That means emergency plant or pest incursions, food safety or market impacts. It is important that my role is seen as the point of contact for the industry and I am hoping that you will help me to understand what those priorities should be.

Please email me or call me if you want to have your say.

Alex Smith Mobile: 0409 200 926 alexsmith@abga.com.au

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IDO Report Melinda Simpson Blueberry Industry Development Officer NSW Department of Primary Industries, Wollongbar

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t has been over a year since Phil left and it feels like a lot has happened in this time, thank you everyone for welcoming me into your industry I would like to welcome Alex Smith; the newly appointed Executive Director of the Australian Blueberry Growers Association, Alex brings with him a large amount of experience and I’m sure he will be well suited in this position. Congratulations go to the Australian Blueberry Growers Association, particularly Gurmesh Singh, Andrew Bell and Matthew Holmes for pulling together the Blueberry Code of Conduct in response to the rapid growth of the blueberry industry and issues this has raised amongst local communities.

The 2017/18 season saw the largest recorded production volumes for the blueberry industry and unfortunately with it lower retail prices. With a dropin price we may start to see less expansion and more growers focusing on improving efficiencies to obtain a better yield per hectare. The ABGA is continuing to push for market access into China and Japan.

Positively, Australia and China recently agreed to new horticulture market access priorities which saw the inclusion of blueberries on the priority list, which will progress after the existing access priority of mainland apples. Chile is the dominant source of imported blueberries in China. Peru also gained access to China and sent their first shipment in February 2017.

BerryQuest was held from the 12th -15th Feb 2018 and was a great success. Thank you to everyone who made the effort to come along, over 400 delegates attended it was great to see the growth in the berry industry. In particular, I was really excited to see such a large number of young people at the conference and the bright future of the industry.

From 1 April 2018, if you’re a grower who sells your fruit through an agent or to a merchant, you are subject to the Horticulture Code of Conduct and must ensure you comply. The Code aims to improve the clarity and transparency of trading arrangements between growers and traders in the horticulture sector. Read more about this on Page 56.

I’m sure everyone has heard about the Listeria outbreaks linked to the rockmelon industry. This incident demonstrates that vigilance in maintaining quality assurance standards regarding harvest and post-harvest treatment of fruit is an ongoing management focus in our enterprises.

We have created an update of all current Minor Use Permits for blueberries that you will find as a four-page pull-out in the centre of this edition of the journal.

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Australian Blueberry Grower

ABGA

Chemical updates Since the previous Journal, the following minor use permits have been released/extended:

PERMIT 85743 for the use of Permethrin dust to control European Wasps in berry crops

PERMIT 84972 for the control of Elephant Weevil in blueberries using Bifenthrin

PERMIT 84891 for the control of Anthracnose and Grey Mould on blueberries using Switch

PERMIT 84178 for the control of Lepidopteran pests in blueberries using Coragen (chlorantraniliprole)

PERMIT 85422 for the control of Lepidopteran pests in blueberries using Proclaim (Emamectin)

PER13958 for the control of fungal blights in blueberries using various fungicides

PERMIT 84176 for the control of anthracnose and blueberry rust using Copper present as Copper Hydroxide or Cupric Hydroxide in all states

BERRYQUEST

A ‘Berry’ Fruitful BerryQuest Melinda Simpson Blueberry Industry Development Officer NSW Department of Primary Industries, Wollongbar

With over 400 delegates from Australia and abroad, including New Zealand, North America, Italy, Spain and the UK, BerryQuest 2018 was the largest berry event ever held in Australia.

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he conference highlighted just how important berries have now become in Australian horticulture. With a combined value of around $880 million a year, berries are now the largest fruit category.

Some of the key topics covered at the conference included an update on the robotics work happening at the University of Sydney, integrated pest management, variety breeding programs and retail updates.

Carla Brown from the Australian Centre for Field Robotics at The University of Sydney (ACFR) talked about their work so far in developing robotics for agriculture. ‘Rippa’ is their most commercially ready prototype.

‘Rippa’ uses different types of sensing techniques: visible imaging, hyper and multi-spectral sensing,

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3D structure sensing and soil probes to get an overall picture of what is happening in the field. ‘Rippa’ is sent up and down each row where it collects data, when it returns it produces a map which gives detailed information on the health of each plant; this allows growers to pick up information before the plant starts to show signs of being stressed. ‘Rippa’ also has the capability of differentiating between a chosen crop and foreign objects and thus has the technology to either apply fertiliser to a crop or to apply herbicide to weeds.

It can also take lots of different soil samples from a site and then produce a map of the soil quality of the particular site.

‘Shrimp’ is another one of their prototypes which can be used for yield estimations. It collects information such as number of flowers, where they are distributed and also number of fruit. ‘Shrimp’ picks up raw image data, with this data it can detect between sky, fruit, leaves and ground. This data is the fed into algorithms which produces yield estimation.Biosecurity was also a major focus at BerryQuest 2018.

RIPPA – http://confluence.acfr.usyd.edu.au/display/AGPub/Our+Robots

Australian Blueberry Grower

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John McDonald from Nursery and Garden Industry Australia (NGIA) talked about Biosecure HACCP, the on-farm biosecurity program for Australian production nurseries. This program is a biosecurity assurance for planting stock and provides a systematic approach for production nurseries to assess their biosecurity hazards and identify critical control points. At the field day the importance of biosecurity was also reinforced with all attendees made to walk in a footbath and to wear disposable shoe covers.

Dean Metcalf from Metcalf Biocontrol Australia talked about Trichoderma as a biological control agent against both botrytis and phytophthora. As a general principle Trichoderma needs a food base (i.e compost) if introduced into the soil. Lachlan Chilman from Biological Services discussed biologicals available for the berry industry. In particular, he mentioned that Greenhouse whitefly has been very well controlled using Eretmocerus warrae and where aphids are an issue the release of Aphidius colemani is also effective.

Clare Hamilton-Bate from Freshcare talked about certification options for Australian growers. If exporting you may be required to complete Freshcare Plus which includes Freshcare Food Safety and Quality as well as GLOBALG.A.P elements. Claire also touched on the new Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme (HARPS), this is a retailer led scheme designed to assist with compliance to food safety, legal and trade legislation for suppliers to the major grocery retailers in Australia. If your business has a vendor/supplier number with ALDI, Coles, Costco, Metcash (IGA) or Woolworths then you need to complete HARPS. You can find more information about HARPS on Page 48.

Ridley Bell (Mountain Blue Farms) talked about where blueberry breeding is heading in the future. Ridley talked about flavour being the number one criteria when they are choosing their breeding selections.

Other selection criteria included shape, firmness (preferably smooth firm and crisp firm), no tear, round shape and timing. Work is being done to look for November and December varieties where currently there is a lack of fruit on the market. Ridley highlighted the need for machine harvesters and varieties that can be easily harvested by machine in the future as the cost of labour and production continues to increase.

Characteristics for machine harvesting include: compact season, ideal bush shape, round fruit, large and firm fruit and the detachment of ripe fruit only.

Australian Blueberry Grower

Simon Dornauf – BerryQuest Conference Chairman

HILLWOOD BERRY FARM, HILLWOOD IN TASMANIA The real highlight of BerryQuest for Simon was seeing the sheer volume of like-minded people, who had come together from across the fresh berry industry to see how they can work together.

‘Traditionally, so many have viewed other growers as the competition whether they be growing the same berries or not. In today’s world, we all face the same farming challenges and we will find better solutions by being stronger together.’

The key challenges that are common across berry industries are about three major things; labour availability and accessibility at the right times, modernising growing practices to maintain yield and profitability improvements, and being absolutely prepared to rapidly identify and tackle pest incursions.

‘No one wants the spotted winged drosophila, with the damage potential of a fruit fly on steroids, anywhere here in Australia.’

The presentations at BerryQuest were extraordinarily varied and comprehensive so it’s hard to select a small few for comment.

The real standouts for Simon included Marion Regan who provided incredible insights into the berry industry in the UK, Chad Finn with his entertaining and informative look at Berry breeding US-style and Tristan Kitchener sharing his insights into the changes about to hit our grocery retailing landscape in Australia with the arrival of the retail juggernaut Amazon.

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BERRYQUEST

Insights into the Berry Industry in United Kingdom Marion Regan Hugh Lowe Farms, Kent UK

Hugh Lowe Farms is a family-owned business founded in 1893 in Kent, England and Marion is part of the family still operating this incredible business today.

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he farm enterprise produces 4500 tonnes of strawberries and 1000 tonnes of raspberries & blackberries each year. They have 650 ha in total with 165 ha tunnels and 5 ha under glass, employ 60 permanent staff and up to 600 seasonal workers, 90% of whom actually stay at the farm whilst picking.

MARION REGAN

The business vision is to produce top quality berries, while farming efficiently and responsibly. And they certainly take their responsibility to the environment very seriously.

With thanks to Marion Regan for her kind permission to reproduce the information from her BerryQuest presentation.

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Strawberry harvesting at Hugh Lowe Farms The business has active management plans for water, waste, energy, pests and diseases, soils, substrates and fertilisers & finally wildlife and the local landscape. Part of the way in which the business is able to work in tune with its surroundings is by active membership of the key organisations set up to protect wildlife and the environment like the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and the Kent Wildlife Trust.

The customer base includes most of the major grocery retailers in the UK as well as the responsibility of being the sole supplier of English strawberries for Wimbledon. The farm produces strawberries, raspberries and blackberries across the spring/ summer window in the UK which is essentially April to October. All fruit is packed into its final retail format and despatched from the farm’s own packing facilities in Kent, just one hour away from

Australian Blueberry Grower

BERRYQUEST

central London. Interestingly, the UK market now understand varietal difference within berry categories and strawberries are clearly labelled with both the grower and the variety. This is far more important for the UK retailer and consumer than the brand on the package.

The business is subject to incredibly high audit standards and is measured against multiple sets of criteria including British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF). Unlike Australia, it is not uncommon for unannounced customer audits to occur.

Just like many farms here in Australia, the business is looking at how to improve its planting and picking ergonomics, and how to develop its growing practices to facilitate extension of volume in the season shoulders where there is still room for profitable volume growth.

Another common challenge is the management of pests and disease.

Spotted Winged Drosophila is rapidly becoming a world pest and has already been found in many European countries including the UK. Finally, with the advent of Brexit, the UK is going to face even more difficulties securing labour of the right skill levels, in the right numbers and at the right time to ensure harvesting and packing activities can occur effectively.

We may be many miles apart, but we share the same challenges the world over.

Australian Blueberry Grower

TABLE TOP GROWING PROVIDES BETTER HARVESTING ERGONOMICS

UK BERRY MARKET SNAPSHOT 2017 The market for berries has almost doubled since 2005 and since 2011 it has grown by 67% in retail value.

The majority of the opportunities are on the ‘shoulders’ of the season or in accessing new segments of the maturing market.

Raspberries £262m Blueberries £345.8m

Blackberries £38.1m

Strawberries £617.3m

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BERRYQUEST

Amazon has landed Tristan Kitchener Kitchener Partners

to guarantee on-time deliveries. This demonstrates Amazon’s determination to be a business that strives to charge customers less and provide greater value through superior customer service.

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eff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, says that the reason Amazon is successful is that for the last 20 years they’ve had three big ideas that they’ve stuck with: ‘put the customer first, invent and be patient’. However, if you’re a retailer, or in fact have any business that could be touched by Amazon, another of his sayings might make sitting comfortably a thing of the past:

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Amazon is now valued at over US$700 billion and is undoubtedly hurtling towards world domination across a wide range of sectors, including online marketplaces, home delivery, cloud computing, and content development to name a few. Amazon’s appetite to improve the customer experience through upstream and downstream supply chain integration is also unprecedented – as illustrated by their recent US$1.5billion airport acquisition and leasing 40 planes

your margin is our opportunity

Being customer-focused allows you to be more pioneering and Amazon’s strength as a brand is that it’s associated with being innovative and ontrend, with high levels of appeal and a fun place to shop. Amazon’s now fabled Amazon Go concept store in Seattle, USA is looking to revolutionise grocery shopping for the benefit of the consumer by providing a simpler time-saving shopping experience; consumers just walk in, select the products they want and walk out, with the payment fully automated.

The ‘staff-less’ supermarket is the equivalent of the driverless car.

This stands Amazon in good stead as it looks to provide a full online grocery offer, in a market where its rivals are struggling to differentiate their brands – how much difference is there really between Coles and Woolworths? The unique challenge for Amazon will be how they will adapt their business model in Australia to consider the high-cost of labour and land, large freight distances and being an unknown entity to consumers in grocery retailing.

TRISTAN KITCHENER

AMAZON GO CONCEPT STORE

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Australian Blueberry Grower

BERRYQUEST

What is Amazon?

Amazon was founded in 1994 as an online bookstore that diversified into selling electronics, video and music downloading, cloud computing infrastructure and in 2018, Jeff Bezos is planning to launch suborbital human flight into space. Whilst Amazon’s online marketplace is undoubtedly the engine room of business, it’s a hugely diversified business, with quite a range of business and consumer offerings.

Businesses can use the Amazon platform to sell their products across 11 global marketplaces for a 6-13% commission, they can choose to manage their own delivery or use ‘Fulfilment

By Amazon’, which includes picking, packing, shipping and management of exchanges.

Amazon is essentially a digitally enabled supermarket, with Amazon Prime the brand used for selling online groceries. Amazon Prime is a bundled subscription offering, which includes movie and music downloads, photo storage, access to special deals and one-day delivery on all purchases. The objective is to create consumer dependency through continual value-adding and provide consumers with access to a huge range of products and services. This model also helps drive consumer uptake of other Amazon businesses and ultimately forces vendors to supply through Amazon and creates a positive feedback loop.

Australian Blueberry Grower

How attractive is Australia to Amazon?

Like Aldi, Amazon has a long-term growth agenda with no desire for profits in the short term. Back in 2001, many retail analysts were surprised when Aldi chose to enter Australia, given the large geography and small population of Australia. It was the large profit pool that attracted Aldi, with the complacent duopoly of Coles and Woolworths making some of the highest margins in the world.

Both the majors are making EBIT margins over 5%, well above the retailer global average of 3.9%, and whilst grocery industry growth has halved from 8% to less than 4%, the fact that Lidl, Marks & Spencer and David Jones are all rumoured to be developing grocery offerings in Australia, suggests the profit pool is still large. And there is confirmation now that Kaufland, part of the Schwarz Group which is the world’s fourth largest retailer, are opening in Australia soon. By way of comparison, Amazon has sales of US $177.9 billion and 4% EBIT, and took six years to turn a profit.

Australia has the most metropolitan population in the world, which is attractive to retailers since they can focus on the population dense areas of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

This is the hub- and-spoke expansion strategy that ALDI uses, with a single distribution centre surrounded by 60 to 80 stores. Amazon is already successful in markets that are much more competitive, so if

Amazon believes the market in Australia is big enough to be worthwhile, there is no reason why they wouldn’t enter.

Who will be impacted most by the entry of Amazon?

In other countries, the retailers that have suffered the most are those that share the most similar demographic to Amazon consumers. Given Amazon’s broad appeal (over 90% of consumers in the UK have shopped with Amazon), it suggests that the mainstream retailers, Coles, Woolworths and ALDI, will bear the brunt of the onslaught. However, given Amazon’s appetite for vertical integration and expansion into adjacent sectors, it suggests that the broader supply chain and related businesses could also be directly impacted, and that means everyone makes less money.

So, will Amazon Fresh succeed in Australia?

That’s the multi-billion-dollar question. Few details are known about the full grocery service model Amazon might use in Australia to deliver a fresh food offering (Amazon Fresh). Amazon is essentially an online marketplace with a sophisticated logistics network but is largely geared to moving boxes of ambient products, and not fresh foods. Success in fresh foods, and particularly fresh produce, will be dependent upon navigating the changing seasonal growing locations across a large geography, establishing a supply chain that can cope with

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BERRYQUEST

the temperature extremes in Australia and generating enough volume to provide the necessary economies of scale. Just like the Australian retailers, Amazon will have to domestically source most of their fresh foods due to strict quarantine restrictions.

Kmart, but a partnership would allow Amazon to build scale much quicker, without the need to invest in dedicated fulfilment facilities as stores could be used for picking.

And for Coles and Woolworths, it could be a case of ‘keep your friends close but your enemies closer’.

Amazon could partner with an established business as they have in the UK, where existing traditional supermarket chain Morrison’s is supplying Amazon Fresh with a range of ambient and fresh food products (and to return the favour Amazon is providing an online solution for Morrisons with ‘Amazon at Morrisons’ through Amazon Prime). Confusing, but it’s essentially collaboration for mutual benefit; Amazon Fresh for primary shops and Morrisons at Amazon for secondary shops. It would be surprising if conversations hadn’t already happened between Amazon and/or Coles and Woolworths; combining the existing sourcing and buying infrastructure of a major retailer with the online capabilities of Amazon would make an attractive proposition and provide a swift low-cost entry solution. Coles and Woolworths would have to manage the corporate conflict, as helping Amazon grow would hurt Big W, Target and

The partnership model will be important for suppliers. If Amazon go it alone, then the increased competition could benefit suppliers as there will be greater demand for their products, but a partnership with either Coles or Woolworths could mean the opposite, with even greater buying power for the majors. In the short term, Amazon is unlikely to build a large enough grocery business to trouble the main players, but Amazon certainly has the potential to become a major player in the online grocery market.

What’s the Amazon effect?

An interesting side effect of Amazon raising the bar, is that competitors are forced to innovate to stay in business and more innovation swiftly follows. Probably the most notable is an innovation from Microsoft Australia partner Lakeba called Shelfie ‘combining the latest robotic technologies with intelligent image capturing and cloud-based data analytics to

Tristan Kitchener is an independent consultant in the FMCG sector, providing advice and support along the grocery value chain, from retailers through to manufacturers and growers. Tristan has a focus on fresh foods and particularly fresh produce. tristan@kitchenerpartners.com.au 0407 827 738

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improve inventory management’; in other words, making sure retail shelves are filled with the right amounts of stock all the time.

Shelfie is an in-store robot with the ability to automatically travel around store aisles scanning shelves, enabling real-time stock reporting to help identify sales trends and optimise merchandise layouts. The sales opportunity for retailers is huge, not to mention the improved shopping experience for consumers.

At its heart, Amazon’s operating model revolves around building scale and loyalty quickly. So, in

SHELFIE

Australia, Amazon is already leading with Amazon Marketplace targeting electronics, household goods and general merchandise – watch out JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman. Next, they will tackle the niches, and their suite of other businesses will follow, with Amazon Fresh tipped to arrive before the end of the year.

The strength of the Amazon brand makes it a disruptive force in any sector and market it enters, and the online grocery market in Australia is likely to be no different. Amazon’s track record and deep pockets suggest that it unquestionably has the capabilities to succeed. It’s probably just a question of how soon Amazon Fresh rolls in to our major cities.

Australian Blueberry Grower

ABGA

Summary of ABGA Committee Meetings Margie Milgate ABGA Executive Support

The Australian Blueberry Growers Association (ABGA) Committee has held four meetings and undertaken an Annual General Meeting since the last Journal report in Spring 2017.

24 August 2017 Meeting in Coffs Harbour, the ABGA committee had a number of items to progress. These included the China Trade Report, a discussion on the ABGA website and attendance at a Trade Fair.

Of major importance was the presentation of the 2017/18 Marketing Plan which showed that there was still good room to grow berry consumption within the Australian domestic market. The marketing options focused around campaigns in-store to drive purchase, using social media and wider public relations to educate consumers on the usage ideas and seasonality. A budget was approved for the coming season.

The committee gave their attention as well to the recruitment of a senior executive to assist the committee to drive the industry forward.

Recruitment processes were to be put in place.

Further discussions were held on the Code of Conduct. It was believed it would be helpful as an educational tool for growers and the wider community. There are issues around expanding urban sprawl and farming in many regions and this document would serve to inform councils as well.

Growers are to be widely consulted on the document.

Australian Blueberry Grower

BerryQuest planning is progressing with the three industry associations Raspberries and Blackberries Australia, Strawberries Australia and the Australian Blueberry Growers Association - all providing input into the program development which will include a range of international and domestic speakers.

5 October 2017 The committee began with a review of progress with the China Trade report and the potential for a release depending on parliamentary sitting dates.

Discussions with department officers in Canberra were also progressing well, with the report showing the potential for Australian blueberries in the Chinese market and that market access should be gained in the near future.

Closer collaboration was the goal of potential merger discussions with Raspberries and Blackberries Australia which will be a focus of the work of the new Executive Officer. A shortlist of candidates is now being assessed.

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ABGA

25 January 2018 After the appointment of the auditor was confirmed, the election of office bearers took place. There had been 8 vacancies for which 8 nominations were received. They were:

POSITION NOMINEE President

Peter McPherson

Vice- President

Gurmesh Singh

Secretary

Andrew Bell

Treasurer

Anthony Poiner

Committee

Amanpreet Singh Lehl

Committee

Jonathan Shaw

Committee

David Jordan

Committee

Cedric Senn

Other discussions included: • Membership of National Farmers Federation was agreed to be progressed • The varietal trials in Western Australia were being reviewed by Hort Innovation from the results in September • Anthony Poiner noted progress on the Strategic Plan with interviews being undertaken and comments being collated Cedric Senn advised there would be changes with the Journal production with both Sophie and Kate resigning and he presented the options for the committee. The Journal is seen as a valuable tool for the industry and would continue to be supported.

This was the first meeting held after the appointment of Alex Smith as the Executive Director and he was already providing input to the A membership survey is also going to be undertaken with Alex securing funding for this exercise.

Alex had attended a meeting of representatives from different horticultural bodies convened by National Farmers Federation. They discussed the various issues that could be undertaken by working together, but further work is required.

An invitation from the Federal Government has been received for members to be appointed to the market access committee for blueberries.

Initial representation would be by Peter McPherson, Anthony Poiner and Alex Smith.

The draft Code of Conduct has received feedback from some councils and government agencies. These responses will be consolidated by Alex and then put out for wider feedback from industry. It was agreed to add this to the agenda for discussion at the AGM.

Annual General Meeting Was held on 12 February 2018 preceding the Welcome Function to BerryQuest. Acting President Gurmesh Singh provided an overview of the year.

He noted that 2017 had been an outstanding year for blueberry production and that demand matched supply for most of the year. He continued to look at how the industry had addressed issues such as land use conflict in the Coffs Harbour region leading to the development of the code of conduct, blueberry rust, exports to Indonesia and India and the continued fruit fly work being undertaken for Japanese access and in future to China.

Anthony Poiner presented the Treasurers report.

The financial statements had been sent out with the minutes. Anthony highlighted that the main income was from the voluntary levy, subscriptions and grants. Main expenses were the promotions and research and development programs which have been conducted by professionals at Department of Primary Industries and other institutions.

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Australian Blueberry Grower

ABGA

ABGA has good cash reserves which we hold for two reasons. The levy is voluntary so there is a need to have funds in hand before spending and to accrue for the larger research projects.

It was declared that all the above positions were deemed elected as provided by the constitution.

The following General Business session covered an introduction to new Executive Director, Alex Smith and information on his background. It was also acknowledged that ABGA was 40 years old this year.

Special mention was made regarding Greg McCullough who had stepped down after 8 years as President.

A formal motion of thanks was moved to Greg for his tireless work and dedication to ABGA and the industry and all voted in favour of this motion.

6 March 2018 This teleconference was the first meeting of the new committee and welcome was extended to Jonathan Shaw for coming back onto the committee and to new-comer David Jordan.

Discussions took place on the need to have technical people to support the new national blueberry market access delegates. It was agreed that a team approach for this activity was required and that the industry would rely on technical skills from within the industry.

Agreement was received to adopt the recommended team who would be called upon when required.

On the research level, Michael Rogers from Hort Innovation provided an update on the work being undertaken at Murdoch University and advised that the medfly work had been completed and was now being worked into a report with accompanying data for provision to the Japanese quarantine authorities for review. Concurrently the Qld Department of Agriculture and Fisheries was working on Queensland fruit fly data. Timelines were being negotiated and the national Department of Agriculture and Water Resources was kept in the loop of both research programs’ progress.

Australian Blueberry Grower

ABGA has been invited to attend a Chinese importers expo which the committee viewed as a good opportunity to meet face-toface with industry and Chinese agency personnel. This could only be advantageous to industry.

The committee were also asked to provide feedback on the intended member survey which was to take place shortly.

Further discussions were held on the new National Farmers Federation Horticulture Council and the advantages and disadvantages of involvement for the blueberry industry. Agreement had been reached that on certain items industries would be able to put in their own submissions to government on areas affecting that particular industry viewpoint.

Other items of note were an update on the journal, further work being completed for the next marketing program where responsibility will move from being managed by Sonia from Driscoll’s into a position of being driven from ABGA. Melinda is also investigating an Integrated Pest Management project and was advised to use the expertise of the technical group to look at the top two to three things that would have a positive outcome from a position of sustainability.

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MEMBER NEWS

Meet your new Committe Member AN INTERVIEW WITH DAV I D J O R DA N

“

As a leader in an organisation, I find that having children helps to keep me grounded. I try to take my feelings about family with me into the professional context.

It’s a really important part of building a culture based on empathy and authenticity.

D

avid Jordan is a newcomer; both to the ABGA Committee and to horticulture. The selfdescribed ‘jack of all trades’ started his career in café franchising with The Coffee Club in Brisbane, spent time in hospitality both as a senior manager and as a consultant before making a leap across into the Coles business as Operations Manager for the rapidly growing Coles Liquor Group based in Melbourne.

After a successful four years there, David moved across into Baskin-Robbins as General Manager for the Australian business and executed a turnaround strategy that won a suite of accolades from industry bodies, most notable of which was finalist for “Best Company Culture” in the Australian Business Excellence Awards 2016.

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Just 18 months ago, he made his largest leap yet into horticulture and up to Corindi Beach to become the General Manager for the Australian berry category in the Costa Group.

Talking to David, it is clear that his passion for people comes all the way from his very early beginnings as a child growing up on the Sunshine Coast in the idyllic suburb of Buderim. David and his wife now have two young boys, and David is keen to provide for his family the same simple, loving childhood that he had.

As a family, they spend their time enjoying some of the fresh air activities that Australia is renowned for; lazy afternoons at the beach and Sunday morning bike rides, amongst others. David revels in the simpler pleasures of life; less screen time and more cultural exposure is the recipe for his boys’ childhood and as a family they try to get away to somewhere new in the region at least twice a year.

When asked what the biggest challenge has been for him in his first year of horticulture, David remembers well the sage advice given by Peter McPherson when he first started, “No two days will be the same and there simply is no playbook to follow.”

Understanding the day-to-day subtleties which can influence the crop outcome is something that is just not seen in his previous career industries. “You simply have to follow a framework but be very fluid in how you respond to changing variables.”

Australian Blueberry Grower

MEMBER NEWS

As any grower will know only too well, the impact of a seemingly small change in environmental conditions at the wrong time or a missed IPDM spray window can have a butterfly-effect impact a few weeks or months down the track.

So, what does David see as the opportunities for the berry category in Australia in the near future?

Fundamentally, berries are cresting the wave of the perfect positive storm – they taste great, offer substantial health benefits and are very on trend for the way people are choosing to eat today.

Growing consumption of berries in the light of those supporting factors should be easy. For raspberries and blackberries, extending the supply of good quality fruit will naturally support growth as demand outstrips supply currently. Blueberries have seen meteoric growth in recent years and they have the potential to become a staple shopping-list fruit in the next decade.

When you reflect on the history of the blueberry industry in Australia, the last decade has seen an exceptionally steep growth curve both in production quantities and consumer take-up. In some ways, the industry is still in its infancy and technology is going to play a big part in helping businesses – both large and small – to move forward in the exciting decade that lies ahead.

With expanding supply, there is the potential for price contraction to occur and David highlights the need to adopt smarter production methods, to harness technology where it can reduce input costs and boost yields, and to generate efficiency gains that will support margins in the face of static prices.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but David believes small growers are just as capable of benefitting from technology advances as some of the larger, capitalrich organisations involved in the industry. Necessity is the mother of invention, and when you don’t have a large bank balance available to invest sometimes it enables you to be nimbler and to be more focused on the direct returns from your investments. It also encourages you to be entrepreneurial, to find ways to access the benefits that some technologies can bring without the cost burden attached. And fundamentally, smaller operations can adapt more quickly with fewer levels of decision-making to work through.

Australian Blueberry Grower

All of that said, the larger businesses like the Costa Group play a vital role in horticulture industries.

David feels personally privileged to step into a business built over three decades that has a strong legacy founded on the right intent. Costa has a history of strong linkage into the communities where it operates and is particularly proud of its support of education, both at the TAFE and University level.

Costa has the scale to enable farming in horticulture to be a viable career pathway for talented young people and to bring individuals into the broader industry who would otherwise not have even considered it.

Our final discussion centred around the key research and development investment areas for the next decade. David sees there are four key areas that will deliver benefits directly back across the industry.

Firstly, varietal development is fundamental to the successful future of the industry. This is in terms of improving the yield, flavour or disease resistance characteristics of existing stocks as well as the creation of new hybrids. Developing improved horticultural practices like substrates, tunnel structures and weed management will help to support the yield improvements needed to counteract the slowdown in retail price growth. A significant cost benefit needs to be found in reducing the labour requirements involved with harvesting and packing blueberries and technology provides the key here.

Lastly, as consumers become increasingly savvy and demanding about the origins of their food, continual improvement in best practice IPDM strategies will be critical to stay in line with their expectations.

“The newly launched Blueberry Industry Code of Conduct provides a great start and as an industry we need to support and build on that. The ABGA has a role here to work directly with major retailers and influencers in the supply chain, to be proactive about building alliances and to ensure a consistent story is told on behalf of the whole industry,” says David If David can bring to the ABGA committee the energy and grounded view of the world that has carried him so far so quickly, the whole blueberry industry will be the real beneficiaries.

Welcome David.

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RESEARCH

Eradication of Queensland Fruit Fly F RO M T H E YA R RA VA L L E Y Bronwyn Koll Yarra Valley Coordinator for Queensland Fruit Fly

The prevention of Queensland Fruit Fly (Qfly) in the Yarra Valley is essential to ensure the success of the region’s fruit production. Blueberries are one of the many susceptible Qfly host fruits. istorically, the region has been regarded as Qfly free, a privilege that was supported by the creation and maintenance of a Yarra Valley “Pest Free Place of Production” (PFPP). Some of the Yarra Valley’s fruit producers formed a PFPP with the support of the state of Victoria’s Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR). The PFPP aims to produce fruit that is not at risk of containing Qfly larvae, and to provide a certified method for obtaining market access for the fruit into Qfly sensitive markets in SA, WA and TAS, without fumigation or cold disinfestation treatments being used.

Many blueberry producers in the Yarra Valley grow and trade berries without treatment or certification into non-sensitive markets, as the region does not normally suffer from Qfly pressure. This season has been a real eye opener for some Yarra Valley berry producers, and those close to the action have re-evaluated their farm biosecurity plans and farm management practices. Warm and humid weather conditions, not normal for the Yarra Valley summer, have been suitable for Qfly survival, and we can no longer hold onto the thought that “it’s too cold down here”. Vigilance and preparedness is essential.

Late in January 2018, a monitoring trap in the Yarra Valley PFPP detected two male Qfly. In response, supplementary traps were deployed and fruit inspections were performed by DEDJTR’s Biosecurity staff. Qfly larvae were found in this process, and the trade of “PFPP certified” fruit from all businesses participating in the YV PFPP to sensitive interstate

The presence of Qfly larvae in any fruit is a quality issue in any market, not just a biosecurity issue for market access into WA, SA and TAS. Fruit damage by Qfly can be avoided with careful and vigilant on-farm management, coordinated

H

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markets was suspended, only allowing fruit that is fumigated or cold treated to be traded.

Normal access to unrestricted markets still remains an option.

A series of Qfly controls have since taken place in the area immediately affected. Many PFPP fruit production businesses have continued to be able to produce fruit in a fruit fly free environment, it is only the trade agreement terms that stipulated all “PFPP certified” trade be suspended as a precaution. The group are aiming to reinstate trade agreements, and this can be achieved when no further fruit flies are detected in the comprehensive PFPP trapping network over an agreed time, and no further larvae are found in fruit.

Australian Blueberry Grower

RESEARCH

“

SOURCE : AGRICULTURE VICTORIA

area wide management, and most of all, with area freedom. Area freedom and preventative management that eliminates Qfly or reduces Qfly pressure can also protect the valuable IPM strategies used by many Yarra Valley blueberry growers. Some Qfly control strategies such as cover sprays can have a detrimental effect on beneficial insects – a treatment best avoided if possible.

Qfly don’t respect wire fence boundaries, nor do they read signs

AN ADULT QUEENSLAND FRUIT FLY

• Monitoring for fruit fly populations - either through the PFPP network of traps or with privately managed traps. This involves hanging traps that attract and kill the male Qfly in trees around the property. Regular inspection of these traps indicates the presence of Qfly, or a rise or fall in their population. It is important to map the location of monitoring traps, record the weekly findings, and communicate these findings to the regional coordinator. These traps can be monitored concurrently with other insect monitoring programs in place. A rapid response can take place if Qfly are detected, preventing the problem from becoming more widespread.

(Note: regular fruit inspections that specifically look for Qfly damage is an essential action that compliments trap monitoring).

QFLY EGGS IN A BLUEBERRY.

Australian Blueberry Grower

SOURCE: NSW DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES

• P reventing fruit from unknown locations or from Qfly regions from entering the farm. The farm management is responsible for only allowing Qfly free fruit to enter the production area. Commercial consignments of fruit accepted onto the property should be proven to be Qfly free. Another possible entry point of Qfly infested fruit could be via the lunch boxes of farm staff or contractors. Teaching the labour force to respect the Qfly area freedom requirements and only allowing food consumption in a centralised location with adequate food disposal options is paramount. Tourists should also be discouraged from bringing Qfly host fruit into or near the production area.

SOURCE: JOHN GOLDING, NSW DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES

Prevention techniques that Yarra Valley blueberry growers can use to ensure that the region retains its fruit fly area freedom include;

A QFLY LYNFIELD TRAP, USED IN QFLY POPULATION MONITORING.

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RESEARCH

• Preparedness is also essential. This includes knowing what protein bait applications are required to be used if there is a risk of a Qfly present, and how the bait can be applied. In areas where Qfly is being managed actively, weekly bait applications begin 4-8 weeks prior to the crop’s harvest period, depending on orchard management. Bait application machinery needs to be able to be set up with appropriate tanks and spray nozzles, and property plans of where bait can be applied also need to be established.

Knowledge of which protein-based bait and which insecticide is suited to be used as the active ingredient, is important for crop management.

Agronomy advice should be sought prior to Qfly bait application. Bait needs to be applied frequently and reapplied after rain events.

SOURCE: GT ORCHARDS

• Good general orchard hygiene. Orchard Cleaning up of all unpicked and dropped fruit after harvest is a preventative management technique that also has additional benefits of other pest and disease management. This also can be applied to host fruits not in the production area. The removal or destruction of the ripe fruit has two benefits; the first is that it reduces the attractiveness of the production area to Qfly (if Qfly is present), and

A QUAD BIKE SET UP FOR PROTEIN BAIT APPLICATION FOR QFLY MANAGEMENT.

Yarra Valley contact: Bronwyn Koll Mobile: 0490381999 qff@agribusiness-yarravalley.com

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secondly, if there was any Qfly present as larvae in the fruit left in the production area, the removal or destruction of the fruit reduces the chances of Qfly numbers building up in the beginning of the next season. Processes of fruit disinfestation that suit the particular crop production should be investigated and practiced. Suggested techniques of boiling, freezing, long term cold storage, fruit desiccation, stock feed and deep burial (under 1m of compacted soil) can be considered, and are likely to be an added cost not historically considered in some production systems.

• A rea wide solutions. Communication with neighbours and education of the community is vital to the success of Qfly management and prevention in the Yarra Valley. Helping the neighbours manage host fruits and Qfly risk is a crucial element to reducing the Qfly on farm.

It’s heartbreaking to manage Qfly perfectly on farm and be hit again by a wave of Qfly from a neighbour’s unmanaged fruit trees!

Prevention is cheaper than the cure. The Yarra Valley Queensland Fruit Fly Taskforce (established in late 2016) and Agribusiness Yarra Valley have created a long-term plan for Qfly prevention and management in the Yarra Valley, and they employ regional coordinator Bronwyn Koll. This program is part of Victoria’s $6.7 million state-wide action plan “Managing Fruit Fly in Victoria. 2015-2020”.

Bronwyn’s role as Yarra Valley Regional Coordinator is to help unite all Yarra Valley community groups and stakeholders (including grower groups such as the YV PFPP) to collaboratively prevent Qfly in the area and prepare for Qfly management. Educating people so they can actively assist in preventing Qfly in the Yarra Valley will go a long way towards protecting the region’s horticultural production.

Bronwyn is required to work with in the state’s other coordinators located in Goulburn Murray Valley and Sunraysia, and this work is coordinated by Cathy Mansfield from Agriculture Victoria. The Yarra Valley community is well positioned to eradicate Qfly outbreaks and with input from all fruit producers, residents and stakeholders, the Yarra Valley blueberry production can continue in a Qfly free environment.

Please be prepared.

Australian Blueberry Grower

RESEARCH

Securing Pollination A P R O J E CT U P DAT E

New research from one of Australia’s largest pollination research projects ever undertaken could provide key information to inform optimal stocking densities of managed stingless bees in order to achieve better blueberry pollination.

STINGLESS BEE (TETRAGONULA CARBONARIA) POLLEN FORAGING ON BLUEBERRY, MAY 2017

Australian Blueberry Grower

R

esearchers working on the Securing Pollination for More Productive Agriculture: Guidelines for effective pollinator management and stakeholder adoption project – supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program – have carried out extensive field work on blueberries in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales and in the Yarra Valley in Victoria to inform pollinator density assessments and pollinator surveys.

Three sub-projects make up the overarching Securing Pollination project, including ‘The efficiency of crop pollinating insects in Australia’, which has a focus on the berry industry.

This project is being led by researchers at the University of New England, the Australian National University and the University of Sydney, who are evaluating how pollinator density and efficiency relate to crop yields for a number of high value Australian horticultural crops. Researchers are doing this by measuring the frequency in which pollinators visit flowers and how effective they are at transferring pollen.

One of the researchers working on the project is Liam Kendall – a final year PhD student in the Rader lab at the University of New England.

Mr Kendall’s core research focus is industries where crop pollination services are provided

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RESEARCH

“

by a few dominant species. These systems require species-specific research to understand what factors influence pollinator efficiency and their relationship to crop yield.

Many blueberry growers on the North Coast of NSW would be very familiar with the two most abundant pollinators, managed honeybees and wild stingless bees, being Tetragonula carbonaria, and to a lesser extent, Austroplebeia australis.

“Although a few other bee species have been observed foraging on blueberry – for example carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp.), reed bees (Exoneura spp.), allodapine bees (Braunsapis spp.) and the very occasional butterfly (eg. Delias nigrina) – their rarity in this region means they are unlikely to be significant crop pollinators,” he said.

“Stingless bees, like honeybees are eusocial – or highly organised – organisms, and wild colonies form within tree cavities and logs. These are two resources not present within blueberry fields.

“Given this, their importance as blueberry pollinators is mediated by how much native vegetation there is adjacent to blueberry fields within their foraging range, which is between 300 - 700m from their nest.”

To understand how many colonies are potentially contributing to crop pollination services, Mr Kendall has collected stingless bees directly off blueberry flowers across seven, one-hectare fields.

He used molecular methods to understand which bees came from which colony in order to estimate stingless bee colony density within each field.

Learn more: www.agrifutures.com.au/securing-pollination Liam Kendall’s PhD stipend is funded by the Ian Potter Foundation.

With thanks to Liam Kendall, UNE for the images provided.

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“So far, I’ve found that the number of colonies foraging within each blueberry field ranges somewhere between 25 to 100 colonies,” he said.

“I also found a clear relationship between the number of colonies within each field and pollination services provided. It is hoped that this fascinating relationship can be used to inform optimal stocking densities of managed stingless bees in order to achieve better blueberry pollination.

“We are still processing the final results, but one thing is already clear – wild stingless bees require trees for nesting so there’s a need to protect our on-farm native vegetation to make sure we provide our stingless bees with a place to live and pollinate.”

The overarching Securing Pollination project is working to provide detailed scientific information on pollinator effectiveness, densities, bee movements and pollination distances, aimed at developing strategies to enhance productivity and profitability. Further, the assessment of pollinator’s habitat, particularly foraging and nesting plants, will not only assist in developing strategies against the Varroa mite but improve crop productivity.

While some preliminary results are emerging, the major analysis phase is currently underway with results likely to be forthcoming in the coming months.

Australian Blueberry Grower

ADVERTORIAL

Two hemispheres come together BBC technologies have got a new parent – Norwegian-based TOMRA – after the acquisition deal went through earlier this year. For the NZ based operation though it is business as usual. TOMRA shares with BBC Technologies ‘a deep dedication to enhancing grower’s abilities to deliver consistent, high quality berries to an ever more discerning consumer’ so it’s a match that can only further strengthen the already impressive product range.

The company reports that their KATO260 machine remains incredibly successful with over 50 units sold to date. The KATO 260 is the culmination of four years

of comprehensive research into the characteristics of the blueberry meaning the KATO 260 was built literally from the berry up.

A recent re-design to the user interface has been really well received so if you are looking for a high precision grading system then get in touch with the team.

Joshua Miers-Jones Mobile: +64 21 022 17088 joshua@bbctechnologies.com

Commercial plant orders for Winter 2018 delivery will soon be closing.

Contact Joel at joel@moonblue.com.au or on 0427 578 813 to discuss your requirements.

Download an order form from our website for quick and easy ordering.

Having supplied the industry with blueberry plants for over thirty years, we can offer a large number of varieties both new and old including Southern and Northern Highbush and Rabbiteye types.

Our website has full variety descriptions.

Moonblue Berries Pty Ltd T/AS Moondarra Blueberries Moondarra Victoria 3825 AUSTRALIA Phone 03 5165 3498 joel@moonblue.com.au

MEMBER NEWS

Martin Inderbitzin KU R E E N FA R M I N G , AT H E RTO N Jane Richter Editor

The Inderbitzin family team grow custard apples and avocados on one Atherton farm, blueberries and macadamias on the other and bananas on the northern-most farm located at Lakeland, two hours further up from Atherton.

With a name like Inderbitzin you won’t be surprised to know that Martin’s family haven’t always lived in Australia. Martin’s father – Tom – was born in Switzerland where his family were dairy farmers.

The family moved to New Zealand when Tom was a young boy and continued dairying there. In the 1970’s, Tom moved to Australia and began dairy farming on the Atherton Tablelands in northern Queensland. The family have thrived in the area and although there are no more dairy cows, they certainly have their hands full with five different major crops across three farms in two separate locations!

It’s a family affair with the three farms managed

by Martin, his brother Paul and parents Tom and Trish. With its humid sub-tropical climate and high elevation, the Atherton area has a rich and varied horticultural industry. The Inderbitzin family team grow custard apples and avocados on one Atherton farm, blueberries and macadamias on the other and bananas on the northern-most farm located at Lakeland, two hours further up from Atherton.

Across the three farms, the family employs about 30 permanent staff with that workforce swelling substantially during the various harvesting seasons across the crops. It was at a banana industry conference that Martin first heard about blueberries and the growth the industry was experiencing, so the family decided to give it a go, planting just one hectare in 2014 followed by more each year since. They now have 8 hectares planted and their blueberry harvesting keeps them very busy from June to September.

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Australian Blueberry Grower

MEMBER NEWS

Variety-wise, they source their plants from Mountain Blue Farms, originally planting Ridley 1111 and Eureka. They are now planting more area in a joint venture with Mountain Blue Orchards with the aim of achieving an earlier start to their harvest season. All of the blueberries are grown under protective cropping because of the extend periods of wet weather they can experience, and they can get frosts at the farm although it is not a common occurrence in recent years. In fact, the humid sub-tropical climate is remarkably similar to the north coast of NSW due to the elevation of Atherton at 750m above sea level. The area annual rainfall is about 1400mm, however it is largely dry from July to November, although they can get a lot of wind and drizzle from April to July, with a few strong south-easterlies blowing across the farm.

At Kureen Farming, the first plantings were straight into soil, but they are gradually moving to planting in substrates across all 8 hectares as they re-plant areas.

Martin candidly admits, “I feel like we have made every mistake under the sun and a few more” in their blueberry journey so far, and of course, blueberries seem harder to grow than some of their other crops purely because of inexperience. The standout aspect is that blueberries are a great quality product and Martin says,

LEFT: MARTIN INDERBITZIN RIGHT: ALL GROWN UNDER PROTECTIVE CROPPING AT KUREEN FARMING

“

It is very rewarding to go into a store and see consumers picking up our blueberries – they look good and they taste even better.

Four years in to growing blueberries, like any other farmer that is new to a crop, Martin is continually seeking to expand his knowledge and picks up information from a wide variety of sources, whether that be internet searches, conferences or visiting other farms on farm tours.

When he’s not hard at work on the farm, Martin and his family are keen water-skiers and luckily for them, the local Tinaroo Dam is now filling nicely after over half a metre of rain in recent weeks. Every cloud has a silver lining indeed.

If you’re happy to share the story about your farm, please get in touch with Jane on jane@chorizotrading.com

Australian Blueberry Grower

29

Double your output without quality compromise

The AirJet® Blueberry grader is the latest development from innovation leaders GP Graders. It is the most technologically advanced blueberry sorting machine available in the market today. This cutting-edge technology will revolutionise how blueberries are packed and sold.

The AirJet® sorts blueberries according to size, color and softness/firmness. It also separates the blueberries with defects such as shrivel, stem on, splits and marks. Fast, gentle and accurate, GP Graders’ AirJet® grader sorts blueberries at a speed of 40 units per second per lane, yielding extremely high productivity while maintaining grading accuracy.

A GP Graders’ 16 Lane Blueberry machine, installed in North America last year, has completed its first outstanding season. Interest for the AirJet® Blueberry Grader is coming from growers, packers, and supermarkets in both North and South America around this launch; and the tried, and tested tonnage output of this machine.

The AirJet® Blueberry Grader is built for speed. These conveyors are carrying blueberries, which run at 40 units per second which translates to around 175kg per hour per lane. On a standard machine this equates to more than 2.8 tonne per hour. This level of productivity is 60% greater than any other competitive grader on the market today.

There is no comparison for the superior Camera Technology used in conjunction with the AirJet® Blueberry Grader. This new technology consists of High Definition (HD) cameras which provide the sharpest picture resolution for size, color, softness and defect analysis.

Contact Marty Rodgers of Impact Automation Solutions to discuss your requirements. Mobile: 0448 881 223

The AirJet® Blueberry Grader captures 21 images of the total surface area of each blueberry for unprecedented vision analysis.

As the end consumer continues to demand a premium blueberry, the AirJet® Blueberry is the only grader able to deliver perfectly sorted produce; in a fast and economical way, that guarantees packers, growers, and supermarkets the best return.

GP Graders is working with Impact Automation Solutions, the Australasian representative for A&B Packing Equipment (USA) to deliver the fastest and most gentle blueberry production system. The relationship will deliver the best of the best for blueberry production equipment in Australia.

INDUSTRY

Market Access Update: Japan Anthony Poiner

U

p until 2011 Australian blueberries were successfully exported to Japan, and in the process earned a niche market position based on a good reputation for the quality of our product.

However, in 2011 there was an outbreak of Mediterranean Fruit Fly, which led to the closure of that export channel. Now with the continued high growth of blueberry production, it is critical for the industry to develop new markets, beyond those markets regarded as “non-protocol” (such as Hong Kong, Singapore and others).

“

Since 2016, and given the history of market success in Japan, some ABGA levy payers in conjunction with Hort Innovation, have sponsored the research required to establish a new protocol to Japan (via cold treatment) such that the presence of fruit fly will not be a barrier to export.

At this stage, most of the $1.54m research project has been successfully completed, with Murdoch University having finalised the work on Mediterranean Fruit Fly, and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is very close to completing the work on Queensland Fruit Fly. We now have a treatment we believe will be acceptable to the Japanese government.

Australian Blueberry Grower

The next stage is that our Government will engage in bilateral discussions with the Japanese Government to agree the details of a protocol. We anticipate these negotiations will be completed in time for the spring of 2020. As can be seen from the timeline, these projects take a long time, but are critical for the future health of our industry.

The other two protocol markets top of mind for the ABGA are India (which was opened in 2017, and exports have begun), and China. Getting started with a China protocol has required protracted lobbying of our own Government to be on the bilateral negotiation list, and we have now finally been successful. This means that protocol discussions with our Chinese counterparts can start possibly later this year.

The ABGA Committee anticipates the likely need to establish a significant new project for the China technical work, for which levy contributions will be essential.

31

Marketing Report

It was another successful peak season for Australian Blueberries, with a variety of promotional and marketing activity undertaken to drive consumers to purchase the almighty and increasingly popular fruit.

W

e set out to educate consumers about the benefits of eating blueberries, create an understanding of growing processes and provenance (and thereby appreciation of cost), and highlight the versatility and ease of incorporating blueberries into all meal occasions.

At the end of last year, we finalised the new brand positioning strategy, brand refresh and style guide for Australian Blueberries. This was complemented with fresh new creative, recipe development and 29 recipe videos to integrate into traditional channels and drive engagement via social channels.

This achieved a consistent new brand look across all communications.

Kasey Ciappara Marketing Executive, LittleBig Marketing & PR

We conducted in-store sampling across Woolworths, Coles, Green Grocers and Harris Farms totalling 190 sessions including roaming samples and demonstrations.

This campaign commenced on 23rd October and ran until 2nd December, and promoted the advantages of fresh, Australian grown blueberries to almost 22,000 consumers.

BLUEBERRY & AVOCADO SMOOTHIE BOWL

32

Australian Blueberry Grower

ABGA

To kick-start 2018, 100 recipe boxes were distributed to a strategically targeted list of credible media and social influencers. The gift boxes featured a delicious Blueberry Smoothie Bowl recipe pack. The goal was to build relationships, increase engagement and following on the Australian Blueberries social channels, resulting in an additional reach of over 2 million.

We also wrapped up a four-month PR campaign securing coverage for Australian Blueberries in key lifestyle, food and health publications, including Oxygen Magazine, Women’s Fitness, Women’s Day, body + soul, The Daily Telegraph - Best Weekend, Sporteluxe, Huffington Post and more. The campaign achieved a reach of over 13 million people and a PR value of at least $323,290.

In the advertising sector, we completed a digital advertising campaign to help build an engaged online following via advertising across well-known websites like taste.com.au, delicious.com.au and goodfood.com.au.

This campaign aimed at delivering the right message to the target audience and generated a reach of almost 3,500,00 million and 2,205 clicks through to the Australian Blueberries website.

Finally, another successful partnership of Good Chef Bad Chef is wrapping up with the series producing 8 x 1-2 minute recipe segments where Australian Blueberries featured as the hero ingredient. Each episode reached over 400,000 and focused on the key messages and benefits of blueberries.

TOP LEFT: FRESH STYLE FOR AUSTRALIAN BLUEBERRIES

TOP RIGHT: RECIPE FROM @therawberry

BOTTOM LEFT: BLUEBERRY FRUIT LEATHERS

BOTTOM RIGHT: NEW CAMPAIGN PHOTOGRAPHY

Australian Blueberry Grower

33

MEMBER NEWS

Rod & Jill Sanders D R U M D R U M FA R M G ROW I N G T H E B I O DY N A M I C WAY Jane Richter Editor

According to the farm’s elegant website, Drum Drum Farm takes its name from the creek that flows through it, Drum Drum Alloc Creek, which was named by the indigenous aboriginal Bunerong people.

T

he history of the farm is far younger than its namesake, and like so many great stories, it all started with a chance encounter. As Jill recounts, “In 1981, one Saturday afternoon, we decided to take a drive from our home down to the Mornington Peninsula.

Rod and I stumbled upon a faded ‘land for sale’ sign and

by Sunday we’d bought 60 acres of hilly, bushy land with just two boundary fences.” And so, the deep and often intense relationship with the land began for the Sanders family.

Initial expectations were that the soil would of course be the rich Red Hill loam, but alas not. This would not be the last disappointment; they subsequently discovered the Drum Drum Alloc creek, but far from being a babbling brook, it was full of farm detritus and feral blackberries. The soil on the southern side of the property turned out to be heavy basalt clay, high in magnesium and with a chronically acidic pH of 4.5. But – and it is a huge but – the views across Port Phillip Bay and the Bass Strait were simply magical.

Miles of fencing, many farm tracks and a modest shed later, the family moved into the latter on the property with three teenage daughters in 1983, and at least there was hot and cold running water by then.

Whilst making plans for building a proper house, they began growing flowers. The house was finished, and the family moved in back in 1986.

So how did the leap from flowers to blueberries occur?

“We heard about Margaret Tucker and the work being done at the Knox Agricultural Research Station in Victoria into this fancy new crop called Blueberries,” says Jill.

“We visited the Joys’ plantation in Pearcedale, tasted some fruit and were instantly hooked. We immediately joined the Victorian blueberry grower association and went to as

34

Australian Blueberry Grower

MEMBER NEWS

many meetings and field days as possible and so began our learning journey.”

The farm crops of flowers and blueberries coexisted well together, with the flowers providing the cash flow as the blueberry orchard was constructed. All was well with the world until the chronic drought started in 2002. The first casualty were the flowers – burnt to a crisp. Mother nature was equally harsh just two years later when, in 2004, the usual 1000-1200mm of annual rainfall was just 400mm! All thoughts of growing flowers were abandoned at this point and the focus shifted to growing just blueberries, under hail netting with irrigation to supplement the almost non-existent rainfall. By 2006, the dams had run completely dry and the bushes really suffered, along with the family’s fortunes.

Now some people would see all of this adversity and decide that enough is enough. The Sanders family are made of far tougher stuff than that. Perseverance in the face of extreme adversity characterises their farming journey to this point, and sadly Mother nature was not finished yet.

In June of 2007, the drought finally broke with over 100mm of rain in one month, something which had not occurred for several years. Just one month later in July of that year, they suffered a freak hailstorm; it broke the poles, shredded the hail netting and utterly destroyed their blueberry bushes.

Yet again the Sanders family found themselves digging deep and setting about recovering once more. All of the hail netting was replaced with bird netting and the plantation was extended. Around the perimeter of their plantings, they now have the lowest two feet of mesh large enough to let in the small insectivorous birds but large enough to keep out the pests.

“Sometime in 2001, at a field day at Emily Hill Farm in Emerald, Victoria – owned and operated by Sue & Chester Keon-Cohen – we met Gwyn Jones and that’s when we decided to investigate bio-dynamic farming,” says Jill In fact, it is involvement with four key organisations –being certified as Australian Demeter Biodynamic and members of Landcare, the Australian Plant Society and the Mornington Peninsula Regional

Australian Blueberry Grower

35

MEMBER NEWS

Tourism Association – which influences the way Drum Drum Farm is operated. Jill and Rod believe it is important to preserve areas of natural bush for biodiversity and one third of their 60-acre property is dedicated to indigenous trees and bushes.

Australian native plants that flower at the same time are interplanted with their blueberries to encourage native pollinators. Inspired by the NSW department of primary industries publication all about native bees, the farm is dotted with Rod’s handmade bee hotels– that he refers to as ‘bee high-rises’ and they also bring in European bees hives from a friend to ensure that pollination is well taken care of.

over several times so it transforms into a fine mulch - which Jill calls “sheet compost” – and is then directed back around the plants. Rod and Jill have two cattle that are busy producing manure to be included with hay grown on site in a delicious compost that is also used around the plants. The result of all this hard work is a beautiful soil that now has a pH of 5.5-6.0.

The farm achieved Demeter certified biodynamic status in the early 2000’s and as Jill points out “so much of it is basically common sense.”

Rod and Jill also mulch lightly with one-year old bush clippings which have been chipped and composted on site. This light dressing of aged mulch goes a long way to encourage mycorrhizal fungi, whose symbiotic relationship with the plant roots provide valuable benefits. The fungi colonise the root system of a host plant, thereby providing increased water and nutrient absorption capabilities, while the plant in return provides the fungus with carbohydrates formed from photosynthesis. This fundamental principal of soil biology is fast becoming the centre of mainstream horticultural developments, but of course this has been known and encouraged for years in biodynamic farming systems.

Demeter International is the largest certification organisation for biodynamic agriculture and is one of three predominant organic certifiers.

The name is a reference to Demeter, the Greek goddess of grain and fertility.

Jill described some of their biodynamic ‘secrets’ including a brew containing a potent, fully oxygenated suspension of micro organisms that requires stirring for an hour to allow the magic to evolve. The brew is sprayed out onto the ground using a wide nozzle when the conditions are cooler so the delicate organisms won’t be damaged by the heat before they have the chance to reach into the soil.

“Part of the key to farming biodynamically is to embrace variety.“We like as much variety in the plants as possible in between the blueberry rows,” explains Jill. This is then mowed often and mowed

The bee guide was co-authored by the NSW Department of Primary Industry entitled “Australian Native Bees” as a collaborative effort with native bee specialists from across Australia and is available in both hard copy and e-book formats from www.tocal.nsw.edu.au/publications/list/ animals/australian-native-bees

36

“

We call the creek our lungs because it is full of biodiversity

So, after all the adversity this farming family has stared down, are they still hooked on blueberries? Jill loves the comments she receives about the beautiful flavour of their blueberries which are nearly all sold direct to the local public from the farm gate. They have loyal customers coming back year after year, impatiently waiting for the Facebook notice to go out saying that the season has begun. Jill is delighted to see that they are now starting to get young families coming to the farm for their biodynamic blueberries; an entirely new generation who will appreciate the origin and respectful growth of their food. As Jill points out so well “we live in a beautiful environment with lovely views, we have kangaroos and echidnas that come up right outside the house because they know they’re safe.” The once rubbish filled creek has been fenced and regenerated fully. “We call the creek our lungs because it is full of biodiversity” says Jill. At Drum Drum Farm they have created a large native garden

Australian Blueberry Grower

MEMBER NEWS

outside for visitors to enjoy and Rod and Jill also sell their homemade jams and condiments as well as blueberry ice creams that people drive for miles and miles to enjoy over the blueberry season every year.

Of course, life never stays still for a moment. The unpredictability of the weather which has caused so much anguish for this farming family still rears up and strikes occasionally. Right now it is bone dry and with limited water storage on the property they have to pulse irrigate and use canny mulching techniques to stay on top. The splendid views from the top of Main Ridge come with their own price – a Category 1 wind zone so they are forever mending the bird netting.

Once all is said and done, is it worth it? Yes, definitely.

And Jill’s advice for handling adversity – lets face it the Sanders’ are experts at it.

“

You just have to be tenacious and we are lucky because we have a wonderful family that are always willing to help.

ABGA Details ABGA MEMBERSHIP Membership of the Australian Blueberry Growers’ Association is open to all blueberry growers. If you would like to introduce another grower, please contact: Andrew Bell | members@abga.com.au Grower Membership: $165 per year Associate Members: $350 per year *These rates are valid for 2017-2018 year. Membership rates currently under review and may change from 1 July 2018.

ABGA WEBSITE The Australian Blueberry Growers’ Association website, is about to undergo a refresh. Please send any content or link suggestions for the new site to: info@abga.com.au

JOURNAL CONTRIBUTORS We are always on the lookout for new contributions.

Please contact: Jane Richter | jane@chorizotrading.com

JOURNAL ADVERTISING Contact Jane Richter for the latest schedule and advertising rates for Members and Non-Members.

Member advertising rates are only available to members who have paid their membership in the current membership year.

Jane Richter | jane@chorizotrading.com

• Southern Highbush and Rabbiteye varieties grown to order

• Cultural information available on request

• Proprietary and public varieties available

• Various container sizes available from 100mm maxi

• All plants grown in soil-less potting mixes • Plants suited to warm climate areas of Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland

pot to 175mm standard.

• Other sizes available upon request • Experienced in interstate and overseas shipping

Send for a copy of our price list today… And check us out on the internet. www.mountainblue.com.au 1372A Bruxner Highway, Lindendale NSW 2480, Phone: (02) 6624 8258, Fax: (02) 6624 6070, Email: office@mountainblue.com.au

Australian Blueberry Grower

37

INDUSTRY

Growing a berry big success story IN SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND Jane Richter Editor

If you haven’t heard of My Berries yet, it’s just a matter of time.

J

ust two years on from the launch of their company – My Berries – Allison and Stuart McGruddy are writing the pages of a new chapter, expanding their range of pack sizes, moving to custom printed packaging and branching out seriously into the big wide world outside of the domestic Australian market.

Stuart and Allison met in the UK where Stuart was working as a chef at a top restaurant. They returned home to Australia to start their family and settled in Queensland where Stuart’s family are berry farmers.

They spotted an opportunity to bring fresh raspberries from local farms to the largest farmers market in Brisbane – Jan Powers’ Farmers Market – held in New Farm every Saturday. The business expanded rapidly as demand grew and they began selling in earnest at other farmers markets and regional food festivals.

The real opportunity for My Berries came from seeing the waste stream created by the high grading standards imposed for fresh berries by the supermarket chains. High quality fruit with slight imperfections abounds in the berry industry and this provided the input into the My Berries product range.

Add to the mix a high-profile Hepatitis A scare from imported frozen products and the conditions were perfect for the birth of My Berries.

38

If you think this makes the products of lesser quality then think again. They only work with farmers who adhere to their high growing standards and who use minimal interventions on farm.

All of the fruit selected for My Berries products must still meet high standards for flavour and texture. Each berry is carefully hand-picked, washed and frozen before being packaged into convenient zip-locked pouches.

“We select ripe, sweet berries, hull them, wash them and then place them in perforated trays to remove excess water. Then we freeze them and we package them in transparent pouch packaging with a handy resealing mechanism.” All this means that customers can see the quality of the actual product they are buying, not just a fancy image that doesn’t reflect the reality of the package contents.

The team at My Berries work with a selection of growers across their product range; blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, raspberries and strawberries.

Stuart and Allison have a very strong set of business values that are embodied in the operation of their business; honesty, transparency and a sense of social responsibility. The business growth plan is more baby steps than giant leaps, and it is important to them that they follow a sustainable path for growth so that they can offer employees a future that can be relied upon.

With one young son and another family addition on the way, Stuart and Allison are true entrepreneurs,

Australian Blueberry Grower

Australian Blueberry Grower

39

INDUSTRY

THE CURRENT MY BERRIES PRODUCT RANGE

doing the vast majority of business activities themselves. They are the proud owners of a 200m2 warehouse in Caboolture, south east Queensland with on-site freezer capacity of 8 tonnes of product and further frozen storage space in Brisbane.

Talking to Allison about the fruit sourcing logistics, it becomes abundantly clear that this is not a simple business to operate, by any means. Some fruit is processed and frozen at farm, and some is handled at their facility at Caboolture. Forecasting both demand and the supply required to fulfil orders – even with the shelf life benefit of a frozen product range – is like knitting with al dente spaghetti.

In the last twelve months they have used over 20 tonnes of blueberries in their product range and demand is growing every month. Ranging has also grown steadily, and the products now have great distribution in the independent retail market in nearly every state and territory across Australia.

My Berries eatme@myberries.com.au 0499 730 508

40

The most popular products are the blueberries and the raspberries, closely followed by the My Berry Blend, and with the recommended retail price of $8.99 for the 350g pack size, they do represent excellent value for the convenience of having access to beautiful berries every day of the year.

Far from resting on their laurels, the couple are investigating other sales channels in Australia and looking at other innovative snacking concepts that are the natural extension of a berry business. Stuart is shortly attending an overseas trade mission in Asia with a view to creating a substantial export business for the fledgling business. Critical to cracking export markets is not just an understanding of the frozen supply chain logistics and a clear picture of the pricing structures, but also an appreciation of the cultural differences in eating practices found in different markets. Many homes in Singapore, for instance, have practically no kitchen facilities as the majority of meals are eaten out of the home and space is at such a premium.

As their business continues to expand, Stuart and Allison will be looking to broaden their supplier base for their berries. What is important to them is to find like-minded growers who share their values and are interested in building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. If this sounds like you, why not get in touch with them and start the conversation.

Australian Blueberry Grower

AgVista Australia provides independent agronomic advice and support to Blueberry and Raspberry growers across Australia and Internationally.

Agronomic Management, Nutrition Programs, Soil & Plant Analysis, Integrated Pest, Weed & Disease Management For further details contact Stuart Doyle 0428 800 488 stuart@agvista.com.au www.agvista.com.au

INDUSTRY

Labour Schemes Finding suitably skilled labour, in the right quantity and at the right time is a common and major challenge across horticulture industries.

T

he federal Government has a set of schemes designed to help growers in the horticulture industry to access suitable workers. Each scheme has pros and cons, so to help you navigate the programs and understand which may work the best for your farm, this summary has been created.

Does Employer need to register?

Employer must commit to a fixed period?

Special taxation arrangements?

Subject to Labour Market testing?

When is the scheme available?

Exclusive to Horticulture?

Financial Incentive for employers?

Seasonal Worker Programme

YES

YES

YES

YES

ONGOING

NO

NO

Seasonal Work Incentives Trial

YES –

NO

NO

NO

1 July 2017 to 30 June 2019

YES

NO

with an authorised provider e.g. jobactive www. jobactive. gov.au

& must provide minimum average of 30 hours of work per week

There are two incentives for unemployed people to be involved in the Trial: They can earn an extra $5,000 without affecting their income support payments.

They are also eligible to receive a Living Away and Travel Allowance of up to $300 per year if the work is located more than 120 km from their home.

Harvest Labour Services

YES

NO

NO

NO

ONGOING

YES

NO

Employing Working Holiday Makers

YES

NO

YES

NO

ONGOING

NO – but there are incentives for Working Holidays Makers who complete 88 days of work in rural regions

NO

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Australian Blueberry Grower

INDUSTRY

Seasonal Worker Programme

Employment arrangements

ü Medium term, workers from the Pacific area

Seasonal workers recruited under the programme earn Australian wages and are subject to Australian employment conditions. In addition to this, employers have a few additional responsibilities – such as contributing to each seasonal worker’s airfare to Australia and helping to organise accommodation. For a list of responsibilities, refer to the factsheet on ‘Approved Employers’.

ü Workers can return season after season The Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) assists employers, including growers, in the horticulture sector when there is not enough local Australian labour to meet seasonal demand. Employers can recruit seasonal workers from participating countries for periods up to 6 or 9 months, depending on country of origin. The Seasonal Worker Programme provides employers with access to a reliable, returning workforce. The SWP provides employers with access to seasonal workers from Pacific island countries and Timor –Leste for up to six months, and up to nine months for workers recruited Kiribati, Nauru or Tuvalu. Seasonal workers can return in following seasons, providing employers with access to a reliable, returning workforce.

Since the commencement of the programme on 1 July 2012, the horticulture industry has proven that a low skilled labour mobility programme could not only contribute to economic development in the region, but also provide strong benefits to Australian industry including greater labour certainty and increased efficiency.

How to access seasonal workers Employers in the horticulture industry with unmet demand for labour can either: contact an approved employer who can manage ü

the recruitment of seasonal workers for you and take care of all the administrative arrangements during the seasonal workers’ stay; or

apply to become an approved ü employer organisation.

To find a current list of approved employers, or to apply to become an approved employer, visit www. employment.gov.au/seasonal-worker-programme On Page 62, we tell the real-life story of Maryson, a single mother from Vanuatu who has found success with the SWP.

Are you looking for

RELIABLE, PRODUCTIVE

STABLE WORKERS WHO CAN RETURN EACH HARVEST SEASON? We guide you through the Seasonal Workers Program process We help you to access great workers under the scheme We screen & select the most suitable workers to meet your specifications

Recruite tu

rs

Vanu a

Our workers are fast learners, versatile both in the field and in pack houses, disciplined and very easy to get along with.

Get in touch today to plan your labour needs for the next season: HOWARD ARU – MARKETING MANAGER | VANUATU RECRUITERS | PORT VILA, VANUATU E vanuaturecruiters@gmail.com P +678 774 1902

INDUSTRY

Seasonal Work Incentives Trial

Harvest Labour Services

ü Short term, Australian workers who are

ü Short term, Australian workers

currently unemployed and receiving benefits

The Australian Government is undertaking the Seasonal Work Incentives Trial from 1 July 2017 to help meet the seasonal labour demands of horticultural growers.

The two-year trial offers financial incentives to support people to take up short term seasonal work opportunities in the horticultural industry by providing them with an opportunity to earn more income without affecting their income support payment.

There are two incentives for workers to encourage participation in the Trial: • Participants can earn an extra $5,000 each financial year without it affecting their income support payments.

• Participants may receive a Living Away and Travel Allowance of up to $300 each year if the placement is more than 120 km from their home.

The Trial is being delivered through jobactive, Transition to Work and Disability Employment Services providers. Under the Trial, these providers will work closely with growers to ensure they understand their needs and place the right workers in their jobs.

ü Attract working holiday-makers Harvest Labour Services are specialist providers who link job seekers with harvest employers offering seasonal work.

These providers can assist by: • providing immediate help when there are insufficient local workers • screening job seekers to make sure they are suitable for harvest work and permitted to work in Australia • putting job seekers in touch with growers requiring workers.

• The service is offered in eleven harvesting areas across the country.

How do you access the services?

Contact the Employer Hotline on 13 17 15, or search for a provider in your area at www. jobsearch.gov.au/providers (search by provider type). In the provider type field, select ‘Harvest Labour Services’ from the drop-down menu.

How do you get workers through this program?

Contact a jobactive, Transition to Work or Disability Employment Services provider to discuss your labour needs. These providers are located across Australia, and their contact details are available at www.jobsearch.gov.au/providers

44

Australian Blueberry Grower

INDUSTRY

Employing Working Holiday Makers Short term, non-Australian workers ü from across the world

Any employer can hire a working holiday maker, especially when they need labour for a short period of time.

How do you identify a working holiday maker?

They will hold a Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) or Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462).

How should you tax a working holiday maker?

• they are now taxed at 15% from the first dollar earned, regardless of their residency status • they can’t claim the tax-free threshold • they must provide you with their tax file number (TFN) • If they don’t, you need to withhold tax at the top rate • they are entitled to superannuation, if they are eligible

How do you employ working holiday makers?

• check your worker has the correct visa using the Visa Entitlement Verification Online service Visit: [http://www.border.gov.au/Busi/ visas-and-migration/visa-entitlementverification-online- (vevo)]

• you must register with the ATO to withhold tax at the working holiday maker tax rate before making your first payment to them • penalties may apply if you fail to register • register at www.ato.gov.au/twhm/ • once you register, you withhold 15% from every dollar earned up to $37,000 with foreign resident withholding rates applying to income over $37,000 • if you don’t register, you must withhold tax at 32.5% from every dollar earned up to $87,000 and foreign resident withholding rates apply to income over $87,000 • penalties now also apply if you employ someone with visa subclass 417 or 462, but don’t register as an employer of working holiday makers Don’t be caught out by these changes – visit www.ato.gov.au/business/your-workers/in-detail/ employers-of-working-holiday-makers/ for more information.

Australian Blueberry Grower

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INDUSTRY

The next biosecurity threat ARE WE READY? Rebekah Pierce Plant Biosecurity Officer, NSW DPI

There will likely come a time when the blueberry industry will be dealing with a new biosecurity risk. We have seen it before with blueberry rust and it would be naïve to assume that we will not face similar biosecurity threats in the future. nfortunately, we came out second best in our battle with blueberry rust and the disease has since become an established thorn in the side of Australian growers; requiring additional management, regulation and certification. Following this somewhat disheartening biosecurity event, the question now is what have we learned? If blueberry rust only got the better of us because we weren’t prepared for it, have we made the appropriate changes so that we are prepared now?

Do we have the systems in place to get the upper hand on the next threat? If you found something unusual on your farm, would you recognise it as such, and what steps would you take?

The emphasis on biosecurity being a ‘shared responsibility’ has grown significantly over the past few years and is no longer seen as simply a border control issue, but a broader issue to be shared by governments, industry and communities alike. This shift to shared responsibility has recently been underpinned by changes to QLD and NSW biosecurity legislation including the ‘General Biosecurity Duty’ under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and the ‘General Biosecurity Obligation’ under the QLD Biosecurity Act 2014. For further information on your General Biosecurity Duty or Obligation please refer to your relevant State Government Department website.

The Australian Blueberry Grower’s Association (ABGA) has been taking steps over the past few years to try and do exactly that – prepare the industry for the next biosecurity threat. However, it takes more than a peak body to protect a whole industry. We all have a responsibility and a role to play. The ABGA

The implementation of good on-farm biosecurity and hygiene practices is important for minimising the spread of both endemic pests (e.g. blueberry rust), and exotic pests between farms

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has worked closely with Plant Health Australia to develop a Biosecurity Plan for the blueberry industry and to coordinate with other industries and state and national governments in the event of a biosecurity incursion.

However, there is plenty that still needs to be done at a farm level to ensure that we are all prepared.

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and berry growing regions. If new pests find their way to Australia, early detection and reporting is key to their successful eradication or management.

The Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources recently conducted a survey into the social attitudes of the general public and farmers towards biosecurity and practices they implement. Using the cotton industry as an example, while nearly all cotton growers involved in the study had heard of the term biosecurity, and 93 percent said they were supportive of biosecurity measures, the survey found that there was a lower level of knowledge about biosecurity arrangements, practical measures and requirements.

Good intentions don’t necessarily result in action.

As blueberry growers, we have recently been provided with some practical tools to help us all do biosecurity better, so we can take our good intentions and act on them. The NSW Department of Primary Industries, in partnership with ABGA, has recently produced a ‘Farm Biosecurity Planner for blueberries and other berry industries’. It can assist you with practices that help protect your property and our industry and simultaneously help you meet your General Biosecurity Duty or Obligation.

The purpose of this farm biosecurity planner is to assist growers with identifying the biosecurity risks encountered on farms and provide guidance on how to address them. By developing your own action plan, you will be able to identify and prioritise biosecurity practices relevant to your property and be prepared for biosecurity risk situations that arise.

So ask yourself, are you ready for the next biosecurity threat?

Start preparing yourself today.

“

By preparing as individuals we simultaneously increase the preparedness of the blueberry industry as a whole so that when the next threat does come, we are ready.

TOP: CLEAR SIGNAGE COMMUNICATING REQUIRED BEHAVIOURS PROMOTES GOOD PRACTICES BOTTOM: CONSISTENT APPLICATION OF MEASURES LIKE FOOTBATHS AND WEARING BOOT COVERS REDUCE CONTAMINATION RISKS

There is a copy of the planner with this edition of the journal or you can get in touch with us for your of the Farm Biosecurity Planner.

Melinda Simpson melinda.simpson@dpi.nsw.gov.au or Rebekah Pierce rebekah.pierce@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Australian Blueberry Grower

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INDUSTRY

HARPS and your farm Jane Richter Editor

Do you understand how the changes affect your farm business?

Y

ou are not alone if you are still confused as to what the Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme (HARPS) project means for your business. The HARPS program is essentially made up of two components.

WHICH SCHEMES ARE APPROVED BASE SCHEMES FOR GROWERS?

1. Approved Base Scheme compliance All businesses who supply fresh, unprocessed horticultural produce into the Australian wholesale market or directly to a HARPS participating retailer, must have audited compliance to one of three Approved Base Schemes by 1st January 2019, essentially meaning your 2018 audit must be to one of these standards.

WHAT ABOUT SCHEMES FOR PACK HOUSES? BRC Global Standard for Food Safety is an additional Approved Base Scheme for Packers only.

WHY IS HACCP NOT AN APPROVED BASE SCHEME? Certification to Codex HACCP is not currently acceptable for direct, subcontract or co-packer vendors, but it has been acceptable for indirect vendors, i.e. those that pack into bulk containers and do not supply the final retail pack. For Indirect vendors, Codex HACCP will no longer be accepted by the Australian retailers participating in HARPS. Indirect vendors will be required to transition from Codex HACCP to one of the approved base schemes listed above prior to 1st January 2019.

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2. HARPS Approval For businesses required to add the second component of certification, HARPS, this includes a set of criteria that all participating retailers have agreed upon that have existed in their own specific schemes, i.e. the Coles Supplier Requirements (CSR), and in Woolworths Quality Assurance (WQA). These criteria sit outside of the approved schemes (SQF, Freshcare and GLOBALG.A.P.). At the commencement of the HARPS project there were in excess of 200 requirements that were additional to the base schemes the retailers had included into their own specific requirements, however throughout the HARPS workshops they have reduced that to 90 requirements that still sit outside of the approved base schemes mentioned above. The HARPS standard includes areas such as labelling and packaging, retention samples, specifications, control of foreign objects – much like those you will see in the base scheme, however, they are generally more prescriptive than those you will find in the base schemes – and of course agreed to by all retailers.

Another element of the HARPS scheme that has not been widely communicated is that all growers must have an employee who has completed HACCP training.

The HACCP training must be by a recognised industry training body that is RTO / TPECS certified (or an international equivalent). A statement of competency confirming successful completion must be available for the HARPS audit and

Australian Blueberry Grower

refresher HACCP training must be undertaken by this individual at least every three years.

If you have not yet achieved HARPS approval, you are required to register your interest in achieving HARPS approval at www.harpsonline.com.au.

This is the only access point to the HARPS certification system, and you must register your interest by 30th June 2018.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I REQUIRE BOTH SETS OF CERTIFICATIONS? Do you supply fruit packed into retail packs directly to a HARPS Retailer from your farm?

Do you pack fruit into retailready packaging for a HARPS Retailer even if the fruit is shipped via your agent?

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY FARM DOES NOT PACK INTO FINAL RETAIL FORMAT, BUT SUPPLIES BULK LOOSE PRODUCT – NOT TO A RETAIL SPECIFICATION - INTO A THIRDPARTY PACK HOUSE? This is still a slightly grey area.

If your pack house supplies product in final retail packaging, directly to a HARPS participating retailer, then it is highly likely that you will be classified as a Tier 2 supplier and require HARPS. Discuss this with your pack house.

HARPS awareness sessions are being held in each state-based Central Market as well as some key growing regions. Additional webinars will be held for those unable to attend these sessions.

Dates will be advertised on the HARPS website, via peak industry bodies and directly to those businesses that are registered on the HARPS website.

Do you pack fruit into bulk, loose format packaging to a Retail specification as part of a specific Approved Supplier Program for your Agent or your pack house?

If you have answered YES to any of the questions above, you will require both components of certification and are classed as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 supplier.

For more information, visit the HARPS website www.harpsonline.com.au or talk directly with your current auditor.

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AUSTRALIAN

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RESEARCH

Spray management in blueberries Melinda Simpson Blueberry Industry Development Officer NSW Department of Primary Industries, Wollongbar

Effective and efficient spray application is important for blueberry production.

S

pray liquid and sprayer air outputs need to be matched to different bush targets, in order to deliver an effective chemical dose with sufficient target coverage. Timely and economic spraying is a trade-off between travel speeds and spray volumes to maximise spraying work rates without compromising target penetration and coverage.

Setting up sprayers to maximise on-target deposition will help reduce spay losses as drift. However, sprayer operators have to be able to time and manage spraying operations to minimise drift to sensitive areas.

Careful identification of the target organism is necessary to enable selection of the correct pesticide and application method. If necessary, consult with a pest scout, agronomist or entomologist for pest identification. The NSW DPI Berry Plant Protection Guide (2017-18) is a good source which outlines the major pests and their control options. Choose the pesticide carefully for your situation; some pesticides rely on direct contact while others can move through the plant in varying degrees to reach the target organism.

Time the spray to coincide with when the pest is most vulnerable, the weather conditions are optimal for spraying and when the spray is least likely to affect beneficials (like pollinating bees). Avoid spraying during high temperatures, atmospheric inversions,

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extremes of humidity (high or low), or under very windy.

Never spray when there is no wind blowing. Check the ‘rainfast’ rating of the pesticide and only spray when conditions are suitable.

There are four basic rules to sprayer setup and spray optimisation: 1. Direct the spray output towards the target canopy – the number one problem with spraying is a failure to hit the target.

Park the sprayer in a block to be treated and work out which nozzles should be turned on and what proportion of the output is directed to the different bush zones.

2. Adjust your chemical application rate to match different target canopies.

To achieve the same chemical dose per square centimetre of tissue, large plants need higher application rates than smaller plants. What is the dilute water rate for the bush size? The dilute water volume is the point at which there is sufficient coverage, but not excessive

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RESEARCH

run-off. It is important to know what the dilute water rates are for different sized bushes. Labels often state the chemical rate in L/100L water.

This is based on using the dilute water volume.

Water sensitive paper can be used to test this.

3. Penetrate the target by matching air output volumes to travel speed to canopy density and wind conditions.

Effective penetration of the spray into a dense canopy can be achieved by utilizing proper air movement/air-streams. Driving too fast can cause major problems with chemical performance. This is due to poor air displacement in the bush. Too much air pressure can blast through the bush. Water sensitive paper can be used to test coverage here.

4. Dose without coverage will not provide control – make sure you achieve sufficient coverage for the chemical mode of action and the pest or disease target.

Spray coverage can be tested by using water sensitive papers (e.g. yellow sheets of card that turn blue on contact with water). They are good indicators of spray coverage and also provide information on droplet spray sizes. It is a good idea to place at least some of the papers in areas where poor coverage is suspected to occur.

Many of the chemicals used in blueberries are non-systemic or translaminar and require good coverage to achieve the best results.

Calibration is an efficiency tool often overlooked and under used by many growers. Over time, all types of nozzles are impacted by wear and tear, and the nozzle orifices get bigger, increasing the desired or calibrated output. Uneven wear can lead to poor spray patterns and uneven control or even crop damage. Calibrating a sprayer a couple of times a season based on the blueberry bush growth can allow a grower to be more accurate with application rates. Calibrate your spray unit preferably at the end of growth (Feb – May depending on variety and prune) as disease incidence generally coincides with a denser canopy and wet weather.

Australian Blueberry Grower

NOZZLE & DROPLET SIZES There’s a trade-off between droplet size, spray drift and chemical coverage. The smaller the droplet size, the greater the risk of spray drift but the better the coverage will be. Larger droplets will reduce spray drift but coverage will not be as good (however, a good, low drift wetting agent can overcome this).

Rules of thumb with nozzles: 1. Hollow cone nozzles produce smaller droplet sizes and a smaller droplet size range than solid cone nozzles.

2. Wide angle nozzles produce smaller droplet sized than narrow angle nozzles 3. Lower output nozzles produce smaller droplet sizes than higher output nozzles.

Larger droplets are preferred when spraying in windy conditions (always follow the label recommendations) and near sensitive areas.

This reduces the risk of off target drift. Some products state the size of the nozzle that is required AND some labels have buffer zones.

It is mandatory that these are both adhered to.

SUMMARY CHECKLIST ¡

Ensure the spray operator is accredited and trained ¡

Identify the target pest carefully ¡

Choose only a registered pesticide, suitable for the pest ¡

Calibrate equipment to reach the target surface with adequate coverage and dose, without drift ¡

Timing – spray only when the pest is vulnerable and weather conditions are optimal (check temperature, wind speed and direction, humidity, rainfall). Avoid spraying when beneficial organisms may be present. ¡

Apply the product within the label guidelines (e.g. correct rate, safety, and timing, wind speed, nozzle size) ¡

Reach the target surface, with adequate coverage and dose

¡ Record details of the spray application and conditions (e.g. product, location, date, weather) as per regulations

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We are the global leader in turnkey solutions for sorting, optimising, and packing blueberries.

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Our turnkey automated solutions, for both fresh and frozen blueberries, range from optical sorting and selecting for defects, colour, softness, and size to packing blueberries into different sizes of clamshells, punnets, and boxes.

To learn about how BBC Technologies can optimise your packhouse efficiency, profitability, and fruit quality please contact Josh Miers-Jones.

Phone: +64 21 022 17088 or Email: joshua@bbctechnologies.com.

TECHNOLOGY

BBC Technologies Sees Continued Success with their KATO260 BBC Technologies continues the success of their KATO260 optical blueberry grader with over 60 installations worldwide.

BBC Technologies’ KATO260 proves the most successful product in the company’s history. Released late 2016, there are now more than 60 installations worldwide, securing the KATO260 as the industry’s leading solution for optically grading and sizing blueberries.

The KATO260 is also the preferred post-harvest solution for blueberry growers throughout Australia. Rising costs and pressures for labour combined with increasingly strict berry standards demanded by supermarkets and export channels have Australian growers seeking post harvest solutions with the KATO260 in order to improve pack house efficiency, business profitability, and crop optimization; three things key in the development of the KATO260.

BBC Technologies has long been working alongside Australian blueberry growers. More than 12,000 tonnes of Australian blueberries passed over their machines in 2017.

Several growers have already placed orders for their second and third KATO260 machines for this coming 2018 season.

Continued developments of the KATO260’s technology have resulted in further advancements to sorting capabilities, improvements in gentle product handling, and the ability to sort effectively with newly developed varieties.

“We work directly with our customers to ensure they have the best solution for their requirements, both now and as they grow their business. The KATO260 offers growers a solution that caters to the unique size and characteristics of new varieties we see coming out of Australia,” says Australian Sales Manager, Joshua Miers-Jones. “We have installed the KATO260 into lines for growers with production from 2 hectares as well as for growers with over 1000 hectares. It is the best technology for any size operation.”

In February, BBC Technologies released a revamped user interface and software upgrade for the KATO260. “We’re already receiving great feedback about the usability, with the interface remaining very simple, yet extremely powerful for customisation of sorting. We paid particular attention to our customers’ feedback, and we’re very proud of the result.”

BBC Technologies will be showing at Hort Connections in the Brisbane Convention Centre from June 16th-18th. There you will be able to experience the KATO260’s new user interface, discuss your pack house requirements with our product experts, and schedule visits to see the KATO260 technology in action.

For more information please contact sales@bbctechnologies.com.

bbctechnologies.com

INDUSTRY

Are you compliant with the Horticulture Code of Conduct?

Jane Richter Editor

B

y now you should have reviewed your agreement with your wholesale agent – now known as a horticulture produce agreement or HPA - and you should be trading under a fully compliant, written agreement that has been signed by both parties.

If this is not true for your business, then it is imperative that you get your trading relationship in full compliance and that you do it quickly. The ACCC is now spot-checking compliance to the code and is requiring both growers and traders to provide evidence of signed written agreements.

What should you do if you are not compliant or you’re not sure?

Start by contacting your agent(s) and requesting a copy of your Horticulture Produce Agreement (HPA). If they cannot provide it then it is safe to say that you need to start from scratch, and you need to act quickly.

As we outlined in the article ‘Understanding the Horticulture Code’ on Page 28 of Issue 38 of this journal, you need to understand the basis upon which your trader is selling your produce; as a merchant or as an agent.

AGENT:

The Code now contains penalty provisions. Not complying with a penalty provision could result in the ACCC taking court action seeking a financial penalty for the breach, or issuing an infringement notice. This applies to both growers and traders.

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If a trader sells the produce on your behalf to a third party and takes out a pre-agreed commission, then the trader is acting as an ‘agent’. The agent does not legally “own” the produce at any point in the transaction process.

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MERCHANT: When the trader (wholesaler) takes ownership of the produce and pays you an amount determined on or before delivery or using a pre-agreed method or formula for calculating a price, then the trader is acting as a ‘merchant’. If a method or formula is used then there are additional reporting requirements under the new code, such as letting you know the final sale price of your produce to the third party. One area for careful consideration in this type of agreement is the definition of “delivery” to the wholesaler; do not simply assume that “delivery” is defined as a receival signature on your freight providers’ consignment note as this may not be the case.

You can find the Growcom templates at www.growcom.com.au/ horticulture-produceagreements-hpas

There are also example agreements for both Merchant and Agent relationships available from the ACCC website at www.accc.gov.au/business/ industry-codes/horticulture-codeof-conduct/horticulture-produceagreements

The peak representative body for Queensland horticulture, Growcom, has launched its own set of templates to assist growers in the development of their horticulture produce agreements (HPA) required under the Horticulture Code of Conduct.

These templates have been developed with significant input from solicitors, growers and grower organisations around Australia. Growcom have kindly agreed to allow access to these templates to all horticulture businesses regardless of their state of operation. These templates are a useful starting point for negotiations around the horticulture produce agreement and provide a clear and easy to understand outline of the responsibilities of both parties. It is important to realise that there is no such thing as a ‘standard’ agreement under the new Hort Code of Conduct so make sure you invest time in understanding the implications and that you get the right agreement for your business.

Many growers have excellent and longstanding relationships with their traders and if that is the case, then you should be able to negotiate an agreement that works for both parties.

Regardless of the length of your relationship, you must have a compliant, written and signed HPA to be able to trade after 1st April 2018.

Australian Blueberry Grower

Please remember that you do not have to simply sign whatever is sent to you by your trader.

ABGA has provided these templates for your information only and does not warrant their compliance with the code. ABGA recommends that you seek independent legal advice and ensure that the HPA you sign reflects the right terms for your ongoing business relationship with your trader(s).

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INDUSTRY

Peru-Australia Free Trade Agreement O P PO RT U N I T Y O R T H R E AT ?

Jane Richter Editor

Australia and Peru signed the PeruAustralia Free Trade Agreement (PAFTA) on 12 February 2018, but will this be good for Australian horticulture?

GDP USD: 210 BILLION

PERU MARKET SNAPSHOT 2017

GDP GROWTH: 2.7% FORECAST

PERU P O P U L AT I O N : 31.04 MILLION

T W O - WAY T R A D E : AUD 647 MILLION

I

f you examine the current balance of trade in merchandise between Australia and Peru, we certainly import more than we export. In fact, Australia’s exports to Peru have steadily declined over the last five years to A$58m in 2016/17. Across the same time period, imports of merchandise from Peru have climbed to just under A$400m with two-thirds of imports being lead, zinc and manganese ores and concentrates.

While Peru is relatively unknown to many Australian exporters, it has a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) comparable in size to that of Vietnam. With high rates of GDP growth, and a population in excess of 31 million people, Peru provides a similar consumer base to that of our close neighbour Malaysia.

Interestingly, Peru - with agricultural imports of US$4.6 billion in 2016 - is a net importer of food with significant imports coming from the US as well as other Latin American countries.

At 42kg per capita, Peruvians are significant poultry-eaters with a large proportion of their grain and corn imports going into poultry feed to support their protein habit.

Peru is also the second largest producer of asparagus in the world after China, although the vast majority of their crop is exported as asparagus does not feature normally in Peruvian cuisine.

As reported by FreshPlaza back in 2016, Peru’s agricultural frontier was set to expand to 260,000 hectares thanks to mega irrigation projects and the Peruvian horticulture industry

SOURCE: CIA FACTBOOK 2017

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had set an ambitious target to significantly widen its export offer of high quality fresh, dried, frozen and processed fruits, vegetables, superfoods, grains and other food and drink ingredients. By 2020, Peru plans to triple its horticultural exports to 2.3 million tonnes and more than triple the value of those export shipments to US$3.8 billion.

In February this year, it was reported that Peru had displaced both the US and Canada to become the world’s third largest exporter of blueberries. Peruvian blueberries were granted phytosanitary access to China at the end of 2016 and exports to the Asian giant in 2017 totalled some 4,000 tons with a market value of US$34 million, making Peruvian blueberry sales to China second only to Chile. From 13th March this year, Peruvian blueberry exporters selling to the U.S. market now have a new treatment option available to neutralise fruit flies, after authorities there decided to allow the fruit to be irradiated at a dose rate of 150 Gy. This is as an alternative to cold treatment or fumigation with methyl bromide.

According to predictions made in 2017 by Sergio del Castillo Valderrama, general manager of the Association of Blueberries Producers of Peru (ProArándanos), the nation will have 5,000 hectares of blueberries producing fruit in 2018.

Numbers do vary from different sources, however, what is clear is the almost exponential growth in blueberry production that has occurred in the south American country in the current decade.

So, what will PAFTA mean for Australian industry?

For exporters, it will mean the elimination of most of Peru’s horticulture tariffs which are currently up to 9 per cent. It will give immediate dutyfree access for Australian wine, sheep meat, most horticulture products, kangaroo meat and wheat.

For blueberry exporters, the PAFTA does not offer any gains of significance as the domestic Peruvian market is of no interest to Australian growers.

Does it mean our domestic market will suddenly accept Peruvian blueberries? According to Dominic Jenkin, CEO of the Australian Horticultural Exporters’ and Importers’ Association (AHEIA), Peru do not currently have access to Australia for blueberries.

To gain access, they would need to submit a formal

Australian Blueberry Grower

request to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) for prioritisation. The resulting process of import risk analysis (IRA) would take up to two years to complete and this would determine the conditions of import that would be applied.

Let’s not forget the other major decision makers in whether fruit gets imported into Australia – our retail giants Coles and Woolworths. As Dominic pointed out in a recent discussion on this topic, it is unusual for fruit products to be imported into Australia without that fruit ending up in one of the two major supermarket chains. Both chains actively promote their support of Australian domestic horticulture. For Coles, they have a strict set of conditions for the importation of fruit and only retail imported fruit in the following instances; the product just isn’t grown in sufficient volume, supply is limited, it’s not in season but demand still exists, or customers want a unique product that is not available domestically. Woolworths state that 96% of the fresh fruit and vegetables sold in their stores are grown on farms in Australia and they only import when local fruit and vegetables are out of season.

With year-round availability of blueberries already partially secured (including from New Zealand), it is unlikely that they will be seeking further significant imported supplies any time soon. Without access to the major grocery sales channel, the economics simply do not stack up for fruit importation into Australia.

With thanks to Dominic Jenkin, CEO of the Australian Horticultural Exporters’ and Importers’ Association (AHEIA), for his knowledge and expertise in this area.

AHEIA is a non-governmental and not-for-profit organisation, with a primary focus on advocacy to enhance the trade of horticultural produce in and out of Australia. The Association seeks to foster collaboration across the value chain, providing leadership to support and strengthen Australia’s competitive advantage in the trade of horticultural produce. www.ahea.com.au

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INDUSTRY

Piñata Farms lead the way with seasonal workers Howard Aru, Vanuatu Recruiters & Jane Richter, Editor With thanks to Pinata Farms

Mrs. Maryson Laban – affectionately known to Vanuatu Recruiters as ‘mum Maryson’ - lost her beloved husband Jeremy after a prolonged illness in 2012. Since then, Maryson has had to be both mother and father to her three beautiful children – Kriel, Rastam and Seretoma.

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ife as a single mother is an everyday struggle.

Not only has Maryson braved the challenges of daily life and coped with financial hardships, she weathered through a category 5 cyclone - Cyclone Pam - which devastated part of their home in March 2015. Keeping her family together, finding enough work to make ends meet whilst trying to provide a comfortable and secure home for her children, without the love and support of her husband, has taken its toll on this gentle woman from Vanuatu.

Maryson’s only daughter, Kriel, eventually ended up starting a market garden, each week spending two gruelling days at the Port Vila farmers’ market to sell her produce. She would spend the cold nights sleeping on a mat on the bare floor of the market house just so that the next day she could awake early to try and sell her wares, hoping to raise enough funds for her young son Juju to go to school.

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Rastam – Maryson’s eldest son – left school and found a job as a taxi-boat driver so he could help to pay for his younger brother’s schooling and save up enough to one day attend the maritime school. Over the past 5 years, the family have also started making blocks to try and complete the house their father started before his sad passing in 2012.

For the Laban family, the story is the same as many others from this tiny pacific nation that so many of us Australians know only as a cruise stopover destination with turquoise waters and stunning white sandy beaches.

At the same time that Maryson sadly lost her husband, a new scheme was being developed to support the seasonal labour needs of Australian horticulture farms whilst also providing positive economic and social benefits to Pacific Island nations like Vanuatu.

The Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) assists employers, including growers, in the horticulture sector when there is not enough local

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INDUSTRY

Australian labour to meet seasonal demand. Employers can recruit seasonal workers from participating countries for periods up to 6 or 9 months, depending on country of origin. Seasonal workers can also return in following seasons, providing employers with access to a reliable, returning workforce who are happy to work hard in return for fair wages.

Piñata Farms is among Australia’s approved agricultural industry employers recruiting seasonal workers from the Pacific Islands under Programme.

Ironically, it was seeing firsthand the devastation caused by the same cyclone that devastated Maryson’s home - Cyclone Pam - which lead to Piñata Farms’ involvement in the scheme.

North Queensland operations manager, Stephen Scurr says “We thought the best we could do to help the region rebuild was to provide work at our farms. We now employ a labour provider, Vanuatu Recruiters, to source and provide staff and manage their clearance to work here.”

“

Earlier this year, Piñata Farms decided to open its doors to include employing ladies under the Programme. This was a golden opportunity for both Maryson and Kriel to travel to Australia and benefit from the working environment and wages offered in Australian horticulture. Both mothers have had to make significant sacrifices to come to Australia, not least of which was to leave their young children behind in Vanuatu in the care of family members.

The scheme is a win-win for us and our Pacific Island workers. There’s no need for us to source and train a new workforce each year, we are able to access workers who are happy to be here and the wages they earn in six months are equivalent to what they’d earn in three or four years at home.

“We have a few, loyal returning Australian workers, but generally Australians are unwilling to do manual farm work.

Without international seasonal workers, it would be virtually impossible to manage harvesting. They are absolutely critical to the survival of Australia’s horticultural industry,” Mr Scurr said.

The pair left their home on 11th March this year and have just started an exciting six-month attachment with Piñata Farms’ pineapples plantation and pack-house near Darwin in the Northern Territory. Port Vila based labour provider, Vanuatu Recruiters, have sourced, screened and managed the travel logistics on behalf of Piñata Farms for their workers for the last three years, making it easy to access the right workers under the programme. Piñata Farms are so happy with the Pacific workers that they plan to expand their intake of seasonal workers to 50 in the near future.

“Unlike other international seasonal workers who work to fund their way around Australia, our Pacific Island workers are older people ranging from their mid-30s to their mid-50s - usually with families to support – who send their money home to directly contribute to their communities.

“We also get a great bunch of people who are keen and happy to work and are a pleasure to work with. We’re just as excited when they come back as they are.”

Australian Blueberry Grower

STANDING (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT): MARTHA, KRIEL, MUM MARYSON, ELIZABETH AND EVELYN ARU (VANUATU RECRUITERS) AT BAUERFIELD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE MORNING OF 11TH MARCH PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR DARWIN, AUSTRALIA

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RESEARCH

Evaluating reflective mulch for improving yield and quality of blueberries Dr Sophie Parks Research Scientist, NSW Department of Primary Industries

W

hite reflective mulch is used in some crops, including apples and strawberries, to improve light reflection back into the canopy and to improve yield and fruit quality. This treatment was tested on blueberries growing on the mid-north Coast of NSW in an evergreen system. In particular, the OB1 variety was evaluated because it is prone to tasting sour during winter.

FIGURE 1. 2015 FIELD TRIAL COMPARING REFLECTIVE-WHITE WEED MAT, BLACK WEED MAT AND BARK MULCH (CONTROL) IN UPPER CORINDI, NSW. THE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN INCLUDED 9 REPLICATES.

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Experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 in the Coffs Harbour region to test the effect of reflective-white weed mat on blueberry yield and quality (total soluble sugars and titratable acid contents), and on consumer acceptability of berries.

The reflective-white mat (ExtendayÂŽ) was applied at a site at Woolgoola and at Upper Corindi and compared with a commercial black weed mat and bark mulch (Figure 1). The photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) reflected off the reflective-white mat was 4.4 times that of the black weed mat.

At both experimental sites, the reflective-white weed mat generally increased the levels of sugars in the fruit during winter compared to the black weed mat. This corresponded to sweeter and more flavoursome fruits as assessed by a small consumer panel in 2014, and in 2015 (Figure 2).

Fruit yield was also improved by the use of reflective mat. In the field, it appeared that this yield increase was associated with increased fruit numbers. In 2015, this effect was observed in May, but the yield benefit was not evident in the June harvest. However, a further pot trial at the Central Coast Primary Industries Centre, Ourimbah, NSW (Figure 3), showed a significantly higher total yield (p=0.027) from the reflective mulch treatments

Australian Blueberry Grower

RESEARCH

(682 g) compared with the black weed mat (494 g) representing a 38% increase (Figure 4).

The weed mat treatment was confounded somewhat by the differences in soil temperatures beneath the two weed mat types, potentially contributing to the effects on yield and fruit quality.

The black weed mat was associated with a warmer soil temperature of approximately 1oC. This may be a disadvantage, particularly in summer when higher temperatures can limit growth of blueberry roots and shoots.

However, cooler temperatures in winter under the white mat may also be disadvantageous in the evergreen system.

In summary, reflective-white weed mat has the potential benefits of improving blueberry yield and fruit quality. This treatment provides an increase in production and a better eating experience for the consumer.

However, the reflective-white weed mat is currently about 20% more costly (about $2.58/m) compared with black weed mat (about $2.11/m) and this would need to be considered before adopting this treatment.

FIGURE 3. POT TRIAL AT OURIMBAH, NSW, COMPARING REFLECTIVE-WHITE AND BLACK WEED MAT.

FIGURE 2. TASTE PREFERENCES (SCORED 1-9 FROM LEAST TO MOST PREFERRED) FOR BLUEBERRIES GROWN WITH BLACK, WHITE OR ORGANIC MULCH, IN 2015.

THE 10 CONSUMERS WERE UNAWARE OF THE TREATMENTS WHEN TASTING THE BERRIES (6 TREATMENT REPLICATES, BARS ARE STANDARD ERROR).

FIGURE 4. TOTAL WEIGHT OF FRUIT HARVESTED PER PLANT IN GRAMS. THERE WERE 7 REPLICATES AND BARS ARE STANDARD ERROR.

Acknowledgements: Trevor Olesen, David Robertson, Lorraine Spohr, Joshua Jarvis (NSW Department of Primary Industries). This project was co-funded by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Hort Innovation, and the Australian Blueberry Growers Association.

Australian Blueberry Grower

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RESEARCH

Blueberry Rust Management U P DAT E O N F U N G I C I D E T R I A LS Rosalie Daniel, David Robertson, Michael Davy and Damian Collins rosalie.daniel@dpi.nsw.gov.au

The search for effective fungicides (conventional and alternatives) against blueberry rust continues. We have recently completed two additional fungicide trials in naturally infected orchards in NSW. A preliminary report is presented here.

Product

Active Rate/100L

FRAC Group

Indar

Fenbuconazole

150 mL3 (DMI)

Azamax

Azadirachtin (Neem oil)

400 mL

Zydox PCA + citric acid

Chlorine dioxide + citric acid

150 mL/1L 50 g/0.8L

Elatus Ace

Benzovindiflupyr + propiconozole

83 mL 7 (SDHI) + 3 (DMI)

Bayer 1

*

167 mL 7 & 3

Bayer 2

*

133 mL 7 (SDHI) & 11 (QoI)

Barmac

Wettable sulphur

200 g

M2

Penncozeb 750 WP

Mancozeb

200 g

M3

* The active ingredients for Bayer 1 and Bayer 2 have not been disclosed.

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T

rials were set up in a complete randomised block design, with four replicate blocks per treatment and three plants assessed in each treatment block.

Products were applied as foliar sprays every 2 weeks. Disease severity was assessed based on leaf area affected by blueberry rust on 20 leaves per plant. Mancozeb and water were included as control treatments in the trials in addition to the products being evaluated.

Mancozeb is available for use against blueberry rust under the APVMA permit PER13958.

The first trial evaluated eight products against blueberry rust (Table 1). Disease severity was moderate but consistent between plants during the trial. Preliminary analysis of the data indicates that fenbuconazole (Indar), Bayer 1, Azamax and Mancozeb gave the better control during the trial compared with other treatments (Figure 1). Fenbuconzaole was shown in earlier field trials to effectively control blueberry rust under higher disease pressure.

Azamax is a neem oil-based

Australian Blueberry Grower

RESEARCH

FIGURE 1. DISEASE SEVERITY FOLLOWING APPLICATION OF TREATMENTS AGAINST BLUEBERRY RUST. DATA PRESENTED ARE THE AVERAGE DISEASE SCORE OVER TIME, WHERE A SCORE OF 0 INDICATES LEAVES WITH NO BLUEBERRY RUST SYMPTOMS AND 7 INDICATES LEAVES WITH MORE THAN 75% OF LEAF AREA AFFECTED BY BLUEBERRY RUST. THE RED LINE INDICATES WHEN APPLICATION OF TREATMENT BEGAN.

product that has been reported in the literature as being effective against other plant rust diseases.

The second trial evaluated six products against blueberry rust (Table 1) from December 2017 to March 2018: copper (cupric hydroxide), Seasol Biomin Copper (a chelated copper), Taikang + Kocide Blue (chitosan + reduced amount of copper), wettable sulphur, and mancozeb. Disease pressure was generally low throughout the trial. Preliminary analysis suggests that disease severity was lower on plants treated with chitosan + copper, copper, Seasol and mancozeb disease symptoms than on plants treated with Biomin copper and Sulphur.

The site was heavily pruned prior to starting the trial. This meant there was little carry over of blueberry rust on infected older retained leaves.

Australian Blueberry Grower

It is possible that this contributed to the lower levels of disease observed during the trial (including in the water control treatment). Copper was shown in earlier trials to be effective against blueberry rust and is available on APVMA permit for use against blueberry rust and anthracnose (PER84176).

Information presented here is based on preliminary analysis. Data for both trials is still being interpreted and information here should be taken with appropriate caution.

It is important to regularly monitor for rust symptoms, protect new leaves, and treat early. Remember to rotate fungicides (chemical groups) to reduce the potential for resistance developing in the fungus.

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ADVERTORIAL

AustSafe Super notches up a milestone in the industry Long before the Keating-led government made compulsory superannuation mandatory in 1992, AustSafe Super had already recognised the need to help people save for a comfortable retirement.

Fast forward three decades, that philosophy remains and as they get set to turn 30, they’re continuing to help rural and regional Australia achieve financial security when they need it the most.

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1

This editorial is general information only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. You may also wish to seek the advice of a qualified financial planner. Please also read the relevant AustSafe Super Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before making a decision in relation to the product available at austsafe.com.au which summarises important information about being a member of AustSafe Super.

Austsafe Pty Ltd ABN 96 010 528 597, AFSL 314183 is the Trustee of AustSafe Super ABN 92 398 191 503

Australian Blueberry Grower

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RESEARCH

Global Health Research News CANADA

A

natural compound in blueberries could help fight bacteria that leads to periodontal disease, according to a study from Université Laval in Quebec, Canada.

The study, published in the BMC of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, said proanthocyandins in frozen highbush blueberries were isolated and tested to see the effect on bacteria growth, according to a news release from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

Proanthocyandin concentrations of 500 to 3.9 ug/ml significantly reduced bacteria’s formation, according to the study, also causing damage to the membranes of bacterial cells.

The compound also helped protect white blood cells important to the immune system and blocked molecular pathways involved in inflammation, which contributes to gum disease, according to the release.

The study concluded more research is needed on blueberries’ benefits to oral health, but it boosts research on the fruit’s antibacterial and antiinflammatory qualities, according to the release.

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, Folsom, Calif., financially supported the research.

As reported in www.thepacker.com

by Amelia Freidline

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AUSTRALIA Recent experimental and clinical studies suggest that consumption of blueberry products has potential health benefits in ameliorating the development of obesity and its related comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic inflammation.

Blueberry fruits are enriched with numerous bioactive components such as vitamins, phenolic acid and anthocyanins which could contribute to these protective effects. Possible mechanisms by which blueberries exert their beneficial properties include counteracting oxidative stress, regulating glucose metabolism, improving lipid profile, and lowering inflammatory cytokine levels in animal models and preliminary human trials.

This review focuses on the potential role of blueberries as a functional food in the prevention and treatment of obesity and its comorbidities.

Although the current evidence is promising, further randomised controlled studies in the longer term are needed to evaluate the role of blueberries and blueberry extracts to support human health.

Abstract from “Blueberry as a source of bioactive compounds for the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and chronic inflammation” - Journal of Functional Foods Volume 30, March 2017, Pages 16-29 by Min Shi, Hayley Loftus, Andrew J. McAinch and Xiao Q.Su

Australian Blueberry Grower

RESEARCH

CHINA

FINLAND

Colon cancer is a common malignancy in the digestive system with a high prevalence in recent years. Dietary natural products have been widely investigated for the prevention and management of colon cancer.

Raspberries, blueberries, and other berries contain natural pigments known as anthocyanins which give them their deep colour. Many studies show that anthocyanins fight the inflammation that leads to aging. A new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows that anthocyanins increase the function of an enzyme in cancer cells that fights cancer called sirtuin 6 enzyme (SIRT6).

The studies showed that several plant foods have the potential to prevent and manage colon cancer, such as berries, plums, pomegranates, cruciferous vegetables, tomatoes, garlic, turmeric, ginger, soy, whole grains, and mushrooms. These plant foods usually contain fibres and phytochemicals that can restrain the development and progression of colon cancer in various ways, such as protecting against colon carcinogens, inhibiting tumour growth and metastasis, and inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.

This review summarises the potential prevention and management capabilities of plant foods and their bioactive components on colon cancer by epidemiological, experimental and clinical studies, and special attention is paid to the underlying mechanisms.

Abstract from “Plant foods for the prevention and management of colon cancer” - Journal of Functional Foods Volume 42, March 2018, Pages 95-110 by Jun Tao, Ya Li, Sha Li and Hua-Bin Li

Sirtuins are enzymes that regulate the expression of genes that control the function of cells through key cellular signalling pathways. Aging causes changes in the function of sirtuin, and these changes contribute to the development of various diseases.

“The most interesting results of our study relate to cyanidin, which is an anthocyanin found abundantly in wild bilberry, blackcurrant and lingonberry,” says the study’s lead author Minna Rahnasto-Rilla.

Cyanidin increased SIRT6 enzyme levels in human colorectal cancer cells. The researchers also found it decreased the expression of two cancer genes — Twist1 and GLUT1. At the same time, cyanidin increased the expression of the tumor-suppressing FoXO3 gene in cells.

The findings that anthocyanins increase the activation of SIRT6 lays the foundation for the development of new cancer drugs.

The study’s findings were published in Scientific Reports at https://www.nature.com/srep/ and this summary article was written by Paul Ebeling and published on www.livetradingnews.com.

Australian Blueberry Grower

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Sulphur. Gyp-Flo Gyp-Flo The only highly compatible Heliothis is is 5 5 micron micron particle particle size size that that rapidly rapidly increases increases plant plant Calcium Calcium and and control for berry production!

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P O S TA L A D D R E S S Australian Blueberry Growers’ Association Inc. 1372A Bruxner Highway, Lindendale NSW 2480

COMMITTEE

C O N TA C T S

President Peter McPherson Phone: 0418 666 651 president@abga.com.au

Executive Director Alex Smith Phone: 0409 200 926 alexsmith@abga.com.au

Vice President Gurmesh Singh vicepresident@abga.com.au

Membership Officer Andrew Bell members@abga.com.au

Secretary Andrew Bell secretary@abga.com.au

Executive Support to ABGA Margie Milgate Phone: 0412 928 624 margie@bushpaleo.com.au

Treasurer Anthony Poiner treasurer@abga.com.au Committee Cedric Senn Jonathan Shaw David Jordan Amanpreet Singh

Industry Development Officer Melinda Simpson NSW DPI, Wollongbar Primary Industries Institute Phone: 02 6626 1350 melinda.simpson@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Official industry Journal of the Australian Blueberry Growers’ Association Inc.

www.abga.com.au