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BerryQuest International 25–28 July 2022 Sea World Resort & Conference Centre
VERY LIMITED SPONSOR & EXHIBITOR PACKAGES STILL AVAILABLE BerryQuest International offers a unique opportunity to promote your company and market your products and services to growers, wholesalers, marketers, retailers, researchers, nursery and allied trade suppliers across the Australian berry industries.
GOLD PARTNERSHIPS $ 8,000 • One complimentary full conference registration (includes all sessions, morning and afternoon tea breaks, lunches, access to exhibition and welcome reception) • Insertion of one Promotional item in the Conference Bag • Acknowledgement on Conference Website, with a link to Sponsor’s website • Acknowledgement on Sponsorship Title Slide shown throughout the Conference • A Complimentary single trade booth 3 x 2m • One half-page advert in the Winter 2022 Australian Berry Journal • 2 Complimentary tickets each for BBQ at the Boat Shed dinner & Sea World Plaza Conference Dinner • Half-page acknowledgement as a Sponsor in a prominent position in the Conference Handbook
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WITH JUST ONE PACKAGE OF EACH STILL AVAILABLE: FARM TOUR PARTNER $2,500 SHARK BAY TOUR & BREAKFAST $2,500 CONFERENCE HANDBOOK $2,500 LUNCH BREAK $2,500
GOT SOME LARGE MACHINERY OR TECHNOLOGY TO SHOWCASE? NO PROBLEM!
THE CONFERENCE VENUE HAS A PROMINENT OUTDOOR SPACE WHERE YOU CAN EXHIBIT YOUR EQUIPMENT
SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITOR APPLICATIONS CLOSE IN MAY. If you’re interested in learning more about the opportunities available, please visit berries.net.au/bqi2022 or contact Jen Rowling on: 0448 322 389 | jenrowling@berries.net.au
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Berries Australia wins ATMAC grant to support Export Development ......................................................................... 13 Fresh produce packaging: What’s the problem we are trying to solve? ...................................................................... 14 Rethink packaging design: use less, use longer and use again .................................................................................... 18 The role of trust & social identity on farmers’ intentions to report suspected emergency disease outbreaks ..... 22 Nerrigundah Berries is for Fair Farms .............................................................................................................................. 26 QRIDA: Helping make Queensland farming dreams a reality .................................................................................... 28 Masterclass delivered more than expected for learner farmers .................................................................................. 30 Track more, worry less – Next level traceability for Australian berries ....................................................................... 34 Farm Diversification: Pick-Your-Own (PYO) & Farm Gate Sales — Littlewood Berry Farm ...................................... 36 Labour Hire Risks: Các Rủi Ro Khi Thuê Lao Động ......................................................................................................... 38
R U B U S
Profile: Richard Winspear, Berried in Tas ........................................................................................................................ 43 What are the latest trends in raspberries? ....................................................................................................................... 46 Australian Raspberries & Blackberries: Marketing Update .......................................................................................... 48 IPM Notes 2.0 Sucking Bugs ............................................................................................................................................ 51
S T R A W B E R R I E S
Victorian research the first line of defence for a threatening strawberry pathogen, Xanthomonas fragariae ........ 57 What does the Certification label on a box of strawberry plants really mean?......................................................... 60 Grow your career in horticulture: AUSVEG highlights diverse range of jobs in the sector........................................ 63 Research demonstrates not so sweet berries under high temperatures on the Sunshine Coast.................................. 68 Are your base dressings doing more harm than good?.................................................................................................. 72 Phân bón nền của bạn có đang gây hại nhiều hơn là có lợi không?................................................................................ 76 Reducing fertiliser costs with composts and manures in strawberry and other crops.................................................. 81 9th International Strawberry Symposium: Sustainable strawberry production........................................................... 85
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How will climate change affect blueberries in NSW? .................................................................................................. 88 Australian Blueberries: Marketing Update ..................................................................................................................... 92 Profile: Western Berry Company, Western Australia .................................................................................................... 96 OzGroup – looking back over the last 20 years ......................................................................................................... 102 Export market access options for Australian blueberries ............................................................................................ 105
E D I TO R
C O N T R I B U TO R S
Jane Richter
Jane Richter Rachel Mackenzie Peter McPherson Simon Dornauf Jonathan Shaw Richard McGruddy Melinda Simpson Dr Angela Atkinson Suzette Argent Mark Salter
TERES Communication 0431 700 258 jane@teres.com.au
ADVERTISING Helen Newman Jenny Van de Meeberg Jen Rowling Melanie Wishart Monique Emmi Christopher Menzel Dani Westport Samtui Selave Catherine Gale-Stanton Georgia Schefe
Katie Scutt David Riches Scott Mattner David Rowlings Ian Porter Sophie Burge Madeleine Quirk John Golding Michele Buntain Steve Quarrell
For all Advertising & Partnership Enquiries Wendy Morris 0491 751 123 | admin@berries.net.au All advertising and advertorial material is subject to review and approval prior to publication. DESIGN Sama Creative www.samacreative.com.au
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Executive Director's Report Rachel Mackenzie | 0408 796 199 | rachelmackenzie@berries.net.au Berries Australia responded to the proposal indicating that we do not support the singling out of specific commodities and raised a number of concerns about the process. That said, if the proposal goes ahead, we have indicated that there must be recognition of the existing food safety schemes used by growers.
Like many of you I spent the first few weeks of 2022 riding the ‘ronacoaster’. After three rounds of isolation and a very mild case of the virus myself, I am ready for COVID-19 to give us a break. I completely empathise with those of you who have had to deal with the complexities of managing COVID-19 in your workforce and my thoughts go out to anyone who has been seriously ill or lost loved ones.
At this stage it is proposed that for berries there will just be a requirement to register with the State food authority whereas melon and leafy green growers will be required to provide a food safety statement. As an industry we acknowledge the importance of food safety, but we do not support duplicating existing industry-based schemes.
We are very much hoping that everything will be back to normal by the time BerryQuest rolls around in late July. We are getting great interest from sponsors and trade show exhibitors and the program is really coming together. I understand some of you might be reluctant to commit at this stage, but rest assured we have COVID-19 contingencies in place so please go ahead and book your tickets with confidence.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the new CEO of Hort Innovation Brett Fifield who will start on 26 April 2022. Brett joins Hort Innovation from his current role as the Deputy Director General, infrastructure, investment and business development, and member of the executive leadership team at the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.
The biggest news for industry is obviously the finalisation of the piece rates decision which will come into force on 28 April this year. At the time of writing, we were waiting on the final interpretations from the Fair Work Ombudsman and will develop guides and resources once we have that information. I do understand how significant this change will be, and as your industry body we will do our best to provide you with clear, timely information.
I was fortunate to be able to have a small level of engagement with Brett over the course of the pandemic and always appreciated his willingness to support the sector. I look forward to working with Brett and his team and we wish current CEO Matt Brand well in his next endeavours. I look forward to catching up with you at BerryQuest!
In other news, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) released a proposal to create a mandatory food safety standard for berries, melons and leafy greens. Currently, there is no legal standard for fresh produce and the systems most of you have in place are requirements of the supply chain not legal obligations.
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GET YOUR TICKETS ONLINE TODAY AT
berries.net.au/bqi2022
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Chairman's Report Peter McPherson | 0418 666 651 | peter.mcpherson@costagroup.com.au One potential upside is that the industry will have a better handle on the true cost of production and that will enable us to have more informed conversations with supply chain partners, including customers about the reality of grower costs and returns.
Welcome to the first edition of the Australian Berry Journal for 2022. As we get into the new year proper, I wanted to focus on one of the biggest structural shifts in Australian horticulture that we have seen for a long time with the implementation of the recent Fair Work Ombudsman Horticulture Award piece rates decision. The new rules will come into force on the 28 April 2022.
It is also an opportunity to re-evaluate our employment practices. We can no longer afford unproductive workers and every business will need to be more active in supervising their workforce and keeping track of costs. One of the things that COVID-19 has shown us is that we can accommodate change and I have been consistently impressed by the level of resilience shown by the berry industry through these highly unpredictable and challenging times.
As the Chair of Berries Australia and a long-term participant in the horticulture industry I know how important piece rates are to our industry, and the transition to the new requirements - where workers can still be paid a piece rate, but are guaranteed payment of a minimum wage - will not necessarily be easy. It is not the decision we wanted but it is the new legal reality, and we as employers and as an industry have to make the best of it.
One of the reasons for creating Berries Australia was to provide a vehicle to better support our industry through good times and bad. I am relieved that we were able to get up and going before the pandemic hit as I certainly think we need a strong industry association in times like these.
The Berries Australia team is working hard to get good, clear guidance materials out to you, and I strongly urge you to participate in any information sessions and webinars, and read the materials provided as they are distributed to ensure that you fully understand your obligations. The industry is under intense scrutiny from the Unions and there will be no latitude for those who do the wrong thing.
I look forward to seeing you all at BerryQuest International 2022 being held on the Gold Coast from 25-28 July. The program is shaping up nicely and it will be great to come together face-to-face and not only learn about and discuss industry developments, but to also socialise after so long of having to converse virtually. See you there.
Wherever you see this logo, the initiative is part of the Hort Innovation Blueberry, Strawberry and Raspberry and Blackberry Fund. Like this publication itself, it has been funded by Hort Innovation using the Blueberry, Strawberry and Raspberry and Blackberry R&D levy and contributions from the Australian Government. Some projects also involve funding from additional sources.
DISCLAIMER: 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. The advice and opinions in the articles published in Australian Berry Journal are essentially those of contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Berries Australia or the Editor. The advice is at the reader’s own risk, and no responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of the material presented. Inclusion of an advertisement in this publication does not necessarily imply endorsement of the product, company or service by Berries Australia or the Editor. Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited (Hort Innovation) makes no representations and expressly disclaims all warranties (to the extent permitted by law) about the accuracy, completeness, or currency of information in Australian Berry Journal. Reliance on any information provided by Hort Innovation is entirely at your own risk. Hort Innovation is not responsible for, and will not be liable for, any loss, damage, claim, expense, cost (including legal costs) or other liability arising in any way, including from any Hort Innovation or other person’s negligence or otherwise from your use or non-use of Australian Berry Journal or from reliance on information contained in the material or that Hort Innovation provides to you by any other means. Copyright © Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited 2022 Copyright subsists in Australian Berry Journal. Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited (Hort Innovation) owns the copyright, other than as permitted under the Copyright ACT 1968 (Cth). Australian Berry Journal (in part or as a whole) cannot be reproduced, published, communicated or adapted without the prior written consent of Hort Innovation. Any request or enquiry to use the Australian Berry Journal should be addressed to: Communications Manager, Hort Innovation, Level 7 | 141 Walker Street, North Sydney 2060, Australia | E: communications@horticulture.com.au | P: 02 8295 2300
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President's Report Jonathan Shaw | 0418 758 268 | president@abga.com.au intent to put the work out to tender and spend more on media. We are fortunate to have been able to tap into the marketing expertise within some of our member companies. An analysis of consumption data has shown that the blueberry industry has been affected by the shift to online shopping. The new marketing program will seek to drive increased purchases by existing consumers as well as enticing new and light buyers to the category.
Welcome to the first edition of the Australian Berry Journal for 2022. Despite not being able to meet face-toface for many months the ABGA committee has been working hard on your behalf. We operate a number of sub-committees including the Export sub-committee chaired by John Simonetta and the marketing subcommittee chaired by Christian Parsons.
As well as these blueberry specific activities, through Berries Australia we are continuing to focus on resolving issues around land use planning, particularly in NSW. Our Executive Director Rachel Mackenzie has been working with NSW DPI and colleagues from the Protected Cropping Association to ensure the planning legislation better reflects the needs of modern intensive horticulture.
As previously mentioned, we have the very capable Jenny Van de Meeberg driving our export agenda and the ABGA will be investing significant levy funds into key research and development for market access. In particular, we are investigating shorter cold treatment pathways for lesser Qfly and preliminary discussions around cold treatment work for Medfly. Market access is a long and expensive game, and it is only through the hard work of the Export sub-committee and the Berries Australia team that we are making progress.
It is important to remind members that none of these activities come for free. As an industry we have resisted calls to set a compulsory levy and I continue to believe that the voluntary model we have enables us to deliver more back to levy payers. That said, this model relies on growers to pay the voluntary levy and I urge any grower who is not currently a levy payer to contact Wendy Morris on admin@berries.net.au for more information.
Berries Australia was also successful in obtaining an Agricultural Trade and Market Access Co-operation (ATMAC) grant from the Australian government which will fund several trade activities for the blueberry industry in existing markets. The first phase of work for ATMAC is a series of market insight reports which will be delivered in partnership with Austrade. The markets in focus are Thailand, India, and UAE.
Another important way to support the industry is to get behind BerryQuest 2022. We really want to see a big contingent of blueberry growers attending the event, not only to update yourselves on new developments in the berry industry but also to get out and socialise with your fellow growers and industry partners. I look forward to seeing you there.
On the marketing front, the sub-committee has recommended a refresh of the marketing brief with the
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President's Report Richard McGruddy | 0408 763 804 | richard@berryq.com.au and also identify what activities can be done in other markets to get an edge over our competitors.
The Rubus industry is coming off years of impressive growth, first in raspberries and then in blackberries. Our job as the RABA committee is to look into the future to ensure that grower profitability is maintained as supply catches up with demand. Some things can be implemented in the short term such as the levy reduction process while others such as export, have a very long lead time, as our other berry colleagues would attest.
It is no secret that Australia is a high-cost producer and our distance from markets and shelf-life issues make it challenging. That said, significant progress has been made over the years in extending shelf life and other horticultural commodities have shown that there is considerable appetite out there for Australian premium produce. Once we have a handle on the size of the economic opportunity in key protocol markets, we can then prioritise investment in the underpinning research and development to gain access to those markets. By the time the R&D has been scoped and delivered, and then the negotiation process starts we are looking at timelines of up to 15 years. It is fair to say that no-one predicted 15 years ago the level of growth experienced by the Rubus industry and it is equally hard for us to know what the future holds, but developing and implementing this strategy is a sensible investment in the future.
The Rubus levy has been contributing to the berry market access and trade development project funded by Hort Innovation and delivered by Berries Australia. As part of that project our Export Manager Jenny Van de Meeberg has been consulting widely with Rubus growers across Australia to develop a Rubus export plan. I totally understand that for many growers, export is not even on the horizon, but other industries have shown that even a modest export program can really change the dynamics of the domestic market in the grower’s favour.
For those of you who have not met Jenny, I really encourage you to take up the opportunity to meet with her as she travels around the growing regions. She is very knowledgeable and approachable. There will also be a strong export focus at BerryQuest which will be a great chance to hear how export has transformed other horticulture categories. I am personally looking forward to meeting more of our Rubus members at BerryQuest so don’t forget to book your ticket.
For those of you less familiar with export, some markets are hard to get into as they require biosecurity protocols to be negotiated between countries to gain access. These markets are known as ‘protocol markets’ and are often where the big financial opportunities lie. Other markets are known as ‘non-protocol markets’ but because they are open to all countries, competition is fierce. The main focus of any export strategy is to identify the best opportunities in protocol markets
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Chairman's Report Simon Dornauf | 0408 681 206 | simon@hillwoodberries.com.au
I think we can all agree that the whingeing farmer stereotype is over-used, but there are times when it is OK to acknowledge that things have been tough both at an individual level and an industry level. Certainly, here in Tassie we have borne the brunt of the Omicron wave amongst our workforce with businesses and governments scrambling to catch-up with rules and regulations. It is a testament to all our growers and their teams that we have been able to keep just ahead of these issues and maintain supply. I feel for the winter growers who will be at the forefront of the piece rate changes and hope that the virus gives them a break.
As you all know, levies are collected on runners and while it is important to acknowledge there is not a linear relationship between runner sales and fruit volumes this does reflect a drop in grower confidence in terms of runner purchase.
I acknowledge that for all of us the piece rates decision will require changes to how we do business. I know that the Berries Australia team will do their best to provide us with up-to-date information, but it is up to each of us to really crunch the numbers in our own business. Big structural changes like this can make us feel overwhelmed so it is important that we don’t get stuck in our own bubble. We have a really great team of IDOs, and I urge you to head along to any workshops, webinars or networking opportunities, as much as anything just to engage with your fellow growers.
Ultimately, levy money is your money, so I recommend you have a look at the information on the strawberry fund page bit.ly/HI-STR. I also recommend having a look at the Harvest to Home data which provides some interesting insights into how the industry is tracking bit.ly/HTH-STR.
As the Strawberries Australia committee, it is important that we work with Hort Innovation to ensure that the research and development funds are invested in the most beneficial way for growers. In the past, the most significant investment has been the breeding program. Undoubtedly this program has delivered important benefits to the industry but with the reduced funds it is critical to assess the long-term value of this investment along with other levy investments in areas like export, industry communications, support and quality. We will be discussing this as a committee over the next few months so I urge you to engage with your local Strawberries Australia representative if you have strong feelings about how R&D funds should be spent.
Finally, I really hope to see all of you at BerryQuest on the Gold Coast in late July. We all need a chance to reconnect with our fellow growers and the industry more broadly after a rough few years. If the last BerryQuest is anything to go by, it is an event that really gets the balance between the social and technical right, and I look forward to interacting with you there on both levels.
At an industry leadership level, it is time to re-evaluate our research and development priorities as levy income is significantly down. In the last few years it has dropped from $980,000 in 2017/18 to $750,000 in 2020/21.
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New South Wales Melinda Simpson, Berry Industry Development Officer 0447 081 765 | melinda.simpson@dpi.nsw.gov.au
build-up of resistant individuals in the fungal population – to the point where that product, or other products of the same chemical group, is no longer effective.
It’s been a wet start to the year along the NSW north coast with over 436mm falling in Coffs Harbour from January to the start of February. Since the last Australian Berry Journal, COVID-19 has established itself in NSW and has been accepted as a part of everyday life; there are no more state-wide or regional lockdowns, people are regularly self-isolating, and the wearing of masks is just the norm. In fact, I think everyone would now know someone who has contracted and recovered from the disease. COVID-19 has required us all to be adaptable in our work areas, from Zoom meetings replacing face-to-face, to the sharpening of onsite farm hygiene and QR-code based protocols just to allow businesses to operate effectively.
The big message here is to rotate your fungicide groups. This is important to consider with a number of new products available to control botrytis in berries having similar chemical groups to those already available. See the current NSW DPI Berry Plant Protection Guide 2020-21 (page 88) for more information relating to fungicide groups and rotation of chemistry. I am planning several activities and resources over the next 6 months including:
On a positive note, Australia’s horticulture growers will be able to access $35 million in Australian Government funding to purchase and install protective horticultural netting. Horticulturalists will be able to apply for grants in coming months and the program will operate until 30 June 2025 or until all the funds are committed. I will send out further details on how NSW growers can apply as soon as these are released.
• An integrated pest and disease management workshop linked with the PCA Conference at the end of March • A field trip to Far North Queensland for growers to look at other innovations happening in other industries including agritourism, biosecurity and soil health • An irrigation 101 workshop in May
Currently, I’m running the second round of trials looking at organic options for the management of blueberry rust. The season has really tested out the treatments with the weather being perfect for developing rust throughout the orchard. The format of the trial will be like last year’s trial and will look at the products: • • • • •
• S everal webinars on topical subjects throughout the year • A climate vulnerability for blueberries in NSW case stu dy • A blueberry rust and resistance management guide
Permit/Chemical updates:
Intervene® (Polyoxin D salt) Eco-oil®, Aminogro® Serenade® Opti Anolyte (Electrolysed oxidised water) and Ecocarb® PLUS
• T he Fyfanon™ 440 EW label will be phased out over the next 12 months, the Fyfanon™ 440 EW insecticide label (51150/132266) will replace the old labels • B lueberries have been added onto the Rovral® Aquaflo (Iprodione) label (group 2). Find out more at bit.ly/fmc-rovral
I intend to write up the results and performances of the products in the next edition of the Australian Berry Journal.
• A new permit has been released for the use of Azoxystrobin (group 11) for the control of various diseases in blueberries. Find out more at bit.ly/ PER89953
Three workshops were run in early March to present these results, to talk about resistance management for Botrytis cinerea (grey mould) and to discuss the anticipated product shortages for 2022. Resistance by fungal pathogens to fungicides usually evolves following the intensive continuous use of fungicides for disease control. Continued use of a specific fungicide or fungicide chemical groups can result in a significant
• A new permit has been released for the use of Sulfoxaflor (Transform®) (group 4C) for the control of green peach aphid, cotton seed bug, scale insects, stink bug and flatid leafhopper in blueberries. Find out more at bit.ly/PER91327
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Victoria & South Australia Victorian Strawberry Industry Development Committee
Dr Angela Atkinson, Berry Industry Development Officer 0408 416 538 | ido@vicstrawberry.com.au
Since the last edition of the Australian Berry Journal, we have had the Omicron wave hit Victoria, and more recently South Australia, as borders have opened up. Now we are becoming accustomed to living with Covid, which has had some challenges, particularly in regard to business continuity and workforce.
On February 17, the Victorian Strawberry Growers Association ran an excellent webinar on traceability, with speakers from Fresh Chain, Escavox and iTrazo Tracetech who provide tracking and traceability solutions, as well as Freshcare. The recording of this webinar will be available on the Berries Australia YouTube channel. Hopefully, this year we can resume face-to-face meetings and workshops as I think we are all a bit over Zoom even though it has proven useful for the last couple of years!
While in both Victoria and South Australia there are exemptions for agriculture workers to return to work if they are a contact but asymptomatic, the inability to access Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) in order to operate under the exemption has been challenging, and many businesses have at times been operating on skeleton staff. This is an ongoing problem, although cases and hospitalisations seem to be stabilising now, and RATs are becoming more widely available.
At the end of the season (date to be confirmed) we are planning to run a Biosecurity field day in Victoria, in collaboration with AUSVEG and researchers from both VSICA and LaTrobe University. We are hoping to repeat this for berry growers in South Australia as well. I have also been talking to Agriculture Victoria for a while now about a grower trip to the AgVic Smart Farm in Tatura, if Covid restrictions permit. This would be an opportunity to see some innovative solutions for energy efficiency and digital technology on farms.
At the time of writing this, Covid restrictions in Victoria have just been further relaxed, with density limits in hospitality venues abolished as well as QR code check-ins in general retail (still required in hospitality and events).
In the Yarra Valley we are looking to hold a farm walk at the Wandin Research Station on March 15, to get an update from the strawberry breeding program and an opportunity to provide feedback about variety selection. This will be followed by a BBQ and meeting about the new piece rates determination.
Floods in late January played havoc with the major transport routes, both road and rail, from South Australia to Western Australia and the Northern Territory. This affected movement of fresh produce from South Australia into those markets, putting more pressure on growers.
Over the next few months, we will be delivering webinars and workshops to inform growers of topics of concern, such as piece rates, the latest news and research on blueberry rust and other areas of interest, and will continue to be responsive to industry needs as they arise.
In January, the State and Federal Governments announced that Disaster Relief Funding was finally available for growers affected by the June 9, 2021 storms in Victoria. Grants up to $25,000 are available until May 31, 2022 for eligible growers. For more information go to bit.ly/vic-storms.
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As always, if there is anything I can help with, please get in touch.
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Tasmania Mark Salter, Berry Industry Development Officer 0400 100 593 | berryido@fruitgrowerstas.org.au
Other grower activities
Tasmanian berry growers are now well into this season’s harvest, and with a 6-month harvest window most berry growers say it’s a marathon not a sprint. Feedback to date suggests it was a late start to the season, but growers report that fruit quality is excellent, particularly now that the weather has become more settled.
• T he Temperate Strawberry Breeding field day held at Berried in Tas in December was a great success with 14 growers and industry participants attending. Jodi Neal and Katie O’Connor outlined the most recent trial work and presented 7 new strawberry varieties which growers were able to view in the field. Feedback suggested strong interest in several varieties including Tahli-ASBP and Tamara-ASBP, and some of the yet-to-be-named varieties in the trial. he Bitwise Agronomy field day scheduled for • T mid-December was unfortunately postponed and is currently targeted for late March. Bitwise will showcase its GreenField crop management program so that berry growers will be able to see how the latest technology captures imagery through a roaming camera attached to your existing farm vehicle.
COVID-19 The Fruit Growers Tasmania (FGT) IDO team held three COVID workshops across the state in mid-November to update growers on the latest regulations and to assist them with their COVID Safety and Outbreak Management Plans. The meetings were well attended, with many growers updating their COVID plans in readiness for the state’s borders reopening on 15 December.
• I recently travelled to northern Tasmania facilitating grower visits with Jenny Van de Meeberg who is the Export Manager with Berries Australia. Jenny was in Tasmania to conduct a series of Export Development Workshops with Rubus growers. Based on detailed market research Jenny’s presentation gave growers an insight into potential export markets. While growers agreed that export may not be high on their agenda now it is something that needs to be progressed for the future, particularly as it can take 10-15 years to develop import protocols and develop markets.
Since then, COVID cases have escalated, and the current situation is having major impacts on growers with labour shortages across the state. While impacted, berry growers are continuing to cope and are getting their fruit harvested, although the outbreak could not have come at a worse time for Tasmanian growers with harvest at its peak. I have been actively visiting growers over the last few months, with a temporary break during the main Omicron outbreak. While continuing to communicate with growers in the interim, I now look forward to travelling regularly again to meet face-to-face both locally and interstate.
Along with FGT, I have also been working with growers to help them through all stages of the Fair Work Horticulture Award review. Following the Commission’s provisional November decision, FGT held regional forums across the state to inform growers of the pending changes and to gain feedback on the potential impact. With the Commission’s final decision handed down on 1 February and the provisions coming into force on 28 April, FGT and Berries Australia will now develop guidance for growers on the implementation of the new provisions to support grower efforts to comply.
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Queensland Suzette Argent, Berry Industry Development Officer 0438 752 177 | berryido@qldstrawberries.com.au
With the winter strawberry season coming to an end, I took the opportunity to get out and learn more about Queensland raspberry production during the summer months. A huge thank you to all the growers who took the time to meet with me so I can better understand both the production system and the challenges that the industry faces.
The plants have continued to grow well in reasonable weather conditions, although a bit too cool at times. I encourage growers to contact their propagators directly to find out specific details about how plants are progressing.
Trip to Far North Queensland This year, we are organising a trip to Far North Queensland in May. The trip includes two action packed days visiting various farming businesses including sugarcane, bananas, tropical fruits and coffee, to name a few.
The warm weather saw Cotton seed bug and Rutherglen bug be the significant pests for the season. The Industry Development team have noted these issues and the need for minor use permits for managing these sucking bugs.
In a good year the Cairns region generates $3.5 billion from tourism and farms within the region have been moving into agritourism. The trip to the Wet Tropics in North Queensland will include visits to various farms that have diversified into agritourism, where you can experience their offer first-hand and talk to businesses owners to gain insights that may prove useful in your own operations.
In November, I took a road trip to the Stanthorpe region with Katie O’Connor, a strawberry plant breeder from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. We visited farms in the area and gained a better understanding of the needs for temperate varieties. I got to lend a hand at the temperate seedling variety selections being conducted at the Applethorpe research station for the first time. It was refreshing to see this part of the state with full dams now actually overflowing, ensuring plentiful water supply for the coming year.
Tropical North Queensland is a ‘must see’ tourism destination as it is home to two World Heritage areas, the Wet Tropics rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. The tourism opportunity also brings other challenges including the right to farm, climate change and biosecurity threats.
Unfortunately, too much of a good thing saw flooding throughout the state. Disaster assistance grants are now available for primary producers affected by the recent floods in the Southern, Central and Wide BayBurnett regions to help communities get back on their feet. See the website for further information: www.qra.qld.gov.au
These visits will explore and showcase how the North has harnessed agritourism, embraced regenerative agriculture and how farming businesses are tackling similar challenges around the social licence to farm, biosecurity threats and extreme weather events. Spots will be strictly limited so please register your expression of interest in this upcoming event as soon as more details are made available.
In January, Sweets Strawberry Runners kindly offered the opportunity to take a tour of the farm and see how the plants for the 2022 winter season were progressing. COVID-19 did not scare growers away from this event and it was promising to see how the plants were developing.
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L-R: Michael & Debbie Meiers – Bargara Berries, Adrian Schultz – Schultz Family Farms, Dave Stothart – Stothart Family Farms, Suzette Argent, Berry IDO for Queensland visiting Sweets Strawberry Runners. Photo credit: Suzette Argent
There was a good attendance at the farm tour at Sweets Strawberry Runners. Photo credit: Suzette Argent
Suzette Argent and Katie O’Connor conducting temperate seedling variety selections. Photo credit: DAF
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I N D U S T R Y
Western Australia Aileen Reid & Helen Newman, Industry Development Team, Agricultural Produce Commission
Climate
Harvest labour issues have intensified in WA, with worker productivity at an all-time low and continued border restrictions hindering the inward flow of workers from other states. This has seen some large producers abandon crops and others are picking less, with total fruit volumes across the strawberry and blueberry categories significantly lower than in previous years.
After a wet start to spring, rainfall was average to below average in November and temperatures were mild, with average to slightly cooler than average maximums and minimums. December, in contrast, was very warm, with an extreme heatwave late in the month making it the third-warmest December on record. Daytime and overnight temperatures peaked on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Locations near the west coast, including Perth, recorded at least three consecutive days with maximum temperatures at 40°C or above during the heatwave. This very warm-dry weather continued into January with another severe heatwave in the second half of the month. Several sites in the southwest had their highest January mean daily maximum temperature on record or highest for at least 20 years.
Industry events The WA Horticulture Update, hosted by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, was held in November 2021. The twoday event focused on resilience and sustainability and showcased the work of two leading WA berry growers. Anthony Lieu of Landsdale Strawberries spoke about his involvement in a business capacity program which pairs horticultural businesses with business experts (View the video at youtu.be/igWb5Dj_Ick). Lee-Anne Yewers of Berry Sweet spoke about their single-touch packing method and the importance of packaging in protecting their berry products (View the video at youtu.be/2sMRlRAs808). The field tour on the second day visited a bioenergy plant, black soldier fly research facilities, a leading avocado property and the State’s largest nursery.
The crop Heatwave conditions in late December and midJanuary impacted the strawberry crop in the southern growing regions. Very high temperatures shortened the daily picking window (to avoid bruising and worker heat-stress), and with the labour shortages, growers were unable to keep up with the speed of ripening. Approximately 40% of the southern-region crop is harvested from late-March to June so growers are hoping for mild weather in autumn.
A strawberry-industry tour of southern growing regions planned for February was postponed amid COVID concerns. This will be rescheduled with new dates to be announced in The Burst.
Blueberry production in the Pemberton region peaked in November-December and crops are currently being pruned ready for the start of harvest in July-August. Other smaller south-west producers will continue to harvest small volumes until the end of February.
Other upcoming planned events include a blueberry field day, a strawberry grower’s field day, and a strategic planning workshop for strawberry growers. In the online world, WA growers have been kept up to date with local grant opportunities, green snail quarantine requirements, and the evolving COVID situation and worker access. Resources to assist with business continuity planning, managing COVID on-farm and managing poor performing staff have also been made available.
The Rubus crop is tracking normally in the Pemberton district with good volumes. Raspberry harvest started in mid-November and Blackberries started in December. Harvest of raspberries will run until May/June and Blackberries until the end of August.
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I N D U S T R Y
ATMAC funding to help continue export trade development for Berries Jenny Van de Meeberg, Export Manager, Berries Australia
Berries Australia has been successful in their bid to further develop export market opportunities for the Australian Berry industries following approval of an ATMAC Grant from the Australian Government. The objective of the Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) program is 'to open, improve and/or maintain access to overseas markets for Australian agricultural products by building stronger relationships with trading partners, neighbouring countries and international organisations'.
The primary beneficiary of the project will be Australian berry growers across all locations in Australia. With many growers very keen to export, this project will provide them with the means and know-how to do so in a strategic manner. And for non-exporting growers, there exists a strong understanding that moving product off the domestic market benefits everyone. Whilst the berry industry in Australia is coming from a low exporting base, it represents tremendous opportunity for growth. In Australian supermarkets, berries represent the single biggest fresh produce line with a combined value of more than $1 billion. There is enormous potential to translate this Australian success into a global export powerhouse, especially since Australia holds the genetics to a number of the most prized varieties. The industry’s transformation to being export-focused had already begun before COVID19 disrupted international airfreight and market dynamics. This project seeks to put the industry back on track to reach its export potential.
The purpose of the Grant is to support trade expansion in key markets, so Berries Australia has developed a project which aims to reinstate export confidence through a series of market insight reports that educate growers on the market dynamics in key countries. It will also provide growers with resources and opportunities to proactively re-ignite conversations with importers and retailers. To achieve its objectives, the Berries Australia export team, led by Export Manager Jenny Van de Meeberg, will develop a suite of ‘market insight’ reports for each berry’s key markets and materials to support in-market trade development. The development and execution of an inmarket Australian Berries trade seminar for importers/ retailers will also contribute towards elevating the position that Australian berries hold in the market.
Have you joined the Export Group yet? If you haven’t, head to bit.ly/BA-Export & apply to join. What’s available right now in the Export Hub? LOBAL TRADE DATA provided by Global Trade Atlas and • G
The blueberry and strawberry industries share the key target markets of Singapore and Thailand. In addition to these combined priority markets, blueberries are also focused on India and strawberries are focused on the UAE. These markets are captured in the respective industry export strategies and will be the focal points of this project.
presented using Tableau Public software where you can explore the data by exporting country and importing country for up to the last 30 years, understand historic pricing trends month-by-month by market and explore which are the largest exporters and where they are currently supplying their fruit
• E XPORT STRATEGIES & ACTIONS PLANS for each crop which help exporters to understand the which markets to target
• U SEFUL EXPORT LINKS providing you with direct links to
some of the most useful online resources produced by various supporting organisations
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Fresh produce packaging: What’s the problem we are trying to solve? Australian Fresh Produce Alliance
The Australian Fresh Produce Alliance (AFPA) is made up of Australia's major fresh produce growers and suppliers, representing half of the turnover of the Australian fresh produce (fruit and vegetables) industry, and more than a third of Australian fresh produce exports. Raspberries and blueberries were both included in the research. In terms of produce lifecycle, berries were found to be soft and fragile and susceptible to damage from temperature changes, compression and vibration during all stages, from harvest, through the supply chain, and to the consumer. The use of PET punnets was shown to provide significant protection to berries from compression and vibration, reducing damage, and therefore spoilage.
There is increasing pressure on Australia’s fruit and vegetable growers to remove packaging from fresh produce. What’s often missing from this dialogue is an understanding of the role and purpose of packaging. Bans on packaging on fruits and vegetables are already being instituted in Europe. Closer to home, many Australian states and territories have been considering bans on single use plastics, which would encompass many fresh produce packaging solutions.
Sensory impacts of packaging were also assessed in this study. Both packaged and unpackaged raspberries and blueberries were assessed on arrival at the wholesale markets (Figures 1 and 2) and again three days later to simulate a retail purchase (Figures 3 and 4). For both berry types, packaged options retained greater levels of plumpness and firmness, better colour and fewer off aromas. On the day of retail purchase, packaged raspberries had a significantly higher firmness and were less likely to collapse than unpackaged raspberries. These sensory tests demonstrate that packaging provides significant benefits to overall product quality and shelf life.
While plastic or packaging reduction is an admirable goal, it’s important to consider packaging as part of an entire product design. In many cases in fresh produce, removal of packaging leads to more adverse outcomes including an increase in food waste.
The role of packaging 2019 research that investigated the role of packaging for Australian fresh produce found that fresh produce packaging is key in mitigating the estimated $20 billion of food lost or wasted in Australia each year 1. This research mapped the lifecycle of 10 fresh produce items both with and without packaging.
These results demonstrate the challenging position that the fresh produce industry finds itself in: the obvious benefits of packaging weighed against consumer pressure to reduce produce packaging.
The results demonstrated that benefits of packaging include product protection, extension of shelf life and ability to communicate product information that assists consumers.
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Figure 1. Blueberries on receival at the market - packaged (L) and loose (R). Photo credit: AFPA.
Figure 2. Raspberries on receival at the market packaged (L) and loose (R). Photo credit: AFPA.
Figure 3. Blueberries after three days of storage at 1-4°C (simulated retail purchase), packaged (L) and loose (R). Photo credit: AFPA.
Figure 4. Raspberries after three days of storage at 1-4°C (simulated retail purchase), packaged (L) and loose (R). Photo credit: AFPA.
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Consumer behaviour
Where to now then?
To understand more about how consumers purchase, use and dispose of packaged produce, the Australian Fresh Produce Alliance (AFPA) commissioned a small qualitative study of 38 households in Sydney and Melbourne2.
While this issue is complex, and often feels circular, a focus on overall product impact will help narrow these issues. Growers, industry, stakeholders, governments and consumers need to start considering an entire products lifecycle, and the net impact of that lifecycle before making decisions about a single component of that product.
Key findings of this study were that greater levels of meal planning reduce food waste, consumers do not know the best storage conditions for fresh produce and consumers really hate wasting food.
So, what’s the problem we’re trying to solve? If we are aiming to reduce the use of single use plastics, reduce the environmental impacts of packaging and increase the overall sustainability of our economy, then we need to consider the overall impact of our decisions rather than individual issues in isolation.
Participants in the study were interviewed in their homes, and their fridges, fruit bowls and other food storage areas as well as their rubbish bins were inspected to determine how food and packaging is being used. Interestingly, many consumers interviewed said they did not purchase packaged produce, their fridges however, indicated that they did with each of the 38 households having at least one packaged item of fresh produce.
A good place to start is investigating alternative packaging materials and consider the ability to reduce non-essential packaging and support industry’s efforts to work with government to improve the collection, processing, recycling and reuse of packaging materials.
What this study did demonstrate, is that consumers feel very differently about food waste when compared to packaging waste.
Please review and keep the Packaging Materials Selector insert in this edition of the Journal. This resource is also available at www.freshproduce.org.au/resources
Consumers reported that they ‘hate’ wasting food as they feel they are throwing away money. This is in stark contrast to when consumers are asked about disposal of fresh produce packaging where they merely feel ‘bad’ or ‘guilty’ about throwing out packaging.
References Reports referenced in this article are available on the Australian Fresh Produce Alliance website www.freshproduce.org.au:
This contrast in consumer sentiment is attributed to the financial value consumers assign to food waste, whereas consumers do not believe they are losing anything when they dispose of packaging.
(1) The role of packaging for Australian fresh produce (2) T he relationship between fresh produce packaging, food waste and recycling in the home
Fresh produce growers are between a rock and a hard place - packaging reduces food waste and consumers by their own admission hate the cost of food waste, yet these same consumers want a reduction in packaging.
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Rely on a partner with 25 years experience in cocopeat, growing his own strawberries & Tomatoes on it. Biogrow has 7 factories in Brasil, India, The Philippines and Sri Lanka. Permanent stock of raw material to garantee supply and happy growers on 5 continents.
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Rethink packaging design: use less, use longer and use again Nerida Kelton MAIP, Executive Director – Australian Institute of Packaging, Vice President – Sustainability & Save Food – World Packaging Organisation
The time has come to rethink the way packaging is designed. This is an exciting time to take bold moves and rethink every aspect of how packaging is designed, used, and ultimately provide long-lasting environmental value. The change is being driven by consumers who want to see circular packaging that has designed out waste, is reusable, incorporates recycled content, is truly recyclable and all unnecessary packaging and problematic materials are eliminated.
The 10 principles that make up the Sustainable Packaging Guidelines are:
This significant societal behaviour shift is a green light for Packaging Technologists and Designers to become even more innovative and creative by the redesign of packaging to be circular and not follow the linear model of ‘take-make-dispose’. Waste can now be designed out at the beginning, to ensure the materials selected can be used repeatedly, are recyclable and regenerate natural systems.
3. Design to reduce product waste
A great place to start is by implementing the Sustainable Packaging Guidelines into design processes. The guidelines are a central part of the co-regulatory framework established by the National Environment Protection (Used Packaging Materials) Measure 2011 and the Australian Packaging Covenant. They were created to assist the design and manufacture of packaging that meets the sometimes-conflicting demands of the market, consumer protection and the environment.
9. Design for accessibility
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1. Design for recovery 2. Optimise material efficiency 4. Eliminate hazardous materials 5. Use recycled materials 6. Use renewable materials 7. Design to minimise litter 8. Design for transport efficiency 10. Provide consumer information on sustainability The goal is to integrate these principles into the right business areas, to achieve the optimal outcomes for packaging functionality, and to collectively work to meet the 2025 National Packaging Targets. The highest priority principles are those that support the achievement of the four National Packaging Targets: design for recovery, design for efficiency, using recycled materials, design for efficiency and design to minimise litter.
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2025 NATIONAL PACKAGING TARGETS In 2018, Australia established the ambitious 2025 National Packaging Targets. These four targets apply to all packaging that is made, used and sold in Australia. 1. 2. 3. 4.
100% of all Australia’s packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable 70% of Australia’s plastic packaging will be recycled or composted 50% average recycled content will be included across all packaging Phase out of problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging through redesign, innovation or introduction of alternatives.
TARGET
100%
RESULT 2017-18
reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging
RESULT 2018-19
RESULT 2019-20
88%
89%
86%
70%
of plastic packaging being recycled or composted
16%
18%
16%
50%
average recycled content included in packaging^ (revised from 30% in 2020)
35%
38%
39%
Foundation phase
Foundation phase
Development phase
The phase-out of problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging ^Data shown excludes wood packaging due to insufficient data
Figure 1. Progress towards the 2025 National Packaging Targets (Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, November 2021). In other areas of the value chain, materials suppliers are working on innovative new materials and simplifying complex material structure. Brands are busy redesigning packaging and highlighting environmental improvements. Recyclers are reviewing and expanding capabilities, governments are actively funding new initiatives and consumers are embracing the changes.
our cities, our products, and our jobs. By designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems we can reinvent everything." Ellen Macarthur Foundation Consumers look at packaging differently now, so too should Packaging Technologists and Designers. This is an exciting time to be designing packaging and those that design circular packaging will know that they have made a difference for generations to come. Have fun rethinking your packaging designs and remember use less, use longer and use again.
A systemic approach to Circular Packaging Design can deliver significant environmental impact reductions including a lower carbon footprint, reducing the use of feedstock derived from fossil fuels, using fewer virgin materials and minimising packaging waste that heads to landfill.
More information: Sustainable Packaging Guidelines: bit.ly/ABJ-SPG Australian Packaging Covenant: bit.ly/ABJ-APC Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets: bit.ly/ABJ-APCO
"It’s called the circular economy. It’s a new way to design, make, and use things within planetary boundaries. Shifting the system involves everyone and everything: businesses, governments, and individuals;
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BERRIES AUSTRALIA
I N D U S T R Y
BerryQuest International
25–28 July 2022 Sea World Resort & Conference Centre Gold Coast, Queensland
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW OPEN AT berries.net.au/bqi22 Queensland’s stunning Gold Coast will welcome an influx of berry growers, associated businesses and industry experts from Australia and abroad in July when the muchanticipated national conference for the Australian berry industry is held again for the first time in over 4 years. BerryQuest International will run from 25 to 28 July 2022 at Sea World Resort and Conference Centre, with two days of speaker presentations and a trade exhibition, followed by a day of farm tours and plenty of other activities including networking and social functions.
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BerryQuest International will be held from 25-28 July at Sea World Resort and Conference Centre, on Queensland’s Gold Coast. The three-day event includes a trade show, workshops, farm tours and international and local speakers from a wide range of fields in the berry and wider agricultural industry. After a challenging couple of years, BerryQuest International will also provide a great opportunity for relaxing and mingling with several networking and social events including the Welcome Reception in the Exhibition Hall, a gourmet BBQ evening with Broadwater and Southport skyline views at the Boatshed Bar & Grill, and a unique Conference Dinner in the Sea World Plaza including pre-dinner drinks and exclusive dolphin show at Dolphin Beach!
BQI2022 will focus on the issues that are
PROGRAM SNEEK PEEK. INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER Dr. David Hughes, Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College London, and Visiting Professor at the Royal Agricultural University, U.K. will be the international keynote speaker. Dr Hughes has an unparalleled knowledge of global food issues and opportunities and will be providing an insight into the future of food industries in a post-covid world.
MASTER OF CEREMONIES The full conference program will be released in coming months however it can be revealed that respected agricultural and horticultural journalist (and comedian) Ashley Walmsley, will MC the event.
BRING
likely to affect the industry in the coming decade including technology and breeding advances, pest and disease solutions, food safety, marketing, labour challenges, sustainability, waste management and research and development. The conference will also include a comprehensive panel discussion on export opportunities and hear from international experts about developments in the berry industry across the globe.
the family!
The magnificent Gold Coast truly shines in the winter with a high likelihood of blues skies and warm days (21ºC!) in July. It provides the perfect opportunity to bring the family and extend your stay beyond the 3 days of BQI2022. Sea World Resort boasts a stunning Broadwater location, with 400 rooms and suites at discounted BQI2022 rates starting from just $149 per night for a room that can accommodate a family of up to 5, plus easy access to Australia’s best theme parks at a heavily discounted rate for delegates and their families, world-renowned beaches and everything that the Gold Coast has to offer.
REGISTER NOW Tickets to BerryQuest International 2022 are now on sale with a range of ticket options available, including full conference registration and single-day options.
JEN ROWLING 0448 322 389 jenrowling@berries.net.au
Further information including FAQs, ticket prices, Sea World Resort accommodation packages and the conference program as it develops can be found at berries.net.au/bqi2022.
WENDY MORRIS 0491 751 123 admin@berries.net.au
If you have any additional queries about the conference, contact a member of the BQI22 Conference Management team:
DANI WESTPORT 0431 293 583 events@berries.net.au
I N D U S T R Y
The role of trust and social identity on farmers’ intentions to report suspected emergency disease outbreaks Summary of research findings and implications for biosecurity Katie Scutt, Australian National University (ANU) Modelling has shown that reducing the time between a farmer noticing signs of disease and the disease being diagnosed is the best way to reduce the impacts of disease [2].
• Early reporting of suspected emergency disease outbreaks is important for rapid response and minimising impacts. Understanding factors that drive disease reporting by farmers is one important way to help improve biosecurity outcomes.
There are both barriers and incentives for reporting which include regulatory, business, economic and psychological factors. Psychological factors include attitudes, motivations, social influence, risk perception, perceived behavioural control [3, 4].
• A study conducted in 2021 at the Australian National University (ANU) found that farmer trust in government positively influences disease reporting intentions. For every one unit increase in trust, disease reporting intentions were found to increase by over four times.
Research suggests that trust is also an important factor in farmers’ decision-making process to report suspected disease [5]. Research also suggests that social identity is an antecedent to perceptions of trust [6]. In this context, social identity refers to the social groups that we are part of and identify with. We tend to trust others who we perceive as being in the same social group as us, as long as that shared group membership is mutually recognised by both the trustor and trustee [7].
• An important contributor to perceptions of trust was whether farmers felt like they were mutually recognised by government as being part of the same social group responsible for managing disease investigations. • Biosecurity implications of this study are shared by governments and agricultural industries, as both have important roles in detecting and responding to disease early.
Hypothesis This research hypothesised that shared social identity and trust in the local state or territory government responsible for biosecurity would positively influence farmers’ intentions to report suspected emergency disease on their farm.
Research need Disease is one of the greatest threats to the productivity and profitability of plant, aquaculture, and livestock industries in Australia and around the world. An important way to minimise the impact of disease outbreaks is early detection and rapid response [1].
Method The research used a cross-sectional survey design of 41 Australian plant, livestock, and aquaculture farm owners or managers, conducted from May-August 2021. The theoretical approach was guided by Social Identity Theory [8] and the Integrative Model of Organisational Trust [9].
Farmers play an important role in this by noticing signs of disease and reporting these concerns to the relevant state/territory government so a disease investigation can commence (a process called general surveillance).
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Key results
Limitations and future directions
• T rust in government and social identity significantly predicted disease reporting intentions.
The sample size in this study was modest and obtained from across plant, livestock, and aquaculture sectors. Therefore, analysis was based on the pooled data across all sectors, meaning any differences between sectors were unable to be identified and the conclusions are generalised across sectors. Future research seeking to understand disease reporting within sectors would benefit from a larger sample size and could broaden to examine other factors known to influence reporting and how they relate to each other.
• S ocial identity influenced perceptions of trust i.e., sharing a social group was associated with increased levels of trust. • T rust in government explained more than one quarter of the variance in disease reporting intentions. • F or every one unit increase in trust, the likelihood of reporting disease increased by over 4 times. • A s a sense of shared social identity among farmers and government increased, the likelihood of reporting by over 3 and a half times.
Acknowledgements Thank you to those farm owners and managers who participated in this research, and the industry organisations who helped distribute the questionnaire to their members. This study was completed as part of the Honours program in the Research School of Psychology, ANU. The research was conducted under ANU Human Ethics Research Committee approved protocol 2021/161.
Biosecurity implications This study is relevant for both government policy makers and agriculture industry participants because both share responsibility for biosecurity. Two main findings emerged from the study:
References 1. M artin, P., et al., Assessing the efficacy of general surveillance for detection of incursions of livestock diseases in Australia. Preventive veterinary medicine, 2015. 121(3-4): p. 215-230.
Finding 1. This is the first study that has quantified the importance of a trusting relationship among industry and government for disease reporting. As trust increases, this substantially increased the likelihood of disease reporting, making it an important aspect to consider when aiming to enhance the sensitivity of the general surveillance system.
arner, M., et al., Comparison of alternatives to passive surveillance to detect foot 2. G and mouth disease incursions in Victoria, Australia. Preventive veterinary medicine, 2016. 128: p. 78-86. 3. G ates, M.C., L. Earl, and G. Enticott, Factors influencing the performance of voluntary farmer disease reporting in passive surveillance systems: a scoping review. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 2021: p. 105487. arforth, C., Livestock keepers' reasons for doing and not doing things which 4. G governments, vets and scientists would like them to do. Zoonoses and public health, 2015. 62: p. 29-38. 5. P almer, S., F. Fozdar, and M. Sully, The effect of trust on West Australian farmers' responses to infectious livestock diseases. Sociologia Ruralis, 2009. 49(4): p. 360-374.
Finding 2.
ogg, M.A., Social identity and the group context of trust: Managing risk and 6. H building trust through belonging. Trust in cooperative risk management: Uncertainty and scepticism in the public mind, 2007: p. 51-72.
This study offers insights on how trust could be cultivated among farmers and their biosecurity agencies:
7.
• i mprove farmers’ perception of the governments’ benevolence (e.g., clarity on the process) and ability (e.g., expert response capability and contingency plans) in handling emergency disease outbreaks.
Platow, M.J., et al., Two experimental tests of trust in in‐group strangers: The moderating role of common knowledge of group membership. European Journal of Social Psychology, 2012. 42(1): p. 30-35.
8. Turner, J.C., Social influence. 1991: Thomson Brooks/Cole Publishing Co. 9. Mayer, R.C., J.H. Davis, and F.D. Schoorman, An integrative model of organizational trust. 10. Academy of management review, 1995. 20(3): p. 709-734.
• i ncrease a sense of shared social identity among industry and government. The results suggested that one way to improve this is for governments to increase industry’s confidence that they will be treated as true partners in disease investigations and responses.
For more information Researcher: Katie Scutt Australian National University (ANU) katharine.scutt@anu.edu.au Supervisor: Professor Iain Walker University of Melbourne (formerly ANU) iain.walker@unimelb.edu.au
• c onsider levels of farmer awareness of emergency response agreements for industries who are signatories. In this study, almost half of participants were unaware if their industry was a signatory. Emergency response agreements aim to encourage early reporting and outline how responses will be managed collaboratively among industry and governments— potentially enhancing perceptions of shared social identity, trust, ability, and benevolence.
23
I N D U S T R Y
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abcsoftware.co.nz +64 6 845 0068 hello@abcsoftware.co.nz AUTUMN 2022
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S U P P O R T U S & B E C O M E A N I N D U ST RY PA R T N E R
Support the largest horticultural group in Australia by becoming an Australian Berry Industry Partner with Berries Australia! To discuss your options in more detail, please contact Jen Rowling at Berries Australia on 0448 322 389 or email jenrowling@berries.net.au
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I N D U S T R Y
Nerrigundah Berries is for Fair Farms Samtui Selave, Growcom’s Fair Farms Program, Communications Officer
A family owned and operated berry farm in the Yarra Valley, Nerrigundah Berries, grows a delicious variety of berries including boysenberries, blueberries, and raspberries. They also made the move to become Fair Farms Certified this year. Nerrigundah Berries has been managed by Brialey Brightwell’s family for four generations and the move to become Fair Farms Certified has been described as “straightforward and simple,” by Brialey.
with our employees and I recognise them – in recent times we’ve got to know our employees better because we have to do daily health checks to manage our COVID risk,” Brialey said.
“Fair Farms just makes sense for Australian Farmers,” she said. Brialey decided to become Fair Farms Certified after finding out about the Australian-centric social compliance program a couple of years ago at a Berries Australia event on Queensland’s Gold Coast. “We were at this Berries Australia event, and we found out about Fair Farms there and were genuinely interested in it,” she said.
The realities of managing a family-owned farm means that Brialey is constantly donning different business hats. At times she’ll function as human resources, and at other times when she is short on pickers you can find her out with her team harvesting – this means that being a part of a straightforward program like Fair Farms makes farming life a little easier. “I love farming, it is a constant challenge of production and the elements,” she said. “We were one of the first farms to start early with hydroponics - which was a game changer. Every year we look at what we do and what we want to improve, and Fair Farms has been part of that. I would tell people who are thinking about joining Fair Farms that it is a good system and covers everything you should be doing in farming.”
“We were already with another social compliance program at the time, but decided that in the future we would look into Fair Farms after hearing about it at this event. We listened and asked questions and found it was super relevant to us.” Brialey said that the Fair Farms certification process including the online self-assessment and training platform were easy to understand and use, which gave Nerrigundah Berries the confidence to succeed at audit.
Fair Farms National Program Manager, Sachin Ayachit, said that it wasn’t a surprise that the program resonated with farms like Nerrigundah Berries.
“We decided to go with Fair Farms because it just makes more sense – it was more relevant to who we are and how we do things,” she said. “Some of the questions from our previous audit were just not relevant to us, or to any Australian farmer I know.”
“Fair Farms was developed for Australian growers by Australian growers – that is why farms find it so relevant to what they do. Fair Farms is also about acknowledging the outstanding work Australian horticulture farmers are already doing like Nerrigundah Berries. As we have done in the past and moving forward, we will always keep growers like Brialey at the forefront of what we do.”
Brialey said that Fair Farm’s emphasis on worker wellbeing aligned with how she treats her employees on a day-to-day basis. “We’re on a first name basis
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Brialey Brightwell picking berries. Photo credit: Nerrigundah Berries.
Ryan Brightwell planting berries. Photo credit: Nerrigundah Berries.
Fair Farms
Fair Farms is currently offering any new members who join before 31 March 2022:
Fair Farms is developed and delivered by Growcom with funding by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and is officially endorsed by the National Farmers Federation Horticulture Council, AUSVEG, and Fresh Markets Australia.
• 5 free training modules, should your online self-assessment identify training needs; • U p to 2 hours of free consultation with our Fair Farms Industry expert to help with onboarding to the scheme;
Join Fair Farms today to access an Australian-centric training and certification program including online training modules, one-on-one training and over-thephone support that helps your business showcase ethical employment practices to the supply chain.
• Access to regular Fair Farms webinars; and ree customised Fair Farms certification logo pack • F for you to use on trade-level communications (once certified) valued at $200.
For more information visit fairfarms.com.au/news
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Helping make Queensland farming dreams a reality Georgia Schefe, Marketing & Communications Officer, Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA)
Six years ago, Nathan Townsend and Tirtzah Hartvigsen were living on the Gold Coast when they decided they wanted a change of pace. They saw an ad for a Gympie macadamia farm in need of some repair and thought they would try their hand at farming. “Other than in the odd backyard around the Gold Coast, we hadn’t seen a macadamia tree before. But we said, why not give it a go?” Nathan explains.
Their first harvest produced only 3 tonne – now, they’re harvesting 60 tonnes of top-quality macadamias across 4,500 trees.
After purchasing the farm and spending four months cleaning it up, a visit from an agronomist confirmed that without a sustainable water supply, their farm had minimal hope of survival. “We started looking into what we had to do to really turn the farm around, and that’s where QRIDA came in. We immediately felt like QRIDA was an organisation we could trust,” Tirtzah says.
Nathan says, “For our way of life and the way that we are at this very minute, which is in a good position, we wouldn’t be there without that loan.”
QRIDA offers First Start Loans of up to $2 million and Sustainability Loans of up to $1.3 million. The loan term is for up to 20 years and interest rates can be fixed for 1, 3 and 5 years with interest-only options also available in some circumstances. Interest rates for loans drawn down from 1 February 2022 are 1.77% (1 year), 2.64% (3 year) and 3.03% (5 year).
Nathan and Tirtzah received finance to invest in irrigation across the property’s 2,700 trees. “If we hadn’t installed that irrigation, we’d be hundreds of thousands of dollars behind. The loan was vital. You only have to step foot on a farm without irrigation to see the difference, it’s like chalk and cheese. It’s an incredible help,” Nathan says.
There are no exit fees or charges and completed loan applications can be decisioned within 20 business days if all the necessary information is provided. First Start Loans assist producers in the initial years of establishing their primary production business. It may help aspiring producers ready to purchase their first block of land, carry out the family succession plan or achieve standalone viability. Sustainability Loans can help you invest in the latest infrastructure to create a viable future for your farming business including activities that improve farming system sustainability, natural resource sustainability and financial sustainability. QRIDA has approved 68 First Start Loans and 26 Sustainability Loans to date this financial year, totalling more than $67 million.
Soon after the couple settled in Gympie, Nathan’s parents purchased the macadamia property next door. When his parents decided to sell in April 2021, the couple jumped at the opportunity to expand their enterprise and secured a First Start Loan to do so. “It has really helped us… it was about security for the future,” Nathan says. “Other lenders put up barriers as soon as you mention farming, whereas QRIDA welcomed it.” Now with the two farms, Nathan and Tirtzah have produced an even better yield than they predicted.
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QRIDA has a network of Regional Area Managers across the state who are available to meet producers on-farm to speak about their options. Brian Coe, Regional Area Manager for the South East and Lockyer Valley, says,
It’s important not to self-assess. You could be cutting yourself short of a great opportunity. Every farm business is different and it’s important we have the conversation together about your individual business needs. Visit qrida.qld.gov.au or Freecall 1800 623 946 for more information today.
Young Macadamia nuts. Photo credit: Steven Giles. Advertisement
Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority
Grow your business with QRIDA Looking to start or grow your Queensland berry business? QRIDA has a network of Regional Area Managers located across Queensland who are ready to guide you through our range of low interest loans, including*: •
Sustainability Loans of up to $1.3 million to help you invest in new and emerging on-farm technologies, improve irrigation facilities, establish renewable energy systems, or purchase or upgrade plant and machinery
•
First Start Loans of up to $2 million to help you establish your first primary production enterprise. Low interest rates | Flexible repayment terms
Our team is ready to talk when you are. Contact us on 1800 623 946 to speak with your local Regional Area Manager or visit qrida.qld.gov.au *The information contained herein is for general information purposes only. You should not rely upon this information as a basis for making any business, legal or any other decisions.
1800 623 946 qrida.qld.gov.au
/QRIDAmedia
@we.are.qrida
/QRIDAmedia
/company/QRIDA
Authorised by the Queensland 29 Government, Turbot St, Brisbane
I N D U S T R Y
Masterclass delivered more than expected for learner farmers Catherine Gale-Stanton, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture
From suburban permaculture enthusiasts to commercial blueberry farmers, Cathryn Maloney and David Wareing embarked on a steep learning curve when they decided to take on Old Beach Berries in Tasmania. “It just happened that I had worked with one of the people who owned it. So, I contacted her, and it went from there,” Cathryn said. “We had planned to become more rural, not necessarily farmers, but it just seemed right at the time. It came up serendipitously, and it wasn’t too far from town, so we could still do our other jobs.” Saying goodbye to their quarter acre block that was home to a permaculture vegie garden, Cathryn and David moved in November 2019, and quickly launched into their first season “without really knowing what we were doing”. “There was a lot of maintenance work that needed to be done very quickly,” Cathryn said. “The previous owners put us in touch with some of their best workers who were happy to continue to work with us, so we employed one of them in a supervisory role. We did the best we could with that season – and got through it.
Cathryn Maloney from Old Beach Berries. Photo credit: Cathryn Maloney And before they had even clocked up 12 months as the new owners of Old Beach Berries, at Old Beach in Tasmania’s south, Cathryn had enrolled in a Masterclass in Horticultural Business offered through the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, a learning experience that she says delivered so much more than she expected.
“Looking back, I think it is amazing that we did what we did, we knew so little, and that is where the course helped so much.” The Masterclass in Horticultural Business is designed for people who are working in the horticultural industry to increase their agribusiness skills and gain a formal qualification.
Both allied health workers, the couple had plans to move from Hobart’s northern suburbs to a bigger property when Old Beach Berries came onto the market.
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“We are using a biological approach to the farming. We are using organic fertilisers and we don’t use any pesticides or herbicides at all,” Cathryn said.
It has been developed with the input from many of Australia’s current industry leaders and academics from Lincoln University (NZ), providing participants with knowledge and skills to grow their horticulture careers.
“We have had a massive yield this year. The number of berries and the size of the berries - we are anticipating the same for next year. So, that is down to the system we are using.
Cathryn joined the course in June 2020 and had done half the course by the time the next season arrived. “It really helped us with everything we had to have in place for the next season, but also all the tools we were introduced to, in terms of risk assessment, change management, and SWOT analysis. Which is a massive help with all the business planning and crunching the numbers.” Cathryn said she found the peer-to-peer learning via farm tours (virtual during the pandemic) was a highlight, while the generous information shared by other horticulture business owners was informative.
“The more we can build up the soil the healthier the bushes will be, the healthier the berries will be and that benefits everybody.” Neighbouring farmers and participants in the virtual farm tours offered through the masterclass Coaldale Walnuts shared their experience with soil. “They said soil is your first thing,” Cathryn said. “It all starts with the soil. So, it is nice to hear we are on the right track. And other things we are still learning.
“The virtual farm tours I found 1000 times more useful than I expected,” Cathryn said. “They were open and shared mistakes they made early on. “To know that multi-million-dollar businesses initially over capitalised but bounced back; there was so much applicability in what people were saying. Things that just resonated with us. “One of them said you’ve got to maintain your culture - the culture that you want to have. “And ours is we want to be welcoming, we want to have people of all abilities, nationalities, anyone is welcome on our farm. We want to have a sense of fun. He said: maintain that and employ people who align with that culture.”
“It was a great course, a great experience and great people. “When I put in my application, I said to David “we’ll learn how to prune!” “The focus is not on the horticultural side so much, although that did come into it, but it was just so much more than I expected.”
The Masterclass in Horticultural Business, funded by Hort Innovation, has helped professionals from across the country turn their business ideas into actionable business plans, so that they are ready to overcome challenges and reach their full potential.
The modules on people management were also a highlight for Cathryn, while an assignment on industry trends, helped her to understand where Old Beach Berries sat locally and globally.
The Strawberry Strategic Industry Advisory Panel has just announced it will fund two 50% scholarships per year for three years valued at $4000 each.
“People want to know where their food comes from, and they want to have less sprays on their food,” Cathryn said. “We are much smaller, so our point of difference is that we are a premium quality berry, a lot more of us are chemical free, or spray free, which a lot of consumers want. “At a couple of the virtual farm tours, the owners kept saying if you are small you have got to have that point of difference and usually it is going to be your quality, and your customer connections. “We talk to most of our customers personally, so that was really good for us. “Our brand is that ‘we are your local farm.’ You can come and pick berries, you can come and pick up berries or eggs after work, and you can bring your kids. That really fits for us.”
Recipients of a scholarship are required to: — complete the course within two years, — deliver a presentation about the scholarship and outcomes at either an industry relevant conference or in the industry magazine as agreed with the Hort Innovation representative.
For further information and details on how to apply visit: Masterclass in Horticultural Business | Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (bit.ly/MHB-UTAS)
While the farm’s 70 chickens are great pest controllers, Cathryn said they are also using organic practices across the 6.1-hectares of blueberries, cherries, and olives, with a plan to apply for organic certification next season.
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I N D U S T R Y
Track more, worry less – Next level traceability for Australian berries Melanie Wishart, GS1 Australia
Australia produces some of the most prized berry varieties in the world. Australian government and industry are placing significant importance on protecting the reputation and safety of our berries, and the farms that produce them. In January 2022, federal minister for agriculture, David Littleproud, announced funds of $68 million to support traceability of Australian products. Why traceability?
Back in the 1990’s, an agreement was struck between retailers, grower organisations and GS1. Retailers wanted barcodes to scan at point-of-sale, but growers didn’t want to pay for or manage their own numbers. Retailers agreed that they did not need the granularity of numbers by grower and the state-based grower associations agreed to play a role.
Traceability is key to the unique tracking of products, from origin to destination, and the insights available at each stage of the journey. So far, manual and paper-based processes such as spreadsheets, have been sufficient in tracking products to some degree. However, today’s consumers, regulators, retailers and food safety schemes require more granular, precise and timely information from the berry supply chain, especially when it comes to exports and time-critical incidents such as product recalls.
For the past 25 years, growers have been able to access barcode numbers from their grower association and a 250g punnet of strawberries from Queensland has carried the same number on it no matter which farm it has come from, unless the grower elected to obtain their own number.
GS1 barcodes are the foundation for traceability. They are used on products worldwide, delivering a unique number specific to each product that can be read and understood by any system or organisation across the globe. This means berry producers are better able to meet export market regulations and achieve greater brand protection.
The problem is, to the retailer they are all the same. Their systems simply record the sale of a 250g strawberry punnet from Queensland. This doesn’t allow for differentiation in any way. If there is a premium crop from one area or a single grower, they all get lumped in with the others. If there is contamination in one field, they all get tarred with the same brush. A recall is carried out on every item that bears that number – across the whole State.
Not all barcodes are equal
“I have a barcode on my punnets, so I’m good to go, right?”
Today, consumers and retailers expect more information and better visibility of what they are buying and selling. The time has come for individual identification (barcodes) at the grower level.
Not necessarily.
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Next level traceability for brand protection
When choosing a traceability software solution for your business, it’s important to ensure the system is capable of using GS1 standards. Some of the questions to ask a solution provider are:
Barcodes allocated by GS1 are only the beginning of an enhanced traceability system. Once these are in place, a software solution is required for scanning and automating the delivery of information, as products flow throughout the supply chain.
• D oes the solution use barcodes for product identification? oes the solution have the capability to • D maintain barcodes along with the ability to encode other data such as serial numbers and best-before dates?
As the Department of Agriculture mentions in the National Traceability Framework, ‘Evolving and emerging technologies may provide new solutions for tracing agricultural products and food through the supply chain. They have the potential to reduce the cost of tracing, and provide accurate, accessible and timely information and identification of goods.’
oes the solution support the allocation and • D application of unique barcodes for all levels of packaging hierarchy for a product?
Generic (non-standards based) questions to consider Cultivar
Description
Questions to Consider Asking
Solution Maturity
Knowing how long a solution has been in market helps define risk.
•H ow long has the solution provider been in business? •H ow long has the traceability solution been in the market? •W hat is your current presence in this country?
Suggested questions to ask your
support is provided • In which country is the cloud-based service or solution housed? Technical Support Solution Traceability Provider partners is usually important. • If I needed support, how would this be delivered? Understanding how
• I s the solution cloud based or desktop based?
Obtaining references
•D o you have case studies demonstrating business benefits and value proposition of your solution? Not scenario cancan be contact? covered within • Is every there apossible referenceimplementation site/implementation that we
References and may assist to qualify Casedeveloped Studiesfor organisations that This guide has been are about to capabilities and value. implement a traceability solution. It will assist in communicating your needs for GS1 standards-based solutions and learn more about current It may be helpful to solution provider capabilities regarding traceability and their use of know if the solution is GS1 standards. Fitness for Purpose
generic, customisable
industry specific. When considering symbology to use for on-pack or coding, questions relating to GS1 standards could be: “Does the traceability system have expectations reto the capability to maintain GS1 Identification Keys Setting along with the ability Value for money cost anddates, understanding encode Attribute Data (e.g. Serial numbers, Best-Before Batch or Lot Numbers)” are important. investment return.
IDENTIFY
this guide, however it can be used as a framework and foundation for traceability solution users, assisting to formulate additional questions to • their hat issolution the costproviders. of the solution and are there be ongoing askW Questions should selected based on the subscriptions fees charges? users’ needs. Please refer to the use case matrix provided for common • Who owns the data and how is data privacy managed? use-cases. Other considerations for solution selection not related to Traceability
• W GS1 hat isstandards the cost ofare thenot solution there and withinand theare scope ofongoing this guide. subscriptions fees charges? • Who owns the data and how is data privacy managed?
CAPTURE
SHARE
USE 1
For more information about enhanced traceability visit the GS1 Australia website or scan the QR code.
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Farm Diversification: Pick-Your-Own (PYO) & Farm Gate Sales — Littlewood Berry Farm Mark Salter, Berry Industry Development Officer, Fruit Growers Tasmania
Getting into berries
I recently travelled out to see berry grower Sophie Nichols - from Littlewood Berry Farm, who runs a successful PYO business near Richmond in Southern Tasmania. A first-generation berry grower, Sophie is also heavily involved in the management of the family’s other agricultural ventures including sheep and cropping properties.
The berry PYO business started from an idea her father had while visiting the UK about 15 years ago. Sophie’s dad came home quite enthusiastic to set something up, but it wasn’t until a few years later after discussions with her father that Sophie decided to go ahead and began researching how a ‘pick your own’ stream would fit into their existing farming business. Sophie initially consulted several similar berry businesses to see what works and what doesn’t, and after discussions and much deliberation she decided on a model that might work for them. She admits there were a few mistakes and a lot of trial and error, but notes that “at the end of the day it’s all about what works for us”. Sophie’s philosophy is simple “do the best job we can and fine tune what we are already doing well”. She started off planting 10,000 strawberry plants to get a feel for the business and to see which strawberry varieties worked best. Over the last few years plantings have increased to around 22,000 plants, with varieties including ‘San Andreas’ and ‘Albion’.
Meeting consumer needs Littlewood Berry Farm’s business is based on PYO strawberries, but also provides a retail storefront for ice cream, strawberry jam, fresh lamb, garlic, and sunflowers. The Littlewood Berry Farm site runs adjacent to Richmond Road which is a major tourist route in Tasmania’s Coal Valley wine region. This location provides plenty of tourists and passing traffic which meant a perfect location for a PYO business. This prominent location, combined with word of mouth,
The farm shop at Littlewood Berry Farm sells other products, such as ice cream, gin, coffee and local produce as well as the strawberries grown on site. Photo credit: Mark Salter, FGT
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Sophie also likes to emphasise the seasonality of farm produce which in her case includes berries, livestock and cropping. Sophie quite often hears comments like “I thought strawberries grew on trees” or “Lamb comes from the shops”!
FGT’s Seasonal Produce Guide and Facebook are the primary tools Sophie uses to promote her business. Littlewood Berry Farm also regularly supplies fresh strawberries to local restaurants when her plants are in season. Sophie has a background in hospitality which is helpful when dealing with the public and she continues to have many useful contacts in the industry.
Looking to the future Sophie explains there is no move to expand the berry business at this stage, particularly as she is heavily involved in managing the many day-to-day activities on the family’s farm sites. Like all berry businesses, trying to match supply with demand is a big challenge, particularly having strawberries available throughout the peak tourist period. Labour is also a challenge at times. Sophie relies on locals and prefers to retain the same crew each year. She employs up to 5 staff who are all locals and is putting one of her key staff through a farm apprenticeship program to help with staff retention.
Along with tourists and restaurants, Sophie also has a regular local following and particularly focuses on providing a family-friendly environment. This is supported by a clear focus on keeping the patch tidy, as well as the presence of a popular on-site coffee van run by her mother-in-law to help attract both locals and visitors. Providing an educational experience is also seen as part of the Littlewood Berry Farm success story. The business is a popular destination for school excursions and holiday programs, and puts an emphasis on educating visiting kids about where our food comes from and how it is grown. She is quite happy to explain how it really works on a farm.
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Các Rủi Ro Khi Thuê Lao Động Sachin Ayachit, Giám đốc Chương trình Quốc gia Fair Farms, Growcom
Đối với một số chủ nông trại, việc sử dụng một Nhà Cung Cấp Dịch Vụ Cho Thuê Lao Động (LHP) là một nhu cầu không thể tránh khỏi, đặc biệt là vào thời điểm thu hoạch. Hiểu rõ các quy trình trong việc sử dụng LHP để đảm bảo các thực hành thuê sử dụng người lao động một cách công bằng và có đạo đức là một việc rất quan trọng. Cách xác định một Nhà Cung Cấp Dịch Vụ Cho Thuê Lao Động (LHP) có trách nhiệm:
Việc sử dụng Nhà Cung Cấp Dịch Vụ Cho Thuê Lao Động (LHP) có thể giảm bớt gánh nặng cho các chủ nông trại trong việc tìm kiếm người lao động, nhưng điều đó không có nghĩa là luật lao động không áp dụng dành cho doanh nghiệp của bạn. Người chủ nông trại cần thận trọng khi sử dụng LHP và theo đó giám sát LHP để đảm bảo họ đang cung cấp người lao động một cách đúng đắn.
Một LHP có trách nhiệm sẽ: • C ó các chính sách và thủ tục về Sức Khỏe và An Toàn Nơi Làm Việc (WHS) cũng như quy trình giới thiệu và giám sát nhân viên • C ó sẵn một hệ thống để kiểm tra xem nhân viên có quyền làm việc hợp pháp ở Úc hay không
Thẩm định: doanh nghiệp của bạn nên áp dụng quy trình thẩm định trước khi sử dụng LHP
• L ưu giữ cẩn thận hồ sơ số giờ làm việc và số lương chi trả; và cung cấp đầy đủ phiếu lương cho nhân viên
Một điều lưu ý đối với các doanh nghiệp khi sử dụng LHP là không thuê lao động từ các LHP không có giấy phép. Bang Queensland, Victoria và Nam Úc hiện đã có luật yêu cầu giấy phép từ các LHP.
• C ó thỏa thuận lao động bằng văn bản và chỉ tuyển dụng người thông qua TFN của họ (không phải ABN cá nhân) • L HP đã được đăng ký (ABN hoặc ASIC) và đã hoạt động được một thời gian.
Một số câu hỏi dành cho LHP trước khi các doanh nghiệp quyết định sử dụng dịch vụ của họ bao gồm:
CẤP GIẤY PHÉP SỬ DỤNG LAO ĐỘNG
• C ơ sở của anh/chị có định chuyển hợp đồng công việc của tôi cho nhà thầu phụ nào khác không?
Hiện không phải bang nào cũng yêu cầu các nhà cung cấp Dịch vụ Cho thuê Lao động phải được cấp phép và cũng không có chương trình tiêu chuẩn quốc gia nào. Đối với bang Victoria, Queensland & Nam Úc, bạn có thể kiểm tra tình trạng giấy phép hiện tại như sau:
• C ơ sở của anh/chị định sử dụng bao nhiêu người lao động cho hợp đồng công việc của tôi? • C ơ sở của anh/chị có trả lương đúng quy định cho nhân viên của mình không?
VICTORIA W: labourhireauthority.vic.gov.au | P: 1300 545 200 E: enquiries@labourhireauthority.vic.gov.au
• C ơ sở của anh/chị sẽ áp dụng Mức Lương Thưởng hoặc Thỏa thuận Doanh nghiệp nào?
QUEENSLAND W: www.labourhire.qld.gov.au | P: 1300 576 088 E: www.labourhire.qld.gov.au/contact-us
• C ơ sở của anh/chị có lưu giữ hồ sơ nhân viên và cung cấp đầy đủ phiếu lương không?
NAM ÚC W: www.sa.gov.au/topics/business-and-trade/ licensing/labour-hire | P: 131 882 E: Career@sa.gov.auoccupational@sa.gov.au
• C ơ sở của anh/chị đã được thanh tra bởi Fair Work Ombudsman chưa? Kết quả là gì?
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Một số "báo động đỏ" cần xem xét khi đánh giá một LHP bao gồm:
Giám sát liên tục Việc quản lý các rủi ro liên quan đến lao động thuê từ bên ngoài đòi hỏi người chủ nông trại phải kiểm tra xem LHP có đang hoạt động một cách đúng đắn và hợp pháp hay không. Người chủ nông trại nên yêu cầu bằng chứng rằng những người lao động đang được trả lương đúng và không nên bỏ qua bất kỳ khiếu nại nào của người lao động được cung cấp từ LHP.
• K hông có khả năng cung cấp Giấy Chứng Nhận Bảo Hiểm như là bồi thường cho người lao động và trách nhiệm công cộng • L HP đã từng bị truy tố vì vi phạm WHS, FairWork hoặc Luật Di trú • LHP không thể xác định chính xác các mức lương
Fair Farms (các nông trại hoạt động công bằng)
• L HP sẽ không loại trừ việc ký hợp đồng cho nhà thầu phụ khác mà không có sự đồng ý
Để luôn cập nhật những tin tức quan trọng như các rủi ro từ Nhà Cung Cấp Dịch Vụ Cho Thuê Lao Động, hãy tham gia Fair Farms ngay hôm nay để tiếp cận chương trình đào tạo và cấp chứng chỉ bao gồm các mô-đun đào tạo trực tuyến, đào tạo trực tiếp và hỗ trợ qua điện thoại nhằm giúp cho thấy rằng doanh nghiệp của bạn là một doanh nghiệp có chương trình thuê sử dụng lao động có đạo đức đối với chuỗi cung ứng.
• L HP với mức giá có thể không cho phép việc đáp ứng các nghĩa vụ đối với nhân viên
Thỏa thuận bằng văn bản Chi phí lao động có thể là một trong những khoản chi phí đáng kể nhất mà các chủ nông trại phải gánh chịu. Với rất nhiều nguy cơ rủi ro, thông lệ kinh doanh tốt là nên có một thỏa thuận bằng văn bản và có hiệu lực pháp lý. Một thỏa thuận tốt sẽ yêu cầu LHP cung cấp bằng chứng rằng họ đang đáp ứng các nghĩa vụ pháp lý của mình và phải đảm bảo rằng không có việc chuyển hợp đồng cho nhà thầu phụ mà không thông qua sự đồng ý.
Để biết thêm thông tin, hãy truy cập fairfarms.com.au/news
Your go-to-guide for Australian horticulture industry data is out now. The 2020/21 edition of the Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook provides the most up-to-date production, international trade, processing volumes and fresh-market distribution insights available to help you plan for the future. View it now at www.horticulture.com.au/hort-stats 39
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A sustainable future for Hydroponic Substrates AGS have developed Australia’s first GrowFibre facility, designed to significantly improve the sustainability and environmental footprint of Australian substrate production. GrowFibre is best described as a lightweight, natural substrate with an excellent balance of water holding and porosity. This makes it perfectly suited for use in grow bags for hydroponic applications, among other things. Supply lines have been massively disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe. Goods that were once easily shipped from around the world have become increasingly difficult to obtain, and lead times have blown out dramatically, as have shipping costs. Businesses in all industries are searching for ways to lessen their impact on the natural environment. GrowFibre is made from Radiata Pine woodchips sourced from Victorian plantations. Not only does this make it a renewable resource, it also drastically reduces the carbon miles involved in getting the product from its origin to its destination. Buying material made in Victoria supports local industries and provides growers with greater security around supply. The production of GrowFibre consists of the thermal and mechanical defibration of local, ethically sourced Australian softwood chips, to create a sustainable wood fibre substrate. This process
generates temperatures that can exceed 100°C, thereby making a sterilised and safe material that can be used as a growing media. The physical and structural properties of GrowFibre can be adjusted very precisely within the process, which results in a consistent high-quality substrate. GrowFibre is the latest product released by Australian Growing Solutions (AGS), who are one of the largest manufacturers of professional grade growing media in the country, supplying to growers of ornamental plants, forestry stock and food crops. GrowFibre represents an exciting new chapter in the company’s story. In European markets, wood fibre has been growing in market acceptance and usage in container substrates over the past 20 years. GrowFibre is an exciting alternative to current substrates such as coir, peat, rockwool and sawdust. A significant benefit of GrowFibre over coir is the fact that it avoids the need to flush the material with clean water and calcium nitrate. GrowFibre is also renewable in our lifetime, unlike peat moss. GrowFibre has a pH close to neutral and has low salt content and EC levels relative to other raw materials, which means you can consider it inert, providing you with a blank canvas. The future is bright for GrowFibre in Australia. It is only the start of your growing media options. Incorporation of other mediums and supplements are possible, which means optimising your own local Australian growth solution is now possible. Talk to your AGS representative about how you can take advantage of these benefits and have GrowFibre incorporated into your sustainable growing substrate. Development trials in conjunction with AGS are welcome.
Australia’s new sustainable growing substrate. R U B U S
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R U B U S
Profile: Richard Winspear, Berried in Tas Mark Salter, Berry Industry Development Officer, Fruit Growers Tasmania
I recently travelled to Carrick in Northern Tasmania to speak with Richard Winspear, Managing Director with Berried in Tas. Richard was born in Tasmania but left as a teenager to complete his schooling in Queensland. He then went on to gain a Bachelor of Business and Finance and from there he moved to Hong Kong where he spent 15 years working in Investment banking. After a long period away from Tasmania Richard decided to return. Captivated by Tasmania’s pristine environment and reputation for premium fruit, he was keen to look at the potential for berry production. Building a business
Berried in Tas currently produce 600 tonnes of strawberries from 8.5 hectares of tunnels. Berried in Tas have a further 6 hectares of field-grown strawberries which were originally put in as a trial block, and Richard says he will be gradually phasing this block out with the aim to grow all the fruit in tunnels. Berried in Tas also has 9 hectares of the raspberry variety ‘Kwanza’ chosen because it is a high yielding variety with large, sweet fruit. As a primocane type, this variety produces fruit initially from March through to June and then again in December through to January the following season, which enables the season to be spread over many months. The raspberries are grown in tunnels using pots with a coir substrate, with trials currently being conducted to ascertain ideal cane densities for optimum production and fruit quality. There are also plans to grow ‘Kwanza’ as a long cane raspberry to extend the season even further.
Richard explains climate and access to water were the main reasons for establishing a berry business in the Carrick area. Richard purchased a property in Carrick in 2016 along with 4 other investors and began to develop the property into berries. Today the property has 80 ML of on-farm dam storage, as well as access to 80 ML from the Whitemore irrigation scheme and a further 200 ML from the Liffey River. So far, berry production on the site currently uses 80 ML, leaving plenty of water available at the site to support future expansion plans. Richard has also put a lot of effort into building a great team which can support the business as it continues to grow. I was fortunate to be introduced to some of these team members during my visit, including Sumit Bhandari, who is the Senior Agronomist. Sumit manages farm activities including pest and disease management and irrigation management and has a Bachelor of Biotech Engineering and a Masters in Agricultural Science.
Initially Richard relied on locals and backpackers to harvest this fruit, but with the COVID outbreak and labour shortages across the board he began utilising a labour-hire company to provide his seasonal work force. This year Berried in Tas became an Approved Employer with the Seasonal Worker Program and now employs directly with the program making it easier to manage labour during the season. One of the major benefits of being part of the program is that most of his picking staff are now returning each year. They bring with them the experience from the previous year and so they are already trained and therefore more productive.
Production Early on, Berried in Tas partnered with Perfection Fresh, who market the fruit under the ‘Perfection’ brand in Tasmania and on the mainland. Perfection also supports their growers with access to the latest berry varieties. The ‘Arabella’ strawberry variety was chosen because of its high brix, solid sweet fruit and high yields of around 1kg of packed fruit per plant.
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Raspberries growing in tunnels at Berried in Tas. Photo credit: Berried in Tas.
'Kwanza' raspberry variety is the one selected by Richard for its large, sweet fruit. Photo credit: Berried in Tas.
Sumit Bhandari, Senior Agronomist and farm owner, Richard Winspear. Photo credit: Berried in Tas.
Berried in Tas site at Carrick in northern Tasmania seen from the air. Photo credit: Berried in Tas.
Pest and disease management
Challenges and the future
Speaking on pest and disease management, Sumit notes that the main pests in both strawberries and raspberries are Two spotted mite, Mirids and Green stink bugs. Two spotted mite populations start building early in the season, and to manage the population he releases Persimilis beneficial mites.
Richard is very positive for the future, in particular about the berry category, and is expanding his strawberry production operation with another 9 hectares of tunnels currently under construction. He says the Tasmanian berry industry has a lot going for it with its long growing season, fantastic genetics, and great reputation for quality food.
In contrast, Mirids, Green stink bugs and other sucking insects occur later, and typically become a problem mid-season as the weather warms up.
Richard explains this year has already been very challenging with the recent COVID outbreak. It has not only affected his harvest schedule with many of his casual staff absent from time to time, but has also caused logistic and transport issues. He has experienced delays in receiving supplies of packaging and other inputs plus delays in transporting fruit to markets on the mainland.
Controlling these two pests at the same time can be challenging, as the preferred time to achieve early control of the Mirids and Green stink bugs occurs when Persimilis is still actively controlling the Two spotted mite. Sumit explains that they wait until the Two spotted mite population starts to decline before using agrichemicals to manage Mirids and stink bug populations so that it doesn’t impact too greatly on his beneficial insects.
Richard also cites other challenges including the continuing increase in the costs of production, driven by rising packaging, coir, fertiliser, wages and other farm input costs.
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What are the latest trends in raspberries? Jamie Petchell, Global Plant Genetics Company Lead in Raspberry, Blackberry, asparagus, and nuts Key elements of these intensive systems, in addition to the protected cropping structures, include the use of high quality, potted long cane plants. This type of plant material allows high yields of excellent quality fruit to be harvested around 90 days from planting. Substrate production also significantly reduces the risk of disease in the crop, particularly soil-borne pathogens. Furthermore, the use of double-cropping primocane varieties means that two crops can be harvested from the same plantation per year. At Global Plant Genetics, we work closely with the raspberry breeding programme at the James Hutton Institute in the UK. In the recent past, we have brought to market four new varieties that in combination, offer great quality and high yields over a prolonged harvesting window. The ‘Skye’ raspberry variety is a true doublecropping, primocane type that yields heavily in both the spring and autumn crops. Fruit quality in terms of size, shelf-life, colour and flavour are industry-leading. In addition, it's low-chilling nature means that it can be grown in a range of climates.
Jamie Petchell, Global Plant Genetics. Photo credit: Global Plant Genetics. Raspberry production, marketing and consumption have developed tremendously in the recent past. In many parts of the world, the raspberry sector is now completely unrecognisable for where it was at the turn of the century. These changes are across a whole range of areas, from new production methods and improved varieties to culinary uses. Now is certainly an exciting time to be involved in the raspberry industry. Below, we will examine the current situation in a little more detail as well as looking a little further into the future to see how things might develop.
‘Lewis’ or ‘Bonnie Lewis’ as it is known in the USA is a true primocane type that yields early in the primocane season, dovetailing nicely with Skye in that picking window. It also has excellent fruit quality with outstanding flavour and really good shelf-life. Lewis can also be double-cropped, and it is in its floricane harvest where Brix levels have been recorded at 14%.
Global raspberry plantings have almost doubled from 1990 to the present day, where they are estimated at 125,000 hectares. A large proportion of this area is in the processed product such as canning, desserts and juices. Fresh production accounts for approximately 30% of the total hectarage, but significantly more in terms of tonnes produced. Plantations for the processing industry tend to be on a larger scale with more traditional extensive production methods employed. The fresh raspberry industry these days is almost all under protected cropping structures, with much grown in high-density, intensive growing systems.
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‘Glen Mor’ is a low-chill floricane type that also has the distinction of bearing tip-fruit late in the primocane season. This variety is the first one to be released from the breeding programme with the genetic marker are Rub118b, conferring resistance to Raspberry root rot, Phytophthora Rubi. In addition, the variety has an early cropping season and excellent fruit quality, including size, colour, shape, shelf-life and flavour.
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New raspberry varieties. Photo credit: Global Plant Genetics. ‘Glen Carron’ is the fourth raspberry from this programme represented by Global Plant Genetics. It is a high-chill floricane variety that is particularly suited to long cane production methods. It crops early in the summer season and has outstanding fruit yields. Further, fruit quality is excellent, and Glen Carron consistently ranked among the best in taste panels.
Traditionalists often prefer some bite and acidity in their raspberries, and we certainly taste less of this with some modern day varieties. The younger palate might prefer sweeter berries, as with other crops and foodstuffs. What is for sure is that modern breeding techniques will enable the development of both or either much more rapidly than in the past.
Raspberry breeding has developed significantly over the past decade, and it is now expected for any new release to be able to withstand the rigours of the modern day supply chain. This means that shelf-life is almost unrecognisable from popular varieties at the turn of the century.
Genetic markers, such as those in the ‘Glen Mor’ cultivar, could be developed for a whole range of other traits in new raspberry varieties. We expect them to become much more important in the raspberry breeding of the future. New markers in terms of fruit size, shelf-life, yield metrics and indeed, flavour could all be developed in the near future. This would mean that better varieties in all of these aspects could be developed much more rapidly than by employing traditional breeding techniques.
Where next for raspberry breeding in terms of fruit quality? Now that consumers expect and generally receive a consistently good quality product on retailers’ shelves, one area that could be explored further is that of flavour. Raspberry flavour can be a divisive subject.
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Australian Raspberries & Blackberries Marketing Update Monique Emmi, Senior Brand Manager, Hort Innovation
• As we reported in the last Marketing Update, the campaign continues to inspire Aussie consumers to ‘add some oomph’ to their day. • The media partnership with Are Media continues and has delivered some great results already. • Three major channels have featured articles; Australian Women’s Weekly, New Idea & Marie Claire.
Attention-grabbing headlines like these have captured berry-lovers’ imagination and provided a great way to introduce some of the key messages that raspberries & blackberries have to share...
" 5 most powerful things you can do to set the tone for a positive day " " H ealthy benefits you get from eating berries daily " " E at this for the perfect start to the day "
Social media success To date, the Australian Raspberries and Blackberries activity has resulted in more than 3.8 million impressions and 160,000 engagements via social media, where we are sharing engaging content to educate, inspire and encourage purchase of Australian Raspberries and Blackberries. As part of the FY22 campaign, we have developed new content with food photographer, Eats with Marie, who has created five new breakfast recipes with raspberries and blackberries, along with some stunning produce shots. Marie's recipes have been performing well on social media, with her Raspberry and Blackberry fondue platter and Blackberry Crumpets being amongst the best performing posts in the campaign to date.
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Stunning recipe content continues to drive very strong engagement rates on Instagram, resonating with our foodie audience on the channel. Australian Raspberries and Blackberries has partnered with three new creative foodie influencers, to create new content and share inspirational raspberry and blackberry recipes with their audience. Anisa Sabet (26.7k Instagram followers) creating a raspberry and blackberry trifle; Melanie Lionello (124k Instagram followers) creating three new recipes and @Gatherandfeast (342k followers) two new delicious breakfast recipes with fresh raspberries and blackberries. The influencer content commenced rolling out in January and will be spread across the peak season.
A social competition is going live in February on the @freshaussieberries Facebook and Instagram, encouraging fans to share their favourite ways to add some oomph with Australian raspberries and blackberries for the chance to win a SMEG mixer with a value of $649.
A divine trifle from @anisa.sabet
This is a great way to get our consumers to interact with our brand channels and share their love of fresh Aussie raspberries & blackberries.This also will help develop new user generated content. On Facebook an entrant must comment on and tag the competition post sharing their favourite way to add berries to their brekky or brunch. On Instagram they need to follow @freshaussieberries, and comment on the competition post sharing their favourite ways to add berries to their brekky or brunch.
Delicious new recipe photography from Ashley @Gatherandfeast
Inspiration delivered through an Instazine In our last report, we talked about the Instazine content that was planned, turning an Instagram post into a digital magazine to encourage social sharing. Here’s the content which online is shown as a series of pages flicking from one to the next.
See more on our social media pages FACEBOOK-SQUARE instagram freshaussieberries
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IPM Notes 2.0 Sucking Bugs Michele Buntain & Steven Quarrell, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture Mark Salter, Fruit Growers Tasmania
Bugs, there’s no better way of describing them, they really suck. The true bugs needle-like mouths puncture and suck buds, flowers and even fruit, causing crop loss. The unique fruit structure of raspberries and blackberries means that damage to just a few drupelets can make fruit unmarketable. Which bugs? True bugs are a huge group of over 40,000 species. In Australia, two groups are particularly bothersome to Rubus, the shield bugs and mirids. SHIELD BUGS • Green Vegetable Bug (GVB - Nezara viridula) • Green Stink Bug (GSB - Plautia affinis)
Figure 1. Green Vegetable Bug (GVB – Nezara viridula) on raspberry. Photo credit: Michele Buntain
Figure 2. Green Stink Bug (GSB – Plautia affinis). Photo credit: Brisbaneinsects.com
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MIRIDS • Crop mirid (Sidnia kinbergi) • Green mirid (Creontiades dilatus) • Brown mirid (Creontiades pacificus)
Figure 3. Crop mirid adult (L) and juvenile (R), (Sidnia kinbergi). Photo credit: Denis Crawford
Figure 4. Green mirid (Creontiades dilatus) on raspberry. Photo credit: Emma Nightingale
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Distribution and breeding
Others such as Cottonseed bug (Oxycarenus luctuosus), Potato mirid (Calocorus norvegicus), Brokenback mirid (Taylorilygus apicalis) and Rutherglen bug (Nysius vinitor) can also be troublesome in some regions in some seasons particularly in dry years when vegetation surrounding the crop is able to provide them with the resources they require to survive. Exotic bugs high on the biosecurity radar but not currently resident in Australia include Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Consperse Stink Bug, Tarnished Plant Bug, and the Glassy Winged Sharpshooter, a vector for Xylella disease. So, keeping an eye on bugs in your crop makes good sense.
Complicating sucking bug control is their wide host range and distribution across Australia. In warmer climates, adults can be present in a crop all year round. In cooler regions, adult green vegetable bugs (GVB) and green stink bugs (GSB) overwinter on other hosts such as weeds and pasture, under bark or even in farm sheds. GVB adults are relatively long lived (37-50 days) and have a high reproductive capacity of between 200- 350 eggs per female. Mirids usually overwinter in low numbers and the population increases again as temperatures rise. They disperse by short flights or migrate longer distances on wind currents for example both green mirid and Rutherglen bugs occur in Tasmania solely due to adult migration on northerly air flows from mainland Australia. Others such as the Australia crop mirid can breed and produce more than one generation in a crop, with generation times of 3-4 weeks under favourable conditions.
Damage The key issue with bugs is the way they feed, when they feed, and what this does to a berry. Their mouth structure, technically a stylet, is designed to pierce, puncture and suck from soft plant tissue. Some also release enzymes that help dissolve and digest the plant causing death of surrounding tissues. To make matters worse, the feeding mechanism bugs use provides a clear pathway for bacterial and virus transmission. They target high sugar loaded soft tissue, with young buds, flowers and fruit being super susceptible. Infuriatingly, bugs can often go undetected until after the damage becomes obvious and they have moved on leaving deformed or aborted flowers and fruit. GVB and stink bugs hiding in fruit clusters become an unwelcome stinky contaminant. Despite their elusive behaviour, they can cause significant damage with research showing mirid feeding can cause not just deformed, unmarketable fruit but also a 57% decrease in berry weight.
Management options in Rubus Monitoring The first step to management is knowing when, what and how many bugs are in your crop, particularly at vulnerable plant growth stages. Emma Nightingale, Tasmania’s Costa Rubus agronomist, studied mirids in her final year at UTAS in 2016. Emma tested sticky, water and light traps, beating buckets, sweep netting, vacuum collection. The most effective method for all life stages of mirids was sweep netting in the mid to late afternoon (3 pm to 6 pm) along the top of the canopy. This takes around 2 minutes/100 m of row. Beat sheet and bucket sampling have been used in other crops for shield bugs (GVB and GSB). Insect ‘Zappa’ traps that use UV wavelengths specific to pest species including GVB and mirids have been successfully trialled in cotton for pest monitoring, particularly as an early warning system for migrating mirids. More recently, research has focused on the identification of specific insect pheromones. Researchers from Australian company EcoKimiko IPM have developed a pheromone specific to green mirid which they sell under licence.
Figure 5: Damage caused by sucking bugs to blackberry. Photo credit: TIA
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Cultural management
Putting it all together
Cultural management poses the question of whether we remove plants that are attractive to pests from around the crop or deliberately plant specific trap crops that the bugs prefer. GVB is known to breed on weeds such as wild turnip, wild radish and variegated thistle so removing these should be a priority. New Zealand field scale research found black mustard to be an effective trap crop for GVB whilst lucerne is a preferred feeding host for mirids and lygus bugs in the US. Emma Nightingale’s research in Tasmania collected over 80 mirids/sweep from lucerne compared to a maximum of 25/sweep in neighbouring raspberries. With further research on their management, trap crops could play an important role in the IPM of sucking bugs.
Like any pest within an IPM system, sucking bug management in Rubus is going to require multiple strategies if successful control is to be achieved. Although chemical controls may alleviate sucking bug damage, these gains will be short lived without the use of other non-chemical controls aimed at reducing ongoing pest pressure. Similarly, the over utilisation of chemical controls may also suppress natural enemies (including those you’ve introduced) and create secondary pest outbreaks, which may require further interventions that impact on your profitability. Despite having this understanding, IPM in Australian Rubus is still in its infancy particularly within protected cropping systems. For this reason, more research on how to combine the best monitoring options, trap cropping, weed management and the appropriate use of new chemistry is needed to make sure that the system performs at its best, and is sustainable for years to come.
Biological management There are many generalist predators of mirids including the assassin bug, damsel bug and small mirid. Other natural enemies include the Lynx spider and the Yellow Night Stalker. A Queensland study in the late ‘90s found a range of predators of GVB with the most effective being the 2 wasp egg parasitoids Trissolocus basalis and Telenomus sp. Both GVB and GSB eggs turn black once parasitised. Ants, spiders and predatory insects (e.g. lacewing larva) predate on the nymphs whilst the final instar and adult are parasitised by the tachinid fly (Trichopoda giacomellii) recently introduced into NSW and Qld cotton.
Chemical management Currently there are very limited options for nondisruptive chemical management of bugs in Rubus. Transform® (sulfoxaflor) is toxic to bees, whilst Pyrethrin is a broad-spectrum knockdown. MainMan® (flonicamid) is more compatible with IPM programs when used at low rates and is selective for sucking insects like mirids, aphids GVB and GSB. In the pipeline is the new IPM compatible product Sivanto® Prime (flupyradifurone) which will undergo efficacy and residue trials in Rubus over the next 2 seasons. Both Mainman and Sivanto Prime are restricted in the number of applications per season so if approved will need to be used very strategically as a component of a well-developed IPM program.
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BETTER PACKAGING = FRESHER PRODUCE Berry growers, delivery companies and produce retailers know that “fresh is best!” is more than a catchy slogan – it’s essential to keeping your customers satisfied and coming back, and key to a grower’s reputation. There’s a lot that can go wrong in the process of getting berries and fresh produce from the farm to the customer’s fridge! That’s why one of the most important things to get right is your packaging.
There are many different types of packaging materials for fruits on the market. PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic punnets protect the berries by encapsulating them in a plastic box. At Multisteps, we know that the design of the punnet and the quality of PET plastic are crucial considerations. A good PET plastic punnet must be robust enough to protect your produce, resisting physical and environmental damage during packaging, storage, and transportation. However, there’s a lot of plastic fruit packaging suppliers in the market, so what’s important to look for when selecting one? One consideration is that a punnet not sufficiently rigid can lead to the berry being bruised, impacting its freshness so that some will be unsaleable by the time it reaches the retailer. At Multisteps, we work closely with the berry industry, and we understand that return on investment is a key consideration. Our market position as an industry leader in PET plastic packaging has enabled us to help many customers achieve less spoilage, fresher produce, improved quality and superior merchandising.
We offer end-to-end packaging solutions that are backed by innovation, customisation, premium quality control and exceptional customer service
With our extensive specialist knowledge, you can rest assured of freshness, quality and sustainability without compromise
Multisteps packaging is food safety certified by HACCP Australia and is recyclable PET punnets have exceptional clarity for Our superior merchandising
This is further enhanced by our labelling capabilities - we can apply a grower’s label artwork or design the label artwork
Multisteps has locations across Australia Our national footprint delivers the highest level of quality with reliable, quick turnaround supply into your facility
Our friendly team provides knowledgeable and responsive service every step of the way. Adding to our local capabilities, our Queensland manufacturing facility in Narangba will open in 2022
GET IN TOUCH WITH US TODAY TO DISCUSS BERRY PACKAGING SOLUTIONS TO MEET YOUR NEEDS.
Visit multisteps.com.au or call us on 1300 228 077
S T R A W B E R R I E S
Victorian research the first line of defence for a threatening strawberry pathogen, Xanthomonas fragariae Madeleine Quirk, Project Officer, AUSVEG
Protecting industry
• X anthomonas fragariae (X. fragariae) is a bacterial pathogen that causes a disease known as angular leaf spot (ALS) in strawberries.
While Australia remains free from X. fragariae and therefore ALS, there have been three successful eradication efforts over the last fifty years. In 1975, ALS was detected in New South Wales, in 1994, ALS was detected in South Australia, and in 2010, ALS was detected in Queensland.
• Whilst not found in Australia, it is a high priority for the strawberry industry capable of impacting plant growth, fruit quality, and production, as well as putting Australia’s strawberry exports at risk.
But eradication is time consuming and costly, so it is important to have the most updated tools and technology to identify pathogens rapidly and accurately.
• As part of the Boosting Diagnostics for Plant Production Industries project, Agriculture Victoria is working on surge capacity for X. fragariae
Agriculture Victoria’s research is seeking to achieve this, so that if X. fragariae is ever detected, Australia can diagnose, eradicate, and manage the problem faster than ever before.
Signs and symptoms of X. fragariae include small watersoaked lesions or spots on the underside of the leaves. The edges of new lesions may look ‘angular’ in shape. These symptoms can be very similar to other pathogens that affect strawberries, so how do we know if we have found this new pathogen? The answer is, we need experts and specialised diagnostics to find out for us.
Before any scientific testing can be used in common practice, reviewing internationally available tests is essential. Agriculture Victoria researchers reviewed the literature to understand the types of tests available for detection of X. fragariae, including the most sensitive and suitable testing.
Reviewing the literature
Using the literature, the researchers narrowed down their recommendations to two key methods: high throughput PCR testing for laboratory purposes, and loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) testing for in-field detection. All the information from the literature review will assist with updating the National Diagnostic Protocol (NDP) for X. fragariae based on the best available information at the time. NDPs are the documents that Australian scientists need to follow to accurately diagnose a specific pest or pathogen.
As part of the Boosting Diagnostics for Plant Production Industries project, Agriculture Victoria is working on surge capacity for X. fragariae. They are focusing their efforts on laboratory diagnostics, in-field detection, and updating the National Diagnostic Protocol to prepare for this pathogen. Boosting Diagnostics Project Officer Maddy Quirk speaks to Dr. Fiona Constable, Dr. Rachel Mann, Elisse Nogarotto, and Jodie Crowder from Agriculture Victoria Research.
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Xanthomonas fragariae lesions on a strawberry leaf. Photo credit: Gerald Holmes, Strawberry Center, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Bugwood.org
Exploring different sampling methods
In-field techniques
To diagnose a pest or disease accurately, you first need a good sample taken from the part of the plant you are most likely to find the pathogen. For laboratory testing of strawberries, DNA is extracted and analysed. But what we may not know is that it can be extremely difficult to extract DNA from strawberries and the tissue type and the time of the year it is sampled can influence the quality of the DNA. For this reason, Agriculture Victoria is testing different extraction procedures to understand what part of the strawberry sample provides the best quality, and which can be applied to high throughput PCR testing in the lab.
It is critical to focus efforts on in-field testing techniques that are recognised internationally, and as such Agriculture Victoria has been looking at international research to understand the best in-field techniques for Australia. These techniques are known as LAMP tests, which are used in field and can produce a result in approximately an hour. Agriculture Victoria are currently assessing the specificity and sensitivity of two LAMP tests and from there, they will be able to recommend which LAMP will be the best fit for Australia. The use of a LAMP tool has proven to be useful for Queensland fruit fly across the Victorian cherry industry to support market access, and this could become the norm for the strawberry industry and X. fragariae if it ever became established in Australia.
‘To evaluate sampling and extraction procedures, we collected wild strawberry samples in summer, December 2020, and material from a commercial strawberry variety in autumn, March 2021,’ the research team explained.
Dr Fiona Constable said ‘The LAMP would not just be for fruit crops but could also include runner production. Runners get transferred across Australia, and this could be really important for that purpose, to provide evidence that the material isn’t infected before it is sent interstate.’
Sampling in both December and March was critical, allowing comparison of a few different extraction methods across different seasons to see which part of the plant and at what time of year would provide the best result. Dr Rachel Mann explained ‘Knowing what to sample and when to sample is your baseline for testing. If you don’t get decent DNA, the testing can be the best test in the world, but the sensitivity is poor.’
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Biosecurity agencies, which sit between Agriculture Victoria’s diagnostic laboratory and industry, may also be responsible for using this in-field technology.
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Validating tests
For more information on this research, please contact Dr. Fiona Constable at: E: fiona.constable@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Agriculture Victoria’s role is to make sure that they aren’t detecting any false positive results when creating tests specific to X. fragariae. In both PCR and LAMP technology, they are working to detect all strains of X. fragariae, but also make sure that they’re not accidentally detecting anything outside of that target species.
For further details about the Boosting Diagnostics project, please contact AUSVEG Project Officer Madeleine Quirk on: P: 03 9882 0277 E: madeleine.quirk@ausveg.com.au
Dr Rachel Mann explained ‘We don’t always have all the genetic information available to us to design the test. Sometimes the test might pick up something in the environment that wasn’t initially accounted for.’ This could include closely related bacteria or another organism altogether, but regardless it is critical to validate these tests across a broad range of material from different regions to make sure they are not going to get false positive results. To assist, Agriculture Victoria has sourced a large collection of positive DNA controls internationally. This has enabled the team to demonstrate that these tests detect X. fragariae.
This project is supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation through funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment – as part of its Rural R&D for Profit program – and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation, Hort Innovation, Wine Australia, Sugar Research Australia, and Forest and Wood Products Australia.
Working collaboratively Agriculture Victoria will be working with other laboratories across Australia to receive interstate samples, which will assist with the validation process. However, several interstate laboratories will also be interested in adopting the technology themselves. To facilitate adoption by interstate labs Agriculture Victoria plans to run a workshop to demonstrate the PCR and LAMP technology, which will form an important part of the extension element of this project. This technology will be included in the updated NDP and will be available for all to access. For industry, this work means that strawberry growers will be guided as to which season and which tissue type will be best to sample for X. fragariae. For industry representatives who may be doing field testing, they will also know how to sample to get an accurate result.
The Boosting Diagnostics for Plant Production Industries project is a partnership between the Grains Research and Development Corporation; Cotton Research and Development Corporation; Hort Innovation; Wine Australia; Sugar Research Australia Ltd; Forest and Wood Products Australia Ltd; AgriFutures Australia; Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO); Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development (SARDI); Western Australian Agricultural Authority; Department of Jobs Precincts and Regions (VIC); Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QLD); Department of Primary Industries (NSW); Department of Primary Industry and Resources (NT); Biosecurity Tasmania; Plant Health Australia; Plant and Food Research; AUSVEG Ltd; Cesar Pty Ltd; and Bio-Protection Research Centre.
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What does the Certification label on a box of strawberry plants really mean? Suzette Argent, Berry Industry Development Officer, Queensland
It is an important label that certifies the plants have been produced through an audited production system which aims to produce the healthiest bare-rooted runner and plug plants possible. If plants are certified:
What if a plant is not certified?
The plant has been grown to the high standards outlined in the certification scheme
may not have been grown to the standards outlined by Plants the certification scheme. Please note that sometimes events
(approved through an audit process)
The plant is true to type (it is the variety originally bred)
Plants should meet pre-defined standards with respect to agreed parameters like size or disease incidence, for example.
totally out of the control of plant propagators may impact on their certification status. For example, certification may not be able to be given if the plants are potentially unable to perform to the expected standards, due to weather or other issues.
Note: A commercial fruit grower and plant propagator can still enter into an agreement to buy non-certified plants if the purchaser is firstly advised that the plants are not certified, and the quality of plants being purchased has been defined.
What is the purpose of the Strawberry Plant accreditation schemes in Australia? The purpose of the Australian Strawberry Plant Accreditation Scheme is to facilitate the production of healthy true-to-type bare-rooted runners and plug plants. Strawberry plant accreditation schemes are independent bodies who set standards and ensure propagators produce strawberry plants using the best protocol and practices available. There are two accreditation schemes in Australia for strawberry propagators 1. The Victorian Strawberry Industry Certification Authority Inc. (VSICA) 2. Australian Strawberry Plant Propagators Accreditation (ASPAA) For more information about ASPAA, please refer to the SUMMER 2020 edition of this journal. To propagate certified strawberry plants for commercial sale in Australia, each plant propagator must normally be accredited with a body such as ASPAA or VSICA. They must also have a signed non-exclusive or an exclusive sublicense from a licensor who owns the variety Intellectual Property (IP) which is known as the Plant Breeders Rights (PBR). It is very common for many of these sub-licences to have clauses that state that varieties must be produced under an accreditation scheme, and of course cannot be propagated any further. However, some IP owners may have their own rules and regulations for plant production and operate outside the major two schemes.
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H OW ST R AW B E R RY P L A N T C E R T I F I C AT I O N W O R KS
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A new variety is bred & registered for Intellectual Property (IP) protection
The plant breeder may register the variety under Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) legislation, which prohibits unauthorised propagation of the new variety. The variety may have been bred in Australia, or overseas and subsequently imported into Australia through quarantine.
Sub-licence agreements are developed with plant propagators which allow them to grow and sell commercial quantities of a variety. It is usual for a royalty fee to be paid to the PBR owner, to cover all the long-term costs associated with breeding a new variety.
Before plants go into a high health facility for propagation and long-term maintenance they are screened for pests and diseases (especially viruses and similar organisms).
3
They are also subjected to further testing to ensure they have minimal disease and pests. After this process is completed, they are multiplied in small numbers to then be supplied to plant propagators who hold a sub-licence to grow the specific variety.
Propagators grow plants following standards set by VSICA or ASPAA
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After the audit process is completed, the accreditation scheme (ASPAA or VSICA) will make a decision whether to approve plants to be sold as ‘Certified’ plants.
Plants are sold to fruit growers
This process ensures plants are as healthy as possible & are usually described as high health plants.
Accredited plant propagators grow plants following strict rules to ensure the high health status of plants is maintained and the plants stay ‘true to type’ (like the original variety bred).
An independent audit process is undertaken to check that the growing practices and standards of the accreditation scheme have been followed. This include testing plants to ensure they are genetically like the original plant breed (true to type).
The independent auditor can recommend remedial actions to be taken.
2
Propagator(s) are accredited and sign a sub-licence to grow the new variety
Plants are audited for quality: ONLY those plants which pass can be sold as ‘Certified’
If an audit fails for whatever reason, or the accreditation scheme is not satisfied that the quality of the plants will meet the required standards, they cannot be sold as ‘Certified’ plants.
Plant propagators can only sell plants which have failed to meet the required standards as ‘non-certified’ and they must receive in writing an acknowledgment from the purchaser (fruit grower) buying the plants that the plants they are buying are not certified before plants can be sold.
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Grow your career in horticulture: AUSVEG highlights diverse range of jobs in the sector Sophie Burge, AUSVEG Communications Officer
AUSVEG, the peak industry body for vegetable and potato growers, has launched the Grow Your Career in Horticulture video series, which highlights the diverse range of careers in the Australian horticulture industry. The series includes video interviews with employees from nut, fruit and vegetable businesses across Australia to gain an understanding of those vital ‘behind-thescenes’ roles in the industry. These videos show the daily tasks, responsibilities, and pathways of current employees on Australian farms.
Many of the roles highlighted in the video series are in the highest demand in businesses across the horticulture sector and align with the approved 31 occupations under the Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement – supporting growers to sponsor skilled and semi-skilled workers from overseas to fill these critical occupations.
AUSVEG National Public Affairs Manager Tyson Cattle said that the series is designed to highlight the technical and skilled opportunities that are available on fruit and vegetable farms across Australia.
“Growers’ preference is always to employ locals first where possible, when they have the right skills and attitude,” Mr Cattle said. “These videos aim to showcase the many varied career opportunities for local workers in the exciting $15 billion Australian horticulture industry to entice people to give the industry a go. “Many people we interviewed for these videos did not intend on a career in horticulture, but discovered a passion for it after working on the farm. They have each come from various backgrounds and landed in horticulture through different avenues by transferring key skills from seemingly unrelated courses and past careers to start successful careers in horticulture.
“The horticulture sector is a large, developed and diverse industry that employs a wide range of skilled people. While much of the media attention is focused on harvest labour within the sector, it is often forgotten that the industry requires a range of skillsets to manage and operate their farm business,” Mr Cattle said.
The horticulture industry has many opportunities for workers to upskill and access on the job training to further their career in horticulture. While there are many harvesting opportunities, there is also a range of other essential roles to be found on the farm and production line.
“A job in horticulture can be the start of a lifelong, satisfying career with plenty of opportunities for upward growth. Putting food on the table for millions of families in Australia and abroad makes it a worthwhile and fulfilling career.”
To find out more about the Grow Your Career in Horticulture series, visit www.ausveg.com.au/growyour-career. Or scan this QR code.
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FAST FACTS Name: Arman Berkett-Saleh
What are some misconceptions about working in horticulture?
Age: 34
It’s not as hard as you think it would be – there are plenty of job opportunities and lots of fruit and vegetables out there that need to be grown. I think people need to look away from that stigma that working in horticulture is just hard, back-breaking work. We have the technology now, and we are continuously trying to improve to make it easier for everybody to work. We are trying to get better so we can attract the next generation into the industry.
Job: Irrigationist at Stothart Family Farms Location: Bellmere, Queensland Without water, nothing grows – that’s why irrigationists are vital to the success of most horticultural crops. As an irrigationist at Stothart Family Farms in Bellmere, Queensland, Arman Berkett-Saleh helps produce strawberries each year by supervising and maintaining the crop’s irrigation systems.
What was your journey into horticulture? I started my career in mining after completing a degree in Geology. I transitioned into horticulture because it gave me the opportunity not to just sit behind a desk and come home to my family at the end of each day. I get to be outside and get to grow something. Being able to see the results of the hard work that you put in and then to enter the back end of the season knowing that I contributed to the performance of this farm is rewarding.
Arman monitors the strawberry plants to determine the crop’s water and nutritional needs, making sure each plant is not underwatered or overwatered and getting fed correctly. Arman and the team are always looking for ways to grow the crop more efficiently and adopt new irrigation technologies – such as Priva systems – to ensure they can produce the best strawberries possible.
Regarding my lifestyle, I'm just like any other person – I'm happy, I go home at the end of each day and do all the things that I enjoy doing outside of work. If you work well and work hard, there is no reason why you can't have a good work-life balance in this industry.
In recent years, Stothart Family Farms have converted threequarters of strawberry growing area to tabletop production, instead of growing them in the ground. This method of growing strawberries, reduces disease, uses less water, and improves quality – and is a lot kinder on workers.
What advice do you have for a young person thinking about starting a career in horticulture?
What is your role & what does your job entail?
For any young people who would like to start a career in horticulture, there's probably two pathways one can take.
My main role in irrigation and nutrition is looking after all the strawberry plants to make sure they produce the best strawberries we can. To produce great strawberries, we want to make sure the plants are not stressed out, underwatered or overwatered, and are getting fed correctly.
The first one is getting out and applying for a job and learning as you go, and then eventually going on to do further studies. If there's an area within the industry that a person really wants to do, there are plenty of opportunities and pathways through TAFE and universities to develop your skillset to get these jobs.
To do this, we take the time to look at the plants and ask questions relating to how the plants are growing and what they are doing. We look at what the plants have done to date, and at how the plants are going to react in coming weeks. Essentially, we ask ourselves how can we grow them better to produce a better fruit for the consumer?
Secondly, there's no harm in starting work directly on a farm, especially if you're young. You can gain some understanding of what work is necessary to run a farm and what needs to be done to produce fruit. It's important to get the experience to know what you're looking for. You could be looking after plants as well as planting and growing. Or if you like running warehouses and doing stocktake and inventory, you could be learning that side of the business and how that runs, or becoming an expert in irrigation and growing plants.
What improvements have been made to Stothart's irrigation infrastructure? You can't be the best without continuous improvement. We are always looking to improve and lead the way with new technology, innovation and production within the strawberry growing region in south-east Queensland. We’ve looked at the production value of growing strawberries on tables compared to ground. Since converting three-quarters of our growing area to tabletop production, we have seen more production, better water use efficiency, less disease and better pest management.
Although these are two very different pathways, both provide the same opportunities.
Why do you do what you do? It’s amazing to see how a strawberry can progress from a little plant at the start of the season to producing berries. We take heart in the response from people who have eaten our fruit saying how fantastic it is. It's what we strive for – keeping the consumer happy by providing a great strawberry for them to eat.
This method of growing also means we have better control over the quality and grow better fruit overall. We can grow more in less area, which adds to our intended direction of providing more fruit to consumers.
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1.
2.
Figure 1. Strawberries grown on the tabletop system. Figure 2. Arman regularly monitors the irrigation system and plants. Photo credit : AUSVEG.
1. 3.
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Figure 3. Arman Berkett-Saleh. Figure 4. The tabletop system reduces bending for picking staff. Photo credit : AUSVEG.
for a Primed new way Get to control botrytis for a new way to control botrytis
This series has been produced by AUSVEG as part of the Harvest Trail Industry Services Collaboration Trial. The Grow Your Career in Horticulture series is funded by the Federal Department of Education, Skills and Employment through the Harvest Trail Services Industry Collaboration Trial. AUSVEG is the national prescribed peak industry body (PIB) for the Australian vegetable and potato industries.
For more information on the Grow Your Career video series, please contact: Sophie Burge AUSVEG Communications Officer E: sophie.burge@ausveg.com.au
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Research demonstrates not so sweet berries under high temperatures on the Sunshine Coast Christopher Menzel, Principal Horticulturist, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
• Sugars are a major component of flavour and taste in strawberries. • Higher temperatures decreased the levels of sugar in berries when the plants were grown on the Sunshine Coast. • Efforts need to be made to develop heat-tolerant cultivars with high and stable concentrations of sugar. What we did
The quality of strawberry is strong related to the levels of sugars, acids and volatiles in the fruit. Quality is expected to decrease under global warming due to the impact of higher temperatures on the chemistry of the berries. Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of temperature on soluble solids content (SSC) on the Sunshine Coast. There was a strong relationship between SSC and temperatures in the eight days before the fruit were harvested. Soluble solids content decreased from 8.6 to 6.8% as the average daily mean temperature increased from 14.5° to 19.5°C. There is an urgent need to develop heat-tolerant cultivars with high sugar levels at the end of the season.
An experiment was conducted to investigate the relationship between fruit sugars and temperature in strawberry on the Sunshine Coast. Plants of five cultivars (‘Strawberry Festival’, ‘Florida Fortuna’ (‘Florida Radiance’), ‘Florida Brilliance’, ‘Florida Beauty’ and ‘Red Rhapsody’) were planted in the open field at Nambour in April 2021. Information was collected on marketable yield, average fruit fresh weight, and soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA) in the fruit from July to October. Additional information was collected on the concentration of the main fruit sugars (fructose, glucose and sucrose) from August to October. Fruit that weighed less than 12 g fresh weight were considered non-marketable. Data were also collected on maximum and minimum temperatures, solar radiation and rainfall at the site.
The main scenarios for global climate change include an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) and an increase in average temperatures. Higher temperatures will affect many aspects of growth and development in strawberry. Fruit quality is strongly related to the levels of sugars, acids and volatiles in the berries. For instance, studies by Oohashi and colleagues (2018) in Japan demonstrated that fluctuations in the taste of strawberry were due to variations in soluble solids content (SSC) of the fruit across different inflorescences.
What we found The average daily maximum temperature from April to October in 2021 ranged from 21.9° to 28.4°C, while the average daily minimum temperature ranged from 10.3° to 16.9°C. Average daily solar radiation ranged from 12.3 to 20.8 MJ/m2 and total monthly rainfall ranged from 4 to 190 mm. Maximum temperatures were close to the long-term values, whereas minimum temperatures were 2° to 4°C higher than the long-term values. Average monthly solar radiation was similar in the two periods. It was drier in June, August, September and October in 2021 compared with the long-term data.
Research conducted overseas has indicated that sugar levels are often lower after periods of warm weather. This article explores the relationship between fruit sugars and temperature on the Sunshine Coast. Plants were grown at Nambour and information collected on yield and fruit quality over the season. The results of the experiment showed that SSC decreased as the temperature before harvest increased.
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Figure 1. Ripe and unripe strawberry fruit - fruit sugars increase as the fruit ripen. Figure 2. Warm weather decreases fruit size and fruit sugars. Photo credit : QDAF.
The five cultivars had different productivity and fruit quality (Table 1). Marketable yield was lower in ‘Florida Beauty’ and higher in the other cultivars. Average fruit fresh weight was lower in ‘Strawberry Festival’, ‘Florida Fortuna’ and ‘Florida Beauty’ and higher in ‘Florida Brilliance’ and ‘Red Rhapsody’. There were only small differences in average seasonal soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA) across the five cultivars (Table 1). Mean (± SE or standard error) SSC pooled across the five cultivars was 7.6 ± 0.05% and mean TA was 0.59 ± 0.005%.
Soluble solids content decreased from 8.6 to 6.8% as the average daily mean temperature increased from 14.5° to 19.5°C. Data from the last harvest were excluded from this analysis.
Fructose (mean ± SE of 30.2 ± 0.2 mg/g FW) and glucose (27.1 ± 0.3 mg/g FW) were the main sugars in the fruit, with lower concentrations of sucrose (0.05 ± 0.02 mg/g FW) and maltose (less than 1 mg/g FW). The mean concentration of all the sugars was 57.4 ± 0.5 mg/g FW. Overall, fructose accounted for 52.8 ± 0.1 % of all the sugars. There was a strong linear relationship between SSC and total sugars (P < 0.001, R2 = 0.77). Soluble solids content increased as the concentration of all the sugars increased. Values of R2 in linear regressions range from zero (no relationship) to one (strong relationship).
Conclusions
Plant growth and cropping can affect sugar levels. However, plant growth was stable over the last few harvests and not declining. Weekly yields were also lower in the last harvests. These results suggest that changes in plant growth and cropping are not responsible for the low sugar levels at the end of the season.
Fruit quality in strawberry is strongly related to the levels of sugars, acids and volatiles in the berries. There was a strong relationship between soluble solids content (SSC) and temperatures in the eight days before the fruit were harvested. Soluble solids content decreased from 8.6 to 6.8% as the average daily mean temperature increased from 14.5° to 19.5°C. These data agree with the results of studies conducted overseas. For instance, Davik et al. (2006) examined the performance of ten cultivars across eight experiments in Norway. They found that there were strong negative relationships between sugar content and maximum (P = 0.030) and minimum temperatures (P = 0.002). P values in a regression below 0.05 indicate a significant relationship between the two variables.
Soluble solids content decreased over the season, with an increase at the last harvest (P < 0.001, R2 = 0.77). There was a strong negative relationship between SSC and temperatures in the eight days before the fruit were harvested (Figure 1; P < 0.001, R2 = 0.72).
Table 1. Variations in total marketable yield, and mean seasonal average fruit fresh weight, fruit soluble solids content (SSC) and fruit titratable acidity (TA) in five strawberry cultivars in Queensland. Average seasonal fruit fresh weight is the long-term average value of fruit weight in a cultivar pooled across all harvests (marketable fruit). Fruit weighing less than 12 g were non-marketable. Data are the means of six replicates per cultivar and were collected from 14 July to 6 October.
Cultivar
Marketable yield (g/plant)
Average fruit fresh weight (g)
Soluble solids content (%)
Titratable acidity (%)
Strawberry Festival
493
21.2
7.9
0.63
Fortuna (Florida Radiance)
483
22.5
7.2
0.57
Florida Beauty
367
21.5
8.2
0.61
Florida Brilliance
440
23.8
7.1
0.54
Red Rhapsody
507
25.0
7.5
0.61
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9.0 Lower sugar levels under higher temperatures probably reflect higher respiration in the fruit under warm nights and quicker fruit development under warm days and nights.
Soluble Solids Content (%)
8.5 8.0 7.5
There is an urgent need to develop heat-tolerant cultivars with high sugar levels at the end of the season.
7.0
The Queensland Government has funded the research through the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Many thanks to the Florida Strawberry Growers’ Association (FSGA) for financial support, and Dr Penny Measham (DAF) for reading an earlier version of this article.
6.5 6.0 5.5 14
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Daily Mean Temperature (°C) Figure 1. Relationship between soluble solids content (SSC) and average daily mean temperature in the eight days before the fruit were harvested in Queensland. SSC = 12.99 – 0.3132 × Temperature (P < 0.001, R2 = 0.72, N = 12). Data are the means of five cultivars with six replicates per cultivar. Black lines show 95% confidence intervals. The value from the last harvest was excluded from the analysis.
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Are your base dressings doing more harm than good? Aileen Reid, Strawberry Industry Development Officer, Agricultural Produce Commission, WA
• Traditionally, base dressings of manure or fertiliser that are high nitrogen, are used so new strawberry plantings have immediate access to nutrients. there is widespread use of • Now fertigation, this practice has become redundant, yet it is still popular. from the cost, use of nutrient-rich • Apart base dressings could also harm profits by damaging the roots of young plants and runners and reducing crop yield and fruit quality.
Typical Base Dressings Pre-plant fertilisers Fertilisers such as superphosphate or potassium nitrate are often used as base dressings prior to planting. This is probably a carry-over from vegetable production practices but is not useful for strawberry production, especially on sandy soils.
Chicken manure The use of untreated chicken manure was the traditional way of building sandy soils but is not permitted on agricultural land and over a large part of the Perth region due to its ability to breed stable fly. Stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) is a declared pest under section 22 of the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (BAM Act) in many strawberry-growing areas.
Base dressings of products like quality humified compost, which are naturally lower in nitrogen, offer an alternative way to boost soil and crop performance by helping to protect young plants from water stress and regulating the supply of nutrients throughout the season.
Conditioned poultry manure This is poultry manure which has undergone a composting process for at least six weeks to reduce the breeding of stable fly by at least 90%. These products generally contain excess nitrogen and due to the short composting process, are not stable.
Mature compost Mature or humified compost is made from a mixture of organic materials, blended to achieve the correct carbon to nitrogen ratio. They are aerobically decomposed over a long period to produce a stable, biologically active, dark brown product with an earthy appearance and smell. A mature compost contains less nitrogen than manure and helps plants to overcome transplant shock by increasing the water holding capacity of the soil which provides a buffer against heat stress and irregular watering. Mature compost also has a high cation exchange capacity which improves the soil’s ability to store and release nutrients. Many lower-cost composts are immature (young) and contain excess nitrogen which is damaging to plants and the environment.
High quality mature compost being spread on a vegetable farm; rates of 15 t/ha achieve a good effect. Photo credit: Andy Gulliver, C-Wise
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Strawberry nutrition and how it’s at odds with the concept of pre-plant nutrient application
The addition of modest rates of conditioned poultry manure will result in a total nitrogen load for the season of around 1000 kg/ha.
The strawberry plant behaves somewhat differently to a vegetable crop. The addition of too much nutrient early in the season produces large, highly vegetative plants. Cropping is delayed and yield depressed. It is important to program nutrient application to achieve a good balance between vegetative growth and fruiting, and this is especially relevant early in the life of the plants.
During plant establishment, overhead irrigation water applied to cool the plants and prevent wilting while new roots form enters the soil through the planting holes and leaches nutrients from the mound. Then, once trickle irrigation is started, the relatively large area of unexplored soil around the plants will also be a source of leaching until the roots grow and are able to explore that area.
In the first few weeks after planting, the total fertiliser requirement of a crop may be less than 1% of its full requirement. At this stage, the crop has only a shallow, confined root system. Placing fertiliser in the root zone, and having it stay at that shallow depth long enough for the crop to get its requirements, presents a challenge.
Table 1 shows real data from a demonstration site in Wanneroo. The site had conditioned poultry manure applied at about 50 tonnes per hectare. Fertigation started four weeks after planting. In the first few weeks after planting, the leachate collected in lysimeters beneath the trial indicated very high nitrogen content with the quantity of nitrogen leached in the first two weeks being triple that of subsequent weeks (Figure 1). This period overlapped almost entirely with the duration of overhead irrigation for crop establishment (18 April to 3 May). Since no fertigation was applied during this time, the leaching must have been generated largely by the base dressing, however since the total amount of nitrogen leached was far more than what was theoretically applied, there must be other sources of nitrogen not accounted for. The amount or composition of the composted chicken manure applied may have been quoted incorrectly. Crop residues and nitrogen released due to soil fumigation are other possible sources of variation.
Later, the crop may be doubling its weight weekly, and large amounts of fertiliser will be required to meet these needs. By this time, the crop’s root system is much more extensive, and it can take up nutrients for a longer time and from greater depth. The application of products such as conditioned poultry manure can double the amount of nitrogen and triple the amount of phosphorus supplied to a crop over the season.
Repeated trials at the Medina Research Station and in the Wanneroo area, have shown that nitrogen rates beyond 450kg/ha decrease fruit quality.
EC levels also were a concern in those early weeks (Figure 2). Cultivars such as ‘Fortuna’ are particularly sensitive to EC and any root damage will likely impact adversely on plant establishment.
Table 1. Major nutrients applied by source to demonstration site for the season.
Kg/ha N
P
K
Mg
Ca
Base dressing of conditioned poultry manure
554.7
264.2
264.2
na*
na*
Fertigation (from four weeks post-plant)
518.3
129.9
744.4
73.5
312.2
Total nutrient applied
1073.0
394.1
1008.6
na*
na*
na* - data not available
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NITROGEN LEACHED IN FIRST THREE WEEKS AFTER PLANTING
Figure 1. Nitrogen leached under the demonstration site (kg/ha) in the first three weeks after planting.
EC READINGS IN FIRST FOUR WEEKS AFTER PLANTING
Figure 2: Trend in EC at the demonstration site for the first month.
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E D I T I O N 10
Improving soil performance with clay and mature compost
A few growers have trialled additions of clay. Adding clay is an expensive process when it has to be brought in. In the south-west of Western Australia, a process called delving is practiced where clay is brought up from the subsoil below. This is not an option on the Swan Coastal Plain. Then the question is what sort of clay – sodium or calcium bentonite or kaolinite?
In the main strawberry growing areas of Wanneroo in WA, both clay and organic matter levels are low. Clay levels typically range from 1.5 – 2.0% and organic carbon from 0.37 to 1.2% in the top 0-15cm soil layer. This impacts a range of factors such as lateral spread of water, non-wetting, nutrient retention and availability (Cation Exchange Capacity or CEC) and leaching.
Finally, there is the risk of bringing in disease with clay unless the source is known, and the material tested beforehand.
Trials in Western Australia, on vegetable crops have shown that gradual improvements to soil carbon, water holding capacity and CEC are possible with repeated applications of mature compost. Intensive cultivation between crops will reduce accumulated soil carbon. To maximise benefits to soil quality, mature (humified) compost in which the carbon is more stable and persists for longer should be applied. As composts become more mature their CEC increases which helps the soil to hold more nutrients and better regulates the supply of nutrients to the plant. Low rates of mature compost (15 t/ha) are required to achieve a good effect.
There is some evidence that a combination of compost and clay works well. Some of the compost manufacturers offer this now as a pre-blended alternative. Note, once clay and/or mature compost are added (depending on the rate used) many soil parameters are changed so irrigation and nutrition programs need to be reformulated.
Conclusion Any base dressings should be used with the aim of improving soil quality rather than as a source of early nutrition.
Conditioned poultry manure and young (immature) composts come with soluble nutrients, unlike mature or humified composts which go through a much longer process. When soil CEC is low (as it is in sandy soils) using immature products inevitably results in leaching. Strawberries are also sensitive to a high Electrical Conductivity (EC) which is also associated with high nutrient levels.
It is important to ask questions about any product being offered to ensure it is fit for purpose since on sandy soils, any nutrients applied in base dressings to a strawberry crop may be leached in their entirety during the period of overhead irrigation for plant establishment. This represents an economic loss and potentially generates elevated levels of nitrogen (and possibly other nutrients) in groundwater.
Selecting a quality compost is important
During the early period of plant establishment, high EC levels in the soil can also cause damage to young emerging roots, delaying growth and allowing entry of any pathogens present.
If you plan to use compost, make sure that your supplier manufactures a mature product under a recognised quality assurance system. Members of the Australian Organics Recycling Association is a good place to start (www.aora.org.au).
Reports Referenced Paulin, O’Malley, Wilkinson, Flavel (2004) Identifying the benefits of composted soil amendments to vegetable production. Report to Horticulture Australia Ltd, Project VG 990016 Reid (2015) A focus on irrigation and fertiliser practices to improve production efficiency for LOTE strawberry growers. Report to Horticulture Innovation Australia, Project BS12025 Thank you to Helen Newman, Berry Industry Development Officer WA, for help with bringing this article together.
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S T R A W B E R R I E S
Phân bón nền của bạn có đang gây hại nhiều hơn là có lợi không? Aileen Reid, Strawberry Industry Development Officer, Agricultural Produce Commission, WA • Chức năng của phân bón nền trong việc trồng sản xuất dâu tây trên đất cát.
Những loại phân bón nền điển hình
• Theo truyền thống, người ta sử dụng các loại phân bón nền bằng phân chuồng hoặc phân bón có hàm lượng nitơ cao để những cây dâu tây con có thể hấp thụ ngay các chất dinh dưỡng. Hiện nay việc tưới phân được sử dụng rộng rãi và phương pháp này đã trở nên thừa thãi nhưng vẫn còn phổ biến.
Phân bón trước khi trồng Các loại phân bón như superphosphate hoặc potassium nitrate thường được sử dụng làm lớp phủ nền trước khi trồng. Đây có thể là một đút kết từ thực tiễn của việc sản xuất rau củ nhưng không hữu ích cho sản xuất dâu tây, đặc biệt là trên đất cát.
• Ngoài chi phí ra, việc sử dụng các loại phân bón nền giàu chất dinh dưỡng cũng có thể ảnh hưởng đến lợi nhuận bằng cách làm hỏng bộ rễ của cây con hoặc tược non, đồng thời làm giảm năng suất thu hoạch và chất lượng quả.
Phân gà Sử dụng phân gà chưa qua xử lý là cách truyền thống để bón đất cát nhưng không được phép sử dụng trên đất nông nghiệp và một vùng lớn của Perth do khả năng sinh sản của loài ruồi chuồng. Ruồi chuồng (Stomoxys calcitrans) là loài gây hại được liệt kê theo mục 22 của Đạo luật Quản lý Nông nghiệp và An toàn Sinh học 2007 (Đạo luật BAM) ở nhiều vùng trồng dâu tây khác nhau.
Bón phân nền với những chất như phân mùn chất lượng cao, chất này có hàm lượng nitơ thấp hơn một cách tự nhiên, đưa đến một cách thay thế hiệu quả để tăng năng suất đất và cây trồng bằng cách giúp bảo vệ cây con khỏi những căng thẳng do nước và điều chỉnh việc cung cấp chất dinh dưỡng trong suốt mùa vụ.
Phân gia cầm đã qua xử lý Đây là phân gia cầm đã trải qua quá trình ủ trong ít nhất sáu tuần để giảm ít nhất 90% sự sinh sản của ruồi chuồng. Các sản phẩm này thường chứa nhiều nitơ và do quá trình ủ phân ngắn nên thường không ổn định.
Phân hoai mục Phân hoai mục hoặc phân trộn mùn được tạo nên từ hỗn hợp các vật liệu hữu cơ, được trộn để đạt được tỷ lệ cacbon và nitơ chuẩn xác. Chúng được phân hủy theo cách tự nhiên trong một thời gian dài để tạo ra một sản phẩm ổn định, có hoạt tính sinh học, màu nâu sẫm, có dạng và mùi của đất. Phân hoai mục chứa ít nitơ hơn phân chuồng và giúp cây tránh bị sốc khi được cấy ghép bằng cách tăng khả năng giữ nước của đất, tạo lớp đệm chống lại các căng thẳng do nhiệt và việc tưới nước không đều. Phân hoai mục cũng có khả năng trao đổi chất cation cao, giúp cải thiện khả năng lưu trữ và giải phóng chất dinh dưỡng của đất. Nhiều loại phân trộn với giá thành rẻ hơn là phân được ủ trong thời gian ngắn (phân non) và chứa nhiều chất nitơ gây hại cho cây trồng và môi trường.
Phân hoại mục chất lượng cao được rải trong một trang trại rau; tỷ lệ 15 tấn / ha đạt được hiệu quả tốt . Photo credit: Andy Gulliver, C-Wise
AUTUMN 2022
AUSTRALIAN
B E RRY 76
JOURNAL
E D I T I O N 10
Dinh dưỡng của dâu tây và tại sao chúng mâu thuẫn với khái niệm bón phân nền trước khi trồng
Việc bổ sung một tỉ lệ tương đối thấp phân gia cầm đã qua xử lý sẽ cho ra một tổng lượng nitơ khoảng 1000 kg/ ha cho cả vụ.
Cây dâu tây có kiểu sinh trưởng có thể nói khác với cây rau. Việc bổ sung quá nhiều dinh dưỡng vào đầu mùa vụ sẽ tạo ra những cây lớn, có sức sinh trưởng cao. Chậm thuần thục và năng suất bị giảm sút. Điều quan trọng là phải thiết lập chương trình bón phân dinh dưỡng hợp lí để đạt được sự cân bằng tốt giữa sự phát triển thân lá và sự đậu quả, và điều này có liên quan mật thiết trong giai đoạn phát triển đầu của cây.
Trong quá trình cây được hình thành, nước tưới phun để làm mát cây và ngăn ngừa cây bị héo trong khi rễ mới hình thành sẽ xâm nhập vào đất qua các lỗ trồng và trực di các chất dinh dưỡng từ luống. Tiếp sau đó, một khi hệ thống tưới nhỏ giọt bắt đầu được sử dụng, vùng đất tương đối lớn xung quanh rễ cây cũng là nơi chất dinh dưỡng bị trực di cho đến khi bộ rễ phát triển đủ để lan tỏa đến những khu vực đó.
Trong vài tuần đầu sau khi trồng, tổng nhu cầu phân bón của cây có thể ít hơn 1% so với nhu cầu đầy đủ của nó. Ở giai đoạn này, cây chỉ có bộ rễ nông và hẹp. Đưa phân bón vào vùng rễ nông và để phân nằm ở đó đủ lâu để cây có thể hấp thụ được yêu cầu dinh dưỡng của nó, là một thách thức.
Bảng 1 cho thấy dữ liệu thực tế từ một địa điểm thực nghiệm ở Wanneroo. Khu vực này đã được bón khoảng 50 tấn phân gia cầm đã qua xử lý trên mỗi ha. Quá trình tưới phân được bắt đầu sau 4 tuần kể từ khi trồng. Trong vài tuần đầu tiên sau khi trồng, nước trực di được thu thập trong các bể chứa bên dưới thử nghiệm cho thấy hàm lượng nitơ rất cao, với lượng nitơ thu được trong hai tuần đầu tiên cao gấp ba lần các tuần tiếp theo (Hình 1). Khoảng thời gian này gần như hoàn toàn trùng lặp với thời gian tưới phun trong quá trình hình thành ban đầu của cây (18 tháng 4 đến 3 tháng 5). Vì không có phân bón nào được sử dụng trong thời gian này, các chất bị trực di phần lớn từ lớp bón nền, tuy nhiên vì tổng lượng nitơ bị trực di cao hơn nhiều so với lượng nitơ được bón theo lý thuyết, cho nên phải có các nguồn nitơ nào khác đã bị bỏ sót. Số lượng hoặc thành phần của phân gà ủ sử dụng để bón có thể đã được trích dẫn không chính xác. Bã cây trồng và nitơ thải ra do quá trình hun trùng đất cũng có thể là những nguyên nhân khác dẫn đến sự chênh lệch.
Sau đó, cây có thể tăng gấp đôi trọng lượng trong mỗi tuần và một lượng lớn phân bón sẽ cần được cung cấp để đáp ứng những nhu cầu dinh dưỡng này. Vào thời điểm này, bộ rễ của cây đã lan rộng hơn nhiều và nó có thể hấp thụ chất dinh dưỡng trong thời gian dài hơn và ở độ sâu lớn hơn. Việc bón các sản phẩm như phân gia cầm đã qua xử lý có thể tăng gấp đôi lượng nitơ và gấp ba lần lượng phốt-pho cung cấp cho cây trong suốt mùa.
Các thử nghiệm lặp đi lặp lại tại Trạm Nghiên cứu Medina và ở khu vực Wanneroo đã chỉ ra rằng tỷ lệ nitơ vượt quá 450kg/ha làm giảm chất lượng quả.
Hàm lượng EC cũng là một e ngại trong những tuần đầu tiên đó (Hình 2). Các giống như Fortuna đặc biệt nhạy cảm với EC và bất kỳ tổn thương ở rễ nào có thể gây ảnh hưởng xấu đến quá trình hình thành của cây.
Bảng 1. Các chất dinh dưỡng chính được sử dụng để bón trên khu thực nghiệm cho mùa này.
Kg/ha N
P
K
Mg
Ca
Phân bón nền từ phân gia cầm đã qua xử lý
554.7
264.2
264.2
na*
na*
Tưới phân (sau 4 tuần kể từ khi trồng)
518.3
129.9
744.4
73.5
312.2
Tổng lượng chất dinh dưỡng đã sử dụng
1073.0
394.1
1008.6
na*
na*
na* - dữ liệu không có sẵn
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LƯỢNG NI-TƠ BỊ TRỰC DI TRONG VÒNG 3 TUẦN ĐẦU SAU KHI TRỒNG XUỐNG
Hình 1: Lượng Ni-tơ bị trực di dưới khu thực nghiệm (kg/ha) trong vòng 3 tuần đầu sau khi trồng xuống.
DỮ LIỆU HÀM LƯỢNG EC TRONG 4 TUẦN ĐẦU SAU KHI TRỒNG
Hình 2: Sơ đồ EC tại khu thực nghiệm trong tháng đầu tiên
AUTUMN 2022
AUSTRALIAN
B E RRY 78
JOURNAL
E D I T I O N 10
Cải thiện hiệu suất của đất bằng đất sét và phân hoại mục
Một số nông gia đã thử nghiệm trộn thêm đất sét. Việc trộn thêm đất sét là một quá trình tốn kém vì nó phải được đào khai thác. Ở phía Tây-Nam của WA, một quy trình được gọi là đào sâu được thực hiện nơi đất sét được đưa lên từ lòng đất bên dưới. Đây không phải là một lựa chọn trên Swan Coastal Plain. Sau đó, câu hỏi được đặt ra là loại đất sét nào - natri hoặc canxi bentonit hoặc kaolinit? Cuối cùng, đất sét có nguy cơ mang mầm bệnh nếu không biết rõ nguồn gốc, và mẫu đất sét không được kiểm tra trước khi sử dụng.
Tại các khu vực trồng dâu tây chính của vùng Wanneroo tại WA, hàm lượng đất sét và chất hữu cơ đều khá thấp. Hàm lượng đất sét thường dao động từ 1,5 - 2,0% và cacbon hữu cơ từ 0,37 đến 1,2% trong lớp đất từ 0-15cm trên cùng. Điều này ảnh hưởng đến một loạt các yếu tố như sự thẩm thấu theo chiều ngang của nước, không thấm ướt, khả năng lưu giữ và mức độ dồi dào của chất dinh dưỡng (khả năng trao đổi Cation hoặc CEC) và trực di.
Có một số bằng chứng cho thấy sự kết hợp giữa phân trộn và đất sét tạo hiệu quả tốt. Một số nhà sản xuất phân trộn hiện cung cấp chất này như một giải pháp thay thế phân trộn sẵn.
Các thử nghiệm tại Tây Úc trên cây rau đã cho thấy rằng việc cải thiện dần dần các-bon trong đất, khả năng giữ nước và CEC bằng việc bón phân hoại mục nhiều lần là điều có thể. Việc liên tục canh tác giữa các loại cây trồng sẽ làm giảm lượng cacbon tích lũy trong đất. Để tối đa hóa các lợi ích cho chất lượng đất, nên bón phân hoại mục (đã được ủ chua) cho đất do lượng cac-bon ổn định hơn và tồn tại lâu hơn. Khi phân ủ càng lâu, CEC của chúng tăng lên, giúp đất giữ được nhiều chất dinh dưỡng hơn và giúp điều chỉnh việc cung cấp chất dinh dưỡng cho cây trồng tốt hơn. Bón phân hoại mục với tỷ lệ thấp (15 tấn / ha) để đạt được hiệu quả tốt.
Lưu ý, một khi đất sét và / hoặc phân hoại mục được thêm vào (tùy thuộc vào tỷ lệ sử dụng), nhiều thông số đất sẽ bị thay đổi vì vậy các chương trình tưới và dinh dưỡng cần phải được điều chỉnh lại.
Kết luận Bất kỳ chất bón nền nào cũng nên được sử dụng với mục đích cải thiện chất lượng đất hơn là nguồn dinh dưỡng ban đầu cho cây. Điều quan trọng là phải đặt câu hỏi về bất kỳ sản phẩm nào từ nhà cung cấp để đảm bảo nó phù hợp với mục đích chính vì trên đất cát, bất kỳ chất dinh dưỡng nào được áp dụng trong lớp bón nền cho cây dâu tây có thể bị trực di toàn bộ trong thời gian tưới phun ban đầu khi cây hình thành. Điều này gây thiệt hại về kinh tế và có khả năng tạo ra hàm lượng nitơ cao (và có thể là các chất dinh dưỡng khác) trong nước ngầm. Trong thời kỳ đầu khi cây mới hình thành, hàm lượng EC cao trong đất cũng có thể gây hại cho các rễ non mới mọc, làm chậm sự phát triển và cho phép sự xâm nhập của bất kỳ mầm bệnh có sẵn nào.
Phân gia cầm đã qua xử lý và phân ủ non (chưa đủ thời gian ủ) chứa các chất dinh dưỡng hòa tan, không giống như các loại phân hoại mục hoặc đã được ủ chua phải trải qua một quá trình lâu hơn nhiều. Khi CEC trong đất thấp (như trong cát), sử dụng các loại phân ủ non chắc chắn sẽ dẫn đến trực di. Dâu tây cũng nhạy cảm với sự dẫn điện cao (EC), cũng bị tạo ra bởi các hàm lượng dinh dưỡng cao.
Việc lựa chọn phân hữu cơ chất lượng rất quan trọng
Nếu bạn định sử dụng phân trộn, hãy đảm bảo rằng nhà cung cấp của bạn sản xuất sản phẩm hoại mục theo hệ thống đảm bảo chất lượng được công nhận. Các thành viên của Hiệp hội Tái chế Hữu Cơ Úc là một nơi đáng tin cậy để tham khảo (www.aora.org.au).
Tài liệu tham khảo Paulin, O’Malley, Wilkinson, Flavel (2004) Xác định lợi ích của việc cải tạo đất ủ đối với sản xuất rau. Báo cáo cho Horticulture Australia Ltd, Dự án VG 990016 Reid (2015) Tập trung vào thực hành tưới tiêu và phân bón để nâng cao hiệu quả sản xuất cho người trồng dâu tây LOTE. Báo cáo cho Horticulture Innovation Australia, Dự án BS12025 Lời cảm ơn Cảm ơn Helen Newman, WA Berry IDO, đã giúp hoàn thành và đưa bài viết này đến với nông gia.
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Reducing fertiliser costs with composts and manures in strawberry and other crops David Riches1, Scott Mattner, David Rowlings2 and Ian Porter1 1 La Trobe University, 2Queensland University of Technology
• There is growing knowledge on the benefits of organic amendments for soil health, but little support on how to capture the nutrient value of these • Preliminary results from an ongoing trial in the strawberry nursery sector show that soil amendment with composted or pelletised chicken manure can reduce fertiliser requirements by 30-60% • This project is developing a web and smart phone application (app) to calculate the nutrient benefits of different sources of manures and composts, and how to integrate their use with fertiliser programs
There is growing knowledge on the benefits of organic amendments for soil health, but there is little support for growers on how to capture the nutrient value of these products in specific crops and regions in a cost-effective way. It can be confusing for growers and agronomists because the age, composition, and decomposition rates of different organic amendments strongly influence the amount and timing of nutrients they release into soil. The app will allow growers to account for these variables very easily and more accurately. The project team are conducting farm and laboratory trials in strawberry (Figure 1), vegetable, cotton, broadacre cropping, and pastures in nine diverse production regions across Australia using 15 broad classes of organic amendments to support the development of the app. Preliminary results from an ongoing trial in the strawberry nursery sector show that soil amendment with composted or pelletised chicken manure can reduce fertiliser requirements by 30-60% without affecting early growth of mother plants (e.g., Figure 2). Research in the trial is also accounting for losses of gaseous nitrogen and carbon, and the distribution of nutrients through soils to maximise yields for growers and minimise unwanted impacts on the environment. Results currently show that the combined use of high rates of organic amendments and fertilisers can dramatically increase losses of nitrogen in the form of nitrous oxide to the atmosphere (Figure 3). Therefore, it is vitally important that growers get a better balance between the application of organic and fertiliser inputs, so they don’t waste money from nitrogen losses to the atmosphere. The development of the app will help growers better achieve this balance.
Australian crop producers will soon be able to better calculate the release of nutrients from organic amendments into soil to reduce fertiliser rates and costs without sacrificing yields. A team led by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), in conjunction with agronomists and researchers from La Trobe University, Deakin University and the University of Queensland, is developing a web and smart phone application (app) that will allow growers to calculate the nutrient benefits of different sources of manures and composts, and how to integrate their use with fertiliser programs. The Department of Agriculture’s Smart Farming Partnerships Program and Meat and Livestock Australia, together with a consortium of farming, composting and state government project partners are funding the $3.5 million research project.
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Figure 1. Field trial at Toolangi, Victoria evaluating the ability of different forms of chicken manure for offsetting fertiliser inputs in the production of strawberry runners. Automated chambers at the site continuously measure the release of gaseous forms of nitrogen and carbon from soils. Data from the trial will help support and validate the development of an app that will allow growers to better calculate the release of nutrients from organic amendments such as chicken manure. Photo credit: Scott Mattner
Stolon Length Length of Primary Stolon (mm)
400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0
M M er a) a) a) a) a) a) a) /H /H /H /H /H /H /H tilis dC dC r e e N N N N N N N t e s i F g g g g g g g os llet 0k 0k 0k 0k 0k 0k 0k No mp Pe (14 (14 (20 (20 (20 r (8 r (8 Co r r e e r r r s s e e e e e i i il til ilis ilis ilis tilis tilis ert Fer ert ert ert Fer Fer +F +F +F +F M M M CM rC rC dC ise ed ste tise ost llet e o l e p l p P m m Pe Co Co
Figure 2. Average length of the primary stolon (runner) of strawberry mother plants (cv. Red Rhapsody, 2-months after planting) in plots treated with different forms of chicken manure (CM) and rates of synthetic fertilisers in a field trial at Toolangi, Victoria. Other parameters of strawberry plant growth (crown diameter, leaf number, stolon number, chlorophyll content) showed similar responses to the treatments as stolon length. The bars represent the least significant difference (P=0.05), which allow statistical comparisons between treatments.
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Fertiliser
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Figure 3. Emissions of nitrogen lost to the atmosphere in the form of gaseous nitrous oxide (N2O) from soils treated with chicken manure and synthetic fertilisers. Control = no fertiliser (blue line), Inorg = fertiliser (200 kg N/ha) (orange line), Manure+I = composted chicken manure and fertiliser (200 kg N/ha) (yellow line).
Grower evaluations of the app will commence shortly, followed by demonstration days and workshops on managing organic amendments in each region. Results from strawberry trials will be updated in later issues of the Australian Berry Journal.
Growers can follow the progress of research in the project on: @UnlockSoilOAs
Or contact David Riches at La Trobe University ENVELOPE d.riches@latrobe.edu.au
Acknowledgements This project is jointly funded through Meat and Livestock Australia, the Australizan Government’s National Landcare Program and a consortium of farming, composting and state government project partners.
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9th International Strawberry Symposium: Sustainable strawberry production Dr Angela Atkinson, Berry Industry Development Officer, Victoria & SA The addition of biochar was also tested, as growers had reported reduced yields when reusing coir. The yield, quality (class 1 fruit, BRIX) and crown rot incidence (Phytophthora cactorum in this case) was measured for all treatments. Results showed that there was no reduction in yield, % of Class 1 fruit or BRIX in the reused substrate, nor was there an increase in the incidence of crown rot disease. The addition of biochar to the coir bags made no measurable difference to any of the parameters measured.
The 9th International Strawberry Symposium was held in Rimini, Italy, in May 2021, as a virtual conference, including virtual field tours, technical days and berry school. This article will focus on sustainable strawberry production presentations from the symposium. Towards more sustainable soilless strawberry production - growing media
Trials are ongoing with everbearing varieties. The second set of trials was to see if alternative peat and coir-free substrates are commercially viable. For these trials, mixtures of wood and plant fibre from agri/food side products and waste, along with biochar and chitin, were compared to Botanicoir® as a standard. The coir and peat-free substrates were coarser, but results showed that there was no decrease in Class 1 fruit or BRIX with these substrates, although more work is needed to ensure consistent mixes. Assessment on the effect of these substrates on disease incidence is ongoing. The use of precision irrigation was shown to save up to 25% of water and fertiliser use, without compromising yield or quality. Their work showed that optimum irrigation was at around 10% drain, with over irrigation (30-40% drain) resulting in an increase in unmarketable fruit, mainly due to softness and rots. Under irrigation (zero drain) resulted in a 10% decrease in yield.
In Europe, there is a big move to soilless strawberry production, predominantly due to a lack of available, active soil fumigants, but also because of the advantages of faster and easier picking and other crop management processes, with the associated lower costs. There are disadvantages from a sustainability perspective, however, as the substrate is normally only used for one season and is expensive, and costs are incurred to remove and dispose of the substrate. The smaller root volume in coir bags also means high irrigation and fertigation volumes are often used, resulting in lower resource use efficiency and pollution of watercourses with fertilisers due to run off. Peat and coir also have an environmental impact, with peat extraction having landscape degradation impacts as well as releasing sequestered carbon, and coir production having a large CO2 footprint from transportation, as well as using large amounts of water for rinsing and buffering the raw material.
A range of commercially available biostimulant products, e.g. Seaweeds, was tested, and results showed no positive or negative effect on the measured parameters (yield, BRIX, dry weight, fresh weight, water use efficiency, nutrient use efficiency). There are many commercially available biostimulants, but little information about their use and effectiveness, so NIAB-EMR have produced a free biostimulant database for growers to find information which can be found at https://bio4safe.eu
At NIAB-EMR in the UK, researchers are looking at tackling the disadvantages of soilless production by investigating four potential solutions: reuse of substrate, coir and peat free growing media, using precision irrigation and the use of biostimulants to compensate for anecdotal evidence of reduced yields when substrate is reused. Their work was presented by Matevz Papp-Rupar. Trials were performed in tabletop systems in polytunnels, initially using the June bearer (short day) variety ‘Malling Centenary’, with trials ongoing using everbearer varieties (long day, day neutral). To determine if it is commercially feasible to reuse coir bags, trials were performed with virgin substrate, 1x used and 2x used substrate, under commercial fertiliser and pest and disease control in randomised trial blocks.
The take home messages from this presentation were (1) strawberry coir bags can be reused, as long as disease levels are low, (2) coir and peat free substrates can produce commercially comparable yields and quality, (3) precision irrigation can significantly improve water and fertiliser use, and (4) get more information on the efficacy of biostimulants at https://bio4safe.eu
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Lifecycle assessment of strawberry soilless cultivation and packaging — Alessio Ilari Dept of Agricultural, Food & Environmental Sciences, Ancona, Italy
There is a lot of interest in finding renewable and environmentally friendly alternatives for coir and peat growing media, and the potential use of growing media based on wood fibre was also presented by researchers from the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research. Their study also confirmed that wood fibre based media could be a useful alternative for hydroponic strawberry production and is responsive to precisely designed nutrient solutions to improve fruit quality. This group is conducting more detailed study of the adaptation of fertigation rates and timing for optimal performance in these substrates.
Alessio Ilari from the Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences in Ancona, Italy, presented a study evaluating the environmental impact of strawberry cultivation and packaging, using life cycle analysis (LCA) methodology. The evaluation included cultivation and packaging steps, with cultivation under protected cropping in a soilless substrate. The analysis was done on a ‘functional unit’ (FU) of 1kg of packed strawberries, which has been used in other studies. The inputs included in the life cycle inventory were total yield, plants, pesticides, fertilisers, plastic film and iron (tunnel structures), growing medium, plastic film (substrate bags), water plastics (PET, HDPE, PP), paper and wood (packaging). The packaging used in the study was a 250g plastic punnet. The environmental impact evaluation measured parameters such as water consumption, global warming potential (GWP), ozone depletion (ODP), human toxicity, photochemical oxidation, acidification and eutrophication (excess nutrients and minerals in water bodies) as well as the impacts of fuel and energy consumption.
Circular use of nutrients in soilless strawberry cultivation Bart Vandecasteele from the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in Belgium presented work on the recycling of nutrients (N, P and K) in spent growing media (SGM) at the end of soilless cultivation. Recycling of nutrients is crucial to circular horticulture and environmental sustainability. In this study they looked at the direct reuse of SGM after sanitation as well as the use of compost and biochar produced from SGM as a growing media amendment. Upcycled SGM already contains high levels of nutrients, so the potential to minimise fertilisation during reuse of media was investigated. The nutrient availability during reuse of media, and of biochar produced from SGM was evaluated.
The study showed that the main contributor to environmental impacts such as global warming potential, ozone depletion and human toxicity was packaging, including pallets, plastic and cardboard. The high impact of packaging materials is common for food products, as the amount used is relatively high with respect to the amount of produce. Production of the strawberries was found to be the major contributor to acidification and eutrophication in the environment, but also had a significant impact on global warming potential and ozone depletion. In the production system used, the substrate has the most significant impact, particularly in this case where the growing media is a mix of coir and peat (which have high environmental impacts).
Similarly to the previous study, they found that SGM could be directly reused, and biochar and compost produced from SGM were also potentially useful nutrient sources in growing media. Trials were done growing ornamental crops in the spent strawberry growing media. When reusing SGM, changes in fertiliser requirements needed to be taken into account with each reuse. Available N was depleted after the first use, but sufficient P and K were still present, while K was depleted after the second reuse. The study showed that reuse of SGM and the nutrients in it may be a viable strategy for circular horticulture, and suggests that there is opportunity for ‘cascading’ use of SGM, firstly with direct reuse as a growing media, followed by use as feedstock for biochar or compost production to use as a growing media amendment. The reuse of SGM requires analysis of the nutrient status of the media in order to tailor fertilisation.
The global warming potential of producing 1 kg of strawberries in this system was relatively high compared with similar studies conducted in open field production, for example in the USA and Iran, but comparable to other soilless greenhouse production. Other studies have shown that N-based fertilisers and energy consumption are major environmental burdens in greenhouse strawberry production. The environmental impacts and life cycle assessment will be specific to regions and production systems.
The same research group in Belgium is also investigating a fast screening technique for total nutrients in strawberry leaves as well as in spent growing media, using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) which is faster and cheaper than chemical analyses. Their work showed that this method could be used to monitor crop development and nutrient status in strawberry leaves, and is promising for analysing the nutrient levels in spent growing media, although further work is needed for validation.
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Using LCA in this way can help with decision making on where in the production life cycle environmental impacts can be reduced in order to increase sustainability of production.
If you would like more information about any of these studies please get in touch.
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TORO’S LATEST INNOVATION IN PRECISION AGRICULTURE Toro Australia is excited to announce the introduction of the new Aqua-Traxx® Azul™ drip tape, the latest Toro innovation in precision agriculture.
Aqua-Traxx Azul offers superior clog resistance through an innovative emitter design. The key to reducing drip tape clogging is to protect the flow path labyrinth from debris. Azul drip tape has a greater filtration area, with patent-pending multi-stage filters that protect the emitter from different sizes of debris. Therefore, the tape only has a 120 mesh filtration requirement. Optimised large flow passages in the emitters ensure a consistent and uniform distribution of water and nutrients to maximise clog resistance and performance. The new Aqua-Traxx Azul is available in 0.49 and 1.02 Lph emitter flow rates. Bruno Capogreco, from Capogreco Farms in WA, is one of the first people in Australia to use Toro’s new Aqua-Traxx Azul drip tape and feedback has been great. Bruno says that maintenance and flushing of the dripline is very easy:
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B L U E B E R R I E S
How will climate change affect blueberries in NSW? Melinda Simpson, Berry Industry Development Officer, NSW Department of Primary Industries
Climate change is a key challenge facing all horticultural crops. As part of NSW Department of Primary industries (NSW DPI) Climate Change Research Strategy, a project team has been assessing, through the use of models, the effect of future climate change on blueberry (Southern Highbush) production in NSW. This project is called the Vulnerability Assessment and it aims to identify the climate change risks for a broad range of commodities (cropping, horticulture, livestock, forestry and fisheries) and how those commodities could be affected by temperature fluctuation, variations in seasonal conditions, rainfall and biosecurity risks. The blueberry model is one of 42 currently being developed under the Vulnerability Assessment project. The project draws on expertise from the blueberry industry to develop models that will capture the effect that climate has on blueberry growth and Grey mould (Botrytis cinerea), a critical disease affecting blueberries. The model was developed and validated using historical data from 1970 to 2019.
Figure 1. Mean historical (1971–2019) climate suitability score overall for Southern Highbush 11-11. The range in suitability is from 0 to 1, with 0 representing unsuitable and 1 representing ideal climate conditions. The areas labelled on the map indicate the locations that were used to validate the model. The blue-white striped polygon indicates where in NSW the Southern Highbush variety is currently grown. Source: NSW DPI.
Figure 1 shows the climate suitability for the Southern Highbush variety 11-11 based on historical climate data. This model assumes that the plants are field grown and receive adequate water throughout all stages of crop production and are not grown under protected tunnels.
The historical climate model shows that the climate is highly suitable (denoted by the dark green shading in Figure 1) for Southern Highbush blueberry production in the North Coast Local Land Services region, which is consistent with where the variety is currently grown in NSW (blue-white striped polygon). The pale yellow areas on the map have a very low climate suitability
The overall climate suitability for blueberries is strongly influenced by the climate conditions at the key phenological stages of flowering and fruit development.
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and are determined as non-productive areas (e.g., Canberra, Great Dividing Range and Far North Western NSW) because frosts would frequently cause crop failures based on the historical climate data. Future analysis will build in climate projections for 2050 to estimate future climate suitability for blueberries. By projecting to 2050, we will be able to provide timely insight to industry on the potential effects of climate change and possible adaptation priorities. After examining the different future climate scenarios, researchers will investigate the adaptation options and report on how they may be able to mitigate any negative changes projected. This will provide an important pathway for increasing the resilience of the blueberry industry to future climate change, as well as highlighting where opportunities for increased productivity might lie. This work will help identify adaptation needs and priorities to guide research and development activities over the next 30 years.
In future issues of the Australian Berry Journal, we will report on future results for blueberries that include climate projections and their impact, changes in the climate suitability for Queensland fruit fly and any effects upon pollinators such as honeybees, and report on changes in blueberry crop water demand. Acknowledgements The model was developed in conjunction with experts from the blueberry industry, we would like to acknowledge and thank them for their contribution to the model development and validation process. This work has been completed as part of the NSW Primary Industries Climate Change Research Strategy funded by the NSW Climate Change Fund. For more information, please visit Climate Change and Primary Industries, or contact Melinda Simpson who is leading the development of the blueberry model.
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VOLUNTARY LEVIES
SUPPORT B L U YOUR E B E R RINDUSTRY I E S
TO SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS!
The ABGA is funding a major marketing & export program – please contribute your share Why should I pay the voluntary levy?
How do I pay the levy?
The voluntary levies fund all of the essential activities that contribute to the growth of our blueberry industry. Activities include, but are not limited to:
Follow the steps below:
1. Prepare a statement with the following information
• Maintaining a a dedicated marketing campaign
• Grower Name • Quarter + Dates (e.g. Q2 1st Oct - 31st Dec 2019) • Number of kg fruit sold in that quarter • Amount of levy being paid • Indicate if your agent deducts your levies (if so, include agent name)
• R esearch & development into registered chemicals + IPM + Integrated Disease Management programs • F unding legal advice to support appropriate planning conditions • P rogressing applications for market access to key markets such as New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam
2. Email the statement to the Membership Officer
• Developing export protocols into Japan
Email statement to: admin@berries.net.au The Membership Officer will send you an Invoice for payment
• Funding our Industry Development Officer • Funding our Executive Director and support staff • C ommunication and engagement with members – industry journal, e-news, website, conference
3. Pay your levy to the ABGA account Account name: Bank: BSB: Account: Reference:
• P romoting positive industry stories and addressing negative media roviding our contribution to Hort Innovation under • P the Collective Industry Fund which is matched with equal funding used for various industry projects as determined by the Blueberry Strategic Industry Advisory Panel
Australian Blueberry Growers’ Association Westpac 033 10 7 181 4 71 GROWER NAME + Financial Quarter (e.g. “Joe Bloggs Q2 levy”)
y agent deducts levies — M what do I need to do?
How much levy do I have to pay? For this year standard levies are $0.07/kg fruit sold. This will cover both R&D and Marketing investments.
Send the Membership Officer a statement as per Step 1 above. She will then check that the agent has paid the levy. Email the statement to admin@berries.net.au
When do I pay the voluntary levy? Levies are payable once every financial quarter:
Period Covered
Payable by
What about confidentiality of the information provided?
Q1
1 July – 30 September
31 October
Any information provided will be kept confidential.
Q2
1 October – 31 December
31 January
Q3
I need help, who do I contact?
1 January – 31 March
30 April
Q4
1 April – 30 June
31 July
Quarter
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Wendy Morris Email: admin@berries.net.au | Phone: 0491 751 123
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To learn more about how our machinery and technologies can increase competitiveness and profitability in your business, visit gpgraders.com or email gpvision@gpgraders.com
B L U E B E R R I E S
Australian Blueberries Marketing Update Jane Richter & Magnum & Co
The Australian Blueberry marketing campaign is funded solely by the ABGA voluntary levy. If you are a blueberry grower and are not currently paying any levy, please SEE PAGE 90 to find out how you can contribute to the growth drivers of your industry. As we near the end of this season’s Australian Blueberries marketing campaign, here is a recap on the season’s plans and an update on how we are performing against the targets that were set.
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Social Media activity & Paid Digital Advertising across 5 platforms (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok & Pinterest) Leah Itsines Influencer & Recipe book collaboration 8 –10 influencers generating & sharing content across all Australian Blueberry channels Public Relations (Earned) media activity Monthly e-newsletters to our 10,000+ Blueberry fans Promotion of the Recipe Book through all channels to attract new Blueberry fans
SOCIAL MEDIA To the end of January, we have achieved over 19 million impressions across our social media channels. Our post links have been clicked nearly 60,000 times, our content engagement rate exceeds the industry average at 3% and on our new channel – TikTok – we have achieved 560,000 impressions in a very short period of time. Our best performing content throughout Summer (December –February) is extremely brand led, with our core colours beaming through, strong “oo” messaging both visually and in copy. Interestingly, including the use of the blue heart emoji has also proven eye catching, with these headlines the top performing in all paid placements. Throughout the year we have continued to see strongly positive sentiment across all content, with the main conversations drawing from recipe inspiration with incredible food photography, with fans cooking up versions themselves, often sharing their tips and tricks and tagging us to show off their creations. We also see quite a bit of love shown to any of our grower content, with support being a major factor in the sentiment across our community.
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EARNED MEDIA
We have continued to receive good coverage from our PR campaign with the Central Western Daily piece syndicated across 19 regional mastheads.
D I G I TA L M E D I A
The Leah Itsines digital recipe book collaboration this season has attracted over 3,300 downloads. From this, our newsletter subscription numbers have climbed to 11,625 and with an open rate of 37% it is clear that our readers are highly engaged with our content. The newsletters continue to share a mixture of health messaging, recipe inspiration as well as stories showcasing our growers.
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D I G I TA L A M B ASS A D O R S
As well as our campaign season ambassador – Leah Itsines – we engaged with 8 other influencers to create new and imaginative blueberry content for us to share.
Blueberry Plants
Here are some of the highlights from our influencer team.
commercial growers nurseries wholesalers hobby farmers having supplied the industry with blueberry plants for over thirty years, we can offer a
@goodnessavenue
large number of varieties including Northern
Highbush, Southern Highbush and Rabbiteye types.
Talk to us today about how we can fulfill your requirements on plants@moonblue.com.au
@dietitianrose
for
winter 2022
de @veggiemaz
If you have any questions about the current season or if you’d like to be a part of the grower content, please contact: blueberries@magnumandco.com.au www.australianblueberries.com.au FACEBOOK-SQUARE instagram australianblueberries
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Profile: Western Berry Company, Western Australia Helen Newman, WA Berry Industry Development Officer, Agricultural Produce Commission
Nestled on the banks of the Moore River near the Wheatbelt town of Regans Ford, is WA’s northern most blueberry operation, the Western Berry Company. Driven by a passion for research and best-practice agribusiness, Marek Kwiecien-Fisher and his father Derek Fisher have used their science and business management backgrounds to establish an orchard that achieves impressive yields of high-quality fruit. Regans Ford, with its Mediterranean growing climate, is 110km north of Perth and around 35km inland from the coast. It receives around 550-600mm rain per year and has low pest prevalence due to its isolation from other horticultural and urban areas. Water quality in the area is very good, with low salinity and iron levels. Bore water on the Western Berry property has been used for bottled water in the past.
We were looking for a high-value machine-harvestable crop and were initially considering pomegranates for the Japanese juice market. Blueberries came out on top as the better choice though. Its [blueberries] health credentials had it on the front of every magazine and it’s the berry with the longest shelf life. The only problem was the high capital cost of establishment.
How it all started Marek studied horticulture and viticulture at university and had planned to go into wine making. He moved to the Regans Ford farm in 2007 to finish his studies externally and took over management of the family farm which was being established as an olive grove for oil production. The initial 2001 trial planting of 7ha of olives was expanded immediately to 41ha with a further 40ha the following year. By 2010, the family was seeking a use for the remaining 10ha of quality arable horticultural land on the property and a use for the unallocated water on their water licence. It was then that low-chill Southern Highbush blueberries caught the attention of both Derek and Marek.
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We started off by establishing 1ha of berries under polytunnels in 2011. Profit from our first harvest in 2012, and successive harvests after that, was reinvested into the business for expansion. By 2014 we had 4ha of blueberries grown in substrate in polytunnels. In 2015 we planted a 0.5ha trial plot in the ground under bird net which subsequently became 8ha, and in 2017 we built 3.5ha of polytunnels. We invested in packing and accommodation infrastructure in alternate non-expansion years.
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How it’s done at Western Berry Company
Irrigation setup A single wire trellis runs down each row to stabilise the plants and suspend the anti-syphon, pressurecompensating drip irrigation line. Each plant is fed by a single 3.2L/hr dripper that is pulsed for 3 – 5 minutes at a time, 25 – 35 times per day (depending on the weather), delivering 5.5 – 9.5L/day to each plant.
Orchard setup Plants in the polytunnels are grown in coir or pine bark, in 45L woven poly bags spaced 0.55m to 0.8m apart down the row (depending on variety) with 3m between each row (Figure 1). There are 4-6,000 plants per hectare depending on the variety.
Decisions regarding the irrigation schedule (number of irrigation pulses per day) are predominantly sensor driven. Delta-t substrate probes are installed in the coir bags at planting, with one probe placed at the base of the bag and one half-way up. The probes measure moisture, temperature and EC and feed the live data back to the computer (Figure 2). On-site weather stations that measure temperature, humidity, and light are located inside and outside the polytunnel to cross-check data trends coming out of the Delta-t soil moisture probes.
About half of the current plantings are in polytunnels with side vents for climate control and half in the ground under bird net. Future plantings will be in bags, but under netting to reduce capital outlay. “The cost of tunnels verses netting is 7:1. Netting provides bird and hail protection, and we can get enough growth in autumn under the netting to have flowering wood in the coming winter.”
“You must have the probes in there from the beginning [at planting] so that you know what the plants water requirements are from planting to maturity. *KEEP THE DATA*. Consultants only visit once or twice a year – you must invest your time into understanding what the probe can do for you and use that information all the time to drive decisions on irrigation.”
Nutrition Plants are fertigated continually with each irrigation pulse. Nutrients are blended in agitated mixing tanks, and micro-amounts are continuously injected into the driplines. For the first two years after planting, Marek and his father Derek spent a lot of time collecting water samples from drippers and from drainage out of the bottom of coir bags. Samples were sent to a lab to assess how much nutrient (N, P, K, Mg etc.) was present in the solution. Results were used to determine how much nutrient plants were using throughout the season. This helped refine the fertiliser program and save on nutrient applications. EC measurements and quarterly leaf samples are used to monitor the fertiliser program.
Pruning At maturity (2 to 3 years), plants are hedge pruned annually after harvest to promote a targeted cropping window (Figure 3). Every 3-4 years they get a heavy prune to clean them out and maintain an optimal structure.
Figure 1. In the polytunnels, plants are grown in 45L bags with 4-6,000 plants per hectare and yields of 30-35T/ha. Photo credit: Western Berry Company.
“We tried a spinning blade box hedger at first, but it was too destructive, we use a sickle-bar hedger now.”
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Figure 2. Moisture trends from Delta-t substrate probes are used alongside data from weather stations to make decisions on the irrigation schedule (courtesy Western Berry Company).
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Figure 3. A sickle-bar hedger is used to prune plants annually after harvest to promote a targeted cropping window. Photo credit: Western Berry Company.
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Aerial overview of the Western Berry Company property with blueberry tunnels in the foreground and olive plantings behind. Photo credit: Western Berry Company.
The Western Berry Company team (L-R) Tom Kwiecien-Fisher (Nursery Manager), Derek Fisher, Marek Kwiecien-Fisher. Photo credit: Western Berry Company.
Harvest window
arrangements. Climate variability has also been challenging, this year has been unusually wet, with more major storms and colder than usual mornings.”
Picking starts in July and goes through until the third week of December, with 85% of the crop is harvested between October and mid-December.
Focus of future R&D
Yields
When asked what the focus of future R&D should be on Marek’s answer centred around production costs and consumer education.
Yields of 30-35T/ha has been achieved in the polytunnels under this growing system. The same varieties planted in the ground under bird netting, produce much less (20-25T/ha). “In future plantings with everything in coir bags under bird net we’re aiming to replicate the polytunnel production numbers.”
Focus of the business Producing large, tasty fruit, and maximising productivity and profit through research is the focus at Western Berries. “Being a large producer, we focus on fruit size and quality. The best thing you can do as a blueberry farmer is to have large fruit. We also want a good taste profile for repeat customers and good bloom to attract buyers.” Marek has a science degree, and both of his parents have science degrees and PhD’s, so the family has a strong focus on research and development. “We enjoy our research and see a lot of value in it. We take research very broadly – plastic tunnels vs bird net, in-ground v’s bags, plastic bag v’s woven bag. Doesn’t need to be in a lab. Lots of research goes into making our business decisions, there is a cost benefit analysis of everything we do. We try to maximise the profit of the business by getting better quality fruit or larger fruit size etc. It sounds practical but the research takes time and money.”
“We need consumers to understand where their food comes from and what is required to produce and deliver the food to the market. Unfortunately, our media feeds on sensationalism and most of the stories and news fed by the press to the public are negative, and it is the public’s reaction that then drives the political process. This can only change by positive public education and better informed and sympathetic politicians. On the production front, the fruit needs inputs to grow and we are in a rising cost environment. Everything from fuel prices to fertiliser costs to labour and harvesting costs are rising rapidly, and you throw on top of that COVID impacts. Most of these costs are out of our control so our farm-focus is the drive to reduce on-farm costs. We’re looking at everything from water usage to fertiliser reduction to some form of mechanical harvesting to more productive blueberry varieties.”
Any closing remarks about life as a farmer? “Yes, I’m a farmer [Marek is reluctant to take that title] but there’s so much more to it than farming, it’s a bit of a misconception. Modern farming is better described as industrial agriculture. I don’t get up every morning and think about day-to-day hands-on farm activities. My job is to manage people and manage risk, it’s no different to running an office. I spend more time being a visa consultant, counsellor (pastoral care of workers), accountant and business manager than I do making agronomic decisions.
Best part of growing blueberries “Eating them, and seeing people’s faces light up when they open a punnet of blueberries. Everybody loves blueberries.”
You have a product to sell, people to manage. You’ve got to make the hard business decisions, not the right ‘farming’ decision, there’s no point doing something if you aren’t making money.”
Challenges When asked what the challenges facing the industry are Marek had a three-part answer – workers, water security and climate variability. “Finding workers and holding onto good workers is probably the biggest challenge at the moment. Security of water is another concern, with big companies buying up water rights and government policy changes; this is particularly concerning where you have made large capital investments that rely on current water allocation
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OzGroup – looking back over the last 20 years Melinda Simpson, Berry Industry Development Officer, NSW DPI
In 1985, Live Aid raised over $50 million for famine relief in Ethiopia, the Rainbow Warrior was sunk by the French, Gorbachev became Soviet leader and Jaspal Singh Lehl ventured to Australia with his wife and two young children from the Indian state of Punjab. The differences between the two countries must have played on Jaspal’s mind as he journeyed to Australia with hopes and dreams of the future. The story of deep family ties and transgenerational support runs strongly through the entire story of OzGroup, right from the very first blueberry farm planted by Jaspal and his family in 1996 at Corindi Beach.. When Jaspal arrived from India, he and his family came to the Woolgoolga area and worked for Johnson’s blueberry operation (now Costa’s) during the season. In the off-season, he would travel to Griffith for the grape-picking season. This was clearly a family who understood hard work and was not afraid to tackle a challenge. In 1988, Jaspal’s parents, Joginder Singh Lehl and Beant Kaur Lehl travelled to Australia to visit, and with support from within the wider family, were able to move permanently to Woolgoolga in 1989.
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As the banana industry started to decline in Coffs Harbour in the late 1990s, experiences learnt from the banana industry such as the need for better marketing of the fruit and being a cohesive industry, brought four Woolgoolga blueberry growers, including Jaspal, together in a partnership to work for mutual benefit. OzBerries was born.
Those founding partners were Jaspal; Gary, Harvinder and George Atwal; Satpal and Harjinder Gill; and Gurmukh and Kulbir Sidhu. Word spread and the group quickly grew, adding more partners, until in 2006, the twenty-six partners of Oz Berries purchased a block of land and built a packhouse facility with the help of a Federal Government grant in Woolgoolga. This purpose-built packing facility employed over 100 staff during peak season and ensured the sustainability of the brand. By 2009 the company had continued to grow and was now producing over 600 tonnes of blueberries each year and hiring more and more permanent local staff.
With extremely generous assistance and support from other family members, 118 acres of bushland were purchased in 1989 for $125,000. This is a small sum in today’s terms but 30 years ago, it was a fortune. Through old-fashioned hard work and dedication, this bushland was developed into a banana farm. Later, peach trees were added, and the farm provided a relatively stable existence for the family, which by now had grown to include three children.
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Having spent time getting to know blueberries while working on the Johnson’s farm and watching the blueberry industry blossom, Jaspal wanted to add blueberries to the home farm. Initially, Jaspal worked to propagate his own plants as getting nursery stock was challenging in the early 1990s for many reasons. Eventually he was able to source plant stocks from Ridley Bell and started with two hectares of blueberries – mainly ‘Misty’ and ‘Sharp Blue’ varieties. Those early years were tough with such a labour-intensive crop and what was a relatively small farming operation.
By 2013, the company partnership arrangement had become too unwieldy to manage efficiently as a corporate structure and the organisation made the bold step to close the existing company and establish a brandnew full cooperative; OzGroup Co-op Limited was born.
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First OzBerries packhouse facility. Photo credit: Phil Wilk, NSW DPI.
New OzGroup packhouse facility. Photo credit: OzGroup.
Automated packing machine in OzGroup’s new packing facility. Photo credit: Melinda Simpson, NSW DPI.
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OzGroup Frozen Blueberries are available in Coles Supermarkets. Photo credit: GS1.
The Co-Op has evolved to meet the needs of its’ members; agronomists and field officers are now included to provide agronomy services such as nutrition and spray programs. Working as a co-operative allows the growers to have more say with the larger supermarkets such as Woolworths and Coles about how the product is sold and marketed. This bargaining power underlies the true value of the Co-Op being strength in grower numbers and volume of product.
In 2015, OzGroup partnered with long standing berry business Driscoll’s ensuring a steady supply of berries for Australian supermarkets. They also opened a new packhouse in Coffs Harbour, allowing for greater production and more efficiencies with automated technologies. In 2017, OzGroup became the largest volume blueberry supplier in Australia, producing 37 million punnets of blueberries, 1.1 million punnets of raspberries and 202,000 punnets of blackberries in the 2017–18 financial year.
Today the OzGroup Co-Op has 140 members growing predominately blueberries, as well as raspberries and blackberries on the NSW North Coast and has an annual turnover of more than AU$200 million. By sharing control of some aspects of their businesses, individual farmers can gain control in other areas, enabling them to focus on getting the most they can from their farms, helping to strengthen the farming community. Much of the operation is simplified and complexity has been transferred onto other professionals, including operations, marketing and accountants. As with other co-operatives, the model helps farmers to realise the power of working together. As the NSW berry development officer and on behalf of all within the industry, I say, congratulations OzGroup.
OzGroup are continually looking for ways to improve their business and in 2020 decided to diversify to Australian grown frozen blueberries, installing a 5m Linde CRYOLINE CW freezer tunnel featuring CRYOWAVE, a controllable vibration technology used to individually quick-freeze the berries. These frozen blueberries are sold into Coles supermarkets across Australia. The expansion of the Coffs Harbour packhouse included two more automated packing machines, bringing the total to 7. Packhouse staff are still regarded as being crucial to the success of the business as the Co-Op seeks to identify further improvements to efficiencies. The organisation operates under the true cooperative spirit; mutual benefit with mutually observed rules. All members must market all of their fruit through the cooperative. The business is managed by a board and there is full-time staff in all of the operational positions that you would expect to see in a sophisticated multi-million-dollar business.
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Export market access options for Australian blueberries John Golding & Solomon Balagawi, NSW Department of Primary Industries Centre of Excellence for Market Access and Greenhouse Horticulture
Growing exports are a key priority for the blueberry industry. Australia is a high cost and high-quality producer where exports will be essential to capture high value export markets. However, due to the presence of quarantine insect pests such as fruit fly, these exports can be limited with quarantine restrictions. Overcoming these technical barriers to market access will be crucial to the future of the blueberry industry. Export market access can be achieved with pre- and postharvest management. Preharvest management of quarantine pests such as the use of area freedom strategies are an important market access tool. However, the use of end-point postharvest market access treatments is essential to guarantee ultimate pest freedom. These treatments include cold treatment, methyl bromide fumigation and irradiation. While not all markets accept these phytosanitary treatments and their effect on product quality can be variable, it is important to optimise market access opportunities. Each market access treatment has its own benefits and disadvantages which are outlined here and summarised in Table 1.
COLD TREATMENT BENEFITS • I mportant tool in market access toolbox as it is efficacious and accepted • Blueberries store best in low temperatures • No chemicals or residues • Registered cold treatment facilities available • No packaging issues (MAP) • Potential in-transit treatment using lower cost shipping
DISADVANTAGES
Cold treatment Cold treatment is a standard market access treatment in which the fruit is treated in cold temperatures (e.g. 1ºC) for at least 14 days. This cold treatment time has been shown to kill any fruit fly egg or larvae inside the fruit. Blueberries are well suited to cold treatment, as the ideal storage temperature of blueberries is 0ºC to 1ºC. The treatment must be conducted under tight parameters with no breaks in the treatment. As blueberries are perishable, the major disadvantage of cold treatment is the relative long treatment time (> 14 days). This long treatment time restricts marketing and flexibility.
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• Fruit quality declines with storage • Long treatment times limit marketing flexibility • Limits natural marketing advantages of using air freight to nearby Asian markets • Verification and potential breaks in cold treatment – invalidates treatment
Methyl bromide fumigation
Phytosanitary irradiation
Methyl bromide is an effective general biocide and has been the primary fumigant used for market access across a range of horticulture commodities for many years. However, due to its ozone depleting properties, it has been on the list for phasing out under the Montreal Protocol*.
The use of irradiation as a market access treatment is efficacious and there is a general treatment dose for a range of insect pests. There are no pathways for the export of Australian blueberries treated with irradiation currently, but many important blueberry export markets such as New Zealand and Vietnam are importing other Australian fruit (such as table grapes) which have been treated in this manner. Australian exports of irradiated produce continue to grow with Australian mangoes exported to the USA and Australian cherries to Vietnam as major export markets which accept irradiation as a phytosanitary treatment.
Methyl bromide had been relatively inexpensive and easy to use, but its cost has risen due to supply and demand issues. It is a relatively quick treatment, but the major disadvantage is that the treatment must occur at relatively high treatment temperatures, for example 17ºC. As the ideal storage temperature of blueberries is low (1ºC), heating the fruit up to 17ºC, treating and degassing the fruit and then returning the fruit to its ideal storage temperature is not ideal. However, methyl bromide treatment is widely accepted and used as a market access treatment around the world.
METHYL BROMIDE FUMIGATION
While there are currently no export pathways for irradiation, it is important to keep this treatment in mind to put into the blueberry market access toolbox in the future as it provides some commercial benefits.
BENEFITS • I mportant tool in market access toolbox as it is efficacious and accepted • Long accepted history of use and trade • Short term treatment (hours) • Many registered methyl bromide facilities
PHYTOSANITARY IRRADIATION BENEFITS • • • • •
DISADVANTAGES • T reatment must be at high temperatures (e.g. 17°C). This results in breaking the cool chain (i.e. heating / treatment + de-gassing / cooling fruit of whole fruit pallet(s)) • Potential quality issues (e.g. fruit softening) • Packaging issues (box design) • Re-capture technology • WHS / EPA issues with use of methyl bromide • Uncertain future
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There are generic international insect treatment protocols which use irradiation, and many countries are now utilising irradiation for exports (e.g. USA, Peru, India, Vietnam). In Australia, there has been record growth with the use of irradiation for both domestic and export shipments. This has been assisted with FSANZ recently approving the use of irradiation for treatment of all fruit and vegetables.
Important potential tool in market access toolbox Short term treatment Generic treatment Can be applied with no break in cool chain No packaging issues
DISADVANTAGES • C urrently not accepted by importing countries for blueberries • Potential market / consumer acceptance issues • Potential fruit quality issues • Limited treatment facilities – Steritech facilities in Brisbane and Melbourne
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Table 1. Summary of phytosanitary market access treatments for blueberry exports. COLD TREATMENT
METHYL BROMIDE FUMIGATION
PHYTOSANITARY IRRADIATION
Example of treatment
1°C for 14 days
32 g methyl bromide per m3 at 15°C for 3.5 hrs
150 Gray
Air freight compatible
Limited
Yes
Yes
Acceptance of treatment
General
General
No current markets
Additional packaging requirements
None
None
None
Maintenance of cold chain
Yes
No
Yes
Potential chemical residues
No
Yes
No
Relative cost of treatment
Medium
Medium
High
Availability of treatment
Registered grower and packing facilities
Registered grower and commercial facilities
Limited. Brisbane and Melbourne
Effect on fruit quality
None, just long storage time effects
Potential impact
Potential impact
Summary
Treatment time is too long
Chemical fumigant that disrupts cool chain
Limited market acceptability
* The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol) is an international agreement made in 1987, which has achieved universal ratification. It was designed to stop the production and import of ozone depleting substances and reduce their concentration in the atmosphere to help protect the earth's ozone layer. The next issue of the ‘Australian Berry Journal’ will outline the results of a comparative fruit storage trial conducted by NSW Department of Primary Industries. This storage trial compared the effects of these different commercial market access treatments (cold treatment, methyl bromide fumigation and irradiation) on fruit quality out-turns of Southern Highbush ‘1111’ blueberry fruit from three different growers. This article is a contribution from the Project: ‘Supporting informed horticultural market access treatment decisions’ (4-E8O64VH) which was co-funded by Federal Government through Accessing Premium Markets - Cooperation Activities - Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) program and NSW Department of Primary Industries.
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