GAS NEEDS
20 MEET THE MANUFACTURER
Beerfarm’s rise in a competitive beer market is a testament to the company’s products.
24 INDUSTRIAL GASES
From carbonation and packaging, Supagas provides the perfect solution for the unique needs of clients.
26 INDUSTRIAL HOSES
Continental’s suite of industrial hoses offers a robust and flexible solutions for food and beverage manufacturers.
28 TRACEABILITY
It’s been 50 years since the introduction of barcoding in Australia and GS1 is excited about the next generation.
30 WASTEWATER SOLUTIONS
Aerofloat’s work with Priestley’s Gourmet Delights is further proof of the company’s expertise with wastewater solutions.
32 GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
The Cyber Wardens program is a crucial step in ensuring small businesses can mitigate cyber risks.
34 FEDERAL BUDGET
In the wake of the Federal Budget announcement, key industry stakeholders have given mixed reactions.
36 CYBER SECURITY
Manufacturing has become a prime target for Cyberattacks in Australia
40 WASTE MANAGEMENT
Legislation has passed in Queensland to strengthen coexistence between agriculture, resources, and renewable sectors.
44
50 TRADE
The Australian Agriculture Sustainability Framework is being highlighted on the world stage.
The South Australian State Government has welcomed
$3.5 million in federal funding to assist grape growers in diversifying crops, tapping into niche markets and meeting consumer demand for lighter alcohol products.
The Grape and Wine Sector Longterm Viability Support Package aims to support the future sustainability of the grape and wine industry and to respond to the oversupply of red wine grapes.
Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Clare Scriven joined minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell and minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt for the announcement.
“I will continue to work closely with my federal colleagues on longer-term actions to support improvement in the grape and wine sector and its long-term
New funding for South Australia’s grape and wine industry Shiploads of premium WA avocados arrive in India
The Cook Government is celebrating the arrival of Western Australian avocados in India and supporting the new export market to grow.
More than 320 tonnes of Western Australian avocados, valued at over
viability, and further recommendations will be considered at the next AMM in July,” said Scriven.
This package recognises the difficulties many grape growers and the broader wine and grape sector are facing due to trade disruptions and changing consumer trends.
In March, South Australia proposed to the Agriculture Ministers Meeting (AMM) that a national viticulture and wine sector working group be established.
Initiatives that will benefit the South Australian wine and viticulture sector also include:
• Scoping the establishment of a national vineyard register (including future forecasting);
• I ncreasing trade and market development activities in key emerging markets;
• Support for Australian wine export businesses to recover their market share; and;
• Support to diversify and expand Australia’s wine exports.
$1.6 million, have now been exported to India with most supplies coming from Delroy Orchards, in the Southern Forests region.
The first commercial shipment arrived late last year after removing a
avocados, as part of the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement.
Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis said they are working hard to establish WA as the go-to
Further advice will be provided regarding knowledge gaps and data needs to inform an acceleration in new product development, diversification, and future market entry/access. F
“Initiatives such as international trade promotions and missions showcasing our State’s premium produce helps to capture invaluable new customers and helps Western Australian farmers to flourish,” said Jarvis.
“An increased demand for our agricultural products overseas means more local jobs and stronger regional economies.”
The appetite for Western Australian avocados continues to grow with increasing demand in India, the Middle East and across Asia.
Western Australian avocados are highly sought after because of their appearance, flavour, creamy texture and high quality.
Avocados are Western Australia’s highest-value fruit industry, reaching record production of 65,000 tonnes in 2023-24.
The launch of Australian Avocados in India is being led by Avocados Australia and the Australian Government, with the support of the WA Government.
A nine-day initiative exhibited the popular fruit at trade events in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. At the same time, a concurrent study tour helped open the door to potential new trade relationships for Western Australian businesses F
The funding package recognises the difficulties many in the industry are facing due to trade disruptions.
Avocados are Western Australia’s highest value fruit industry.
To celebrate XXXX’s partnership with the Queensland Maroons the beer brand has announced the return of ‘XXXX GOLD Pride In Your Origin’ tins for the second year running.
Returning to all major liquor retailers in Queensland, the limitededition cans feature a number from 0-9 that can be used to make up one of Queensland’s 447 post codes.
Lion Head of Marketing, Core Beer, Chris Allan said that the return of the cans is an example of XXXX’s relationship with the Queensland Maroons.
“Last year, the postcode cans were immensely popular and we saw thousands of Queenslanders proudly lining up their postcode to represent their hometown pride,” said Allan.
“That’s why we decided to bring
XXXX announces the return of limitededition postcode cans for Queenslanders Four Pillars take home ‘Best Gin in the World’ at the IWSC
Four Pillars Barrel Aged Bloody Underhill Shiraz Gin has taken home an outstanding gold medal at the world’s most important spirits show, the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) in London.
With 99 points, the product was the highest-scoring gin in the competition crowning it the ‘world’s best gin’.
Only five other global spirits scored 99 points with Four Pillars the only gin in the line-up.
The IWSC is the world’s longestrunning, largest and most prestigious spirits competition with more than 4000 entries from distilleries across the globe in 2024. This year, gin was the biggest category.
Spirit Judging committee member, Oliver Ward, said the gin was the best the judges could find after three days of tasting gins from around the world.
“Our judges spent three days tasting gins from different parts of the world with 760 medals awarded including more than 50 golds,” said Ward.
“Four Pillars Barrel Aged Bloody
the cans back, to allow fans to feel connected to players and every other Queenslander who shares the same pride in their origin.”
Queensland Maroons player, Patrick Carrigan said it’s exciting to be sponsored by a brand like XXXX.
“Knowing we have the support of the entire state cheering us on with a XXXX tin in hand is only going to lead us into another victory,” said Carrigan.
General manager of Commercial and Consumer Engagement at QRL, Anthony Ireland-Jones said they are looking forward to seeing Queenslanders from all corners of the state proudly displaying their postcode.
“It will be great to once again spotlight the many different Queensland communities that helped get our players to where they are now,” said Ireland-Jones.
Footy fans have also an exciting
opportunity to win prizes, from Maroons ticketed memberships and 2024 Maroons jerseys to a trip to
Yering,” said
“On the eve of World Gin Day we couldn’t be prouder to wave the
for Australian gin around the world. F
Hamilton Island for four people with selected Queensland Maroons players and representatives. F
Underhill Shiraz Gin has a warm, complex and rich palate of cocoa, licorice and juniper with hints of mint. The levels of both sweetness and alcohol are perfectly judged.”
Four Pillars, Cameron Mackenzie said they always knew the gin was special. “We always knew this was a special gin made alongside our friend
Mackenzie.
flag
The XXXX marketing promotion is designed to allow fans to feel connected to each other and the team.
The IWSC is the world’s longest running, and largest, spirits competition.
Image:
Four
Pillars
Marie Claire and Volvo reveal top pioneers in sustainability
Marie Claire has announced food and beverage
winners of the inaugural Marie Claire Sustainability Awards.
In partnership with VOLVO, the Marie Claire Sustainability Awards
across seven categories by four judges. Ronni Kahn scooped top honour as
waste landscape.
Judge for the awards and Marie Claire editor Georgie Abay said Kahn stands at the top of Australia’s sustainability journey.
“There is no question that Ronni Kahn stands at the pinnacle of the sustainability journey for Australia. Her commitment to advocating for a healthier community, and planet, is leading the way for a nationwide change in food consumption and waste,” said Abay.
Sustainable alcohol brand, Ugly Vodka took home the prize in the Food & Drink category for its efforts to combat the food wastage crisis.
VOLVO Managing Director, Stephen Connor said the partner company was proud to partner with Marie Claire to help put a spotlight on industry visionaries.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with Marie Claire to help highlight the visionaries, pioneers and trailblazers who strive for the greater good for both our people and our planet.
Congratulations to each of the winners on your endeavours in implementing change and building a better tomorrow,” said Connor.
Full profiles of the winners are featured in the June issue of Marie Claire, 2024. F
Marie Claire editor, Georgie Abay, said Kahn stands atop of Australia’s sustainability journey.
Image: Feel good
To mark World Environment Day, Coles Group announced it has awarded grants of up to $500,000 to nine small and mediumsized businesses from across the country to implement plans to drive sustainability and innovation.
The latest grants bring the total financial support awarded through the Coles Nurture Fund to more than $36 million across 108 businesses since the funding initiative was established in 2015.
Since 2020, Caloundra-based Indigenous family-owned business Beachtree Distilling Co. has crafted delicious small-batch gin, vodka and liqueurs with native-Australian ingredients.
Through the nurture fund, the company has been awarded $380,000 to transform local and Indigenous waste from jam, spreads and cheese production into flavourful spirits.
Beachtree Distilling Co. co-founder Kirra Daley said the Re-spirits program
Aussie distillery and brewery receive more than $780,000 from Coles Nurture Fund Australian Made Week 2024 spotlights local makers and growers
would have a significant impact on her business and many other local farms.
“We plan on using our grant to acquire equipment to repurpose what other local businesses consider waste to create our delicious spirits, to create a more circular economy and reduce waste,” said Daley.
Another beneficiary of the fund is Rocky Ridge Brewing Co, a craft brewery located in Busselton, which has been awarded $400,000 towards its project to become the first Net Zero Certified Sustainable Brewery in the Australian and Asia Pacific region.
Rocky Ridge Brewing Co. co-founder Hamish Coates said the Coles Nurture Fund will help them achieve their goals to reduce their environmental impact, focus on local sourcing, and progress on their journey to Net Zero.
“Our brewery operates off-grid using solar and batteries and the Coles
Australian small businesses are encouraged to apply for the next round of funding in January, 2025.
Nurture Fund will allow us to upgrade these facilities to support our growth and install a wastewater reuse system, reducing the water consumption by 28 per cent,” said Coates.
ustralian Made Week aimed to urge shoppers to purchase more consciously and support Aussie
Research from Roy Morgan revealed if every household spent an additional
products, it would generate almost $5 billion extra into our economy each year
Australian Made chief Executive Ben Lazzaro said Australian Made Week, which ran from Monday 20th May to Sunday 26th May, aimed to celebrate all
“When we choose to buy local, we’re helping keep Aussies in business and in jobs. Even the smallest purchases can make a huge difference,” said Lazzaro.
Australian small businesses are encouraged to apply for the 13th round of the Coles Nurture Fund via the website when applications open again in January 2025. F
“And when you consider that according to KPMGs most recent Family Business Survey, 67% of all businesses in Australia are family-owned and operated and more than half of the nation’s workforce is employed by a family business, it makes sense to buy homegrown goods.”
Lazzaro said it’s as easy to identify these products as looking for the iconic Australian green and gold.
“All it takes is looking for products bearing the trusted green and gold kangaroo logo, which certifies a product as genuinely Australian Made,” he added.
Notably, singer-songwriter Jessica Mauboy was the face of this year’s Australian Made Week. F
Spearheaded by Jessica Mauboy, this year’s Australian Made Week urged shoppers to purchase local products.
AI-powered robots to revolutionise cake production in QLD
Leading national sweet and savoury food supplier and manufacturer, Priestley’s Gourmet Delights, has announced the opening of its new SMART facility based in Brisbane’s Acacia Ridge.
The new Priestley’s Gourmet Delights facility is a data-led SMART factory that can instantly harness real-time data to boost productivity, improve processes and drive growth.
Mobile autonomous robots will streamline the baking process by stacking products onto baking racks as well as by safely moving the racks around the facility.
This will double production capacity and ensure the safety of employees by reducing the need for repetitive manual tasks.
Employees whose jobs are now automated are being upskilled towards higher-value roles to develop their expertise and drive innovation of future products and processes.
Priestley’s Gourmet Delights’ new SMART facility is expected to double the company’s production capacity.
Xanny Christophersen MD and CEO of Priestley’s Gourmet Delights said the new facility is a testament to the hard work of all employees.
“The technology we’re harnessing will allow us to boost productivity while also enabling us to grow our people –supporting them to upskill and creating a substantial number of new jobs for
Queenslanders, as well as adding to the state’s economy,” said Christophersen.
The new $53 million, 7740 square metre facility will also support Priestley’s expansion into the retail sector, creating approximately 56 new FTE roles across
the company by 2026.
Priestley’s Gourmet Delights will launch a new range of five indulgent desserts into independent retail chains Drakes Supermarkets and Ritchies IGA. F
Australian food and wine trade opportunities on the table in Indonesia
Leaders of some of Australia’s largest food and wine representative groups have gathered in Indonesia in an effort to increase trade opportunities between the two countries.
The roundtable discussion in Jakarta on May 20 included representatives from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and other members of the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group.
The Wine Collaboration Group is comprised of MLA, Hort Innovation, Wine Australia, Dairy Australia and Seafood Industry Australia.
The discussion focused on a two-way sharing of perspectives, insights and issues, including the market outlook for Indonesia in the next 12 months and beyond.
The Roundtable Discussion will allow the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group to collectively promote and profile the credentials of Australian produce and wine.
The Taste the Wonders of Australia Gala Dinner allowed Indonesian importers, chefs, members of the food industry, government representatives and local media to taste Australia’s premium food and wine.
East Asia, Valeska said Indonesia is a longstanding partner and consumer of the Australian red meat industry.
“Australian beef and lamb is highly regarded by Indonesian consumers for its premium quality and food safety credentials,” said Valeska.
“The Collaboration Group is a fantastic opportunity to capitalise upon Indonesia’s incredible interest in all things beef and lamb.” Since it first
An Era of Cocoa shortage has come to an end, thanks to Kerry’s Cocoa Replacement Solution.
The cocoa replacement solution by Kerry Group looks to tackle escalating cocoa supply and prices.
According to studies by Kerry Group, cocoa supplies are predicted to fall short by 11 per cent in 2024 which led to a 300 per cent increase in prices over the past year.
In recent years, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, the giants who made up more than half of the world’s Cocoa supply, have faced significant crises in production due to swollen shoot virus and soil degradation.
Kerry Group’s Cocoa Replacement Solution offers a sustainable and cost-effective answer to the persistent challenges of cocoa supply and pricing.
Kerry’s Cocoa Taste solutions allow for a significant reduction in cocoa
Food and Wine Collaboration Group has met more than 480 key trade contacts.
Dairy Australia general manager Charlie McElhone says there is clear momentum building for the Collaboration Group.
“The project helps us communicate the positive attributes of Australian
Great news for Cocoa lovers
powder usage while preserving the desired cocoa flavour.
This is beneficial for applications in baked goods, dairy beverages, and confectionery products.
By reducing reliance on cocoa powder, manufacturers can better manage costs and stabilise their supply chains, making them less vulnerable to market fluctuations in cocoa prices.
This replacement not only replenishes and preserves cocoa’s unique savour, but also navigates food manufacturers through the volatile cocoa market, by reducing their dependency on cocoa mass.
Vice president, of Taste, Kerry Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa
Young Kim, said the commitment to sustainability is at the centre of the Cocoa replacement solution.
“When it comes to potential solutions, there is a critical need for sustainability, if properly addressed, it can transform
the landscape of cocoa production for the better,” said Kim.
Kerry offers expert support from food scientists and flavour specialists to
Manufacturers can better manage costs by reducing reliance on cocoa powder.
produce, leveraging the ‘Nation Brand’,
Indonesia, for Australia,” said McElhone.
The program has been extended thanks to a second ATMAC grant, which will see the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group strengthen trade engagement and market access in other high-value markets, starting with Taiwan. F
help manufacturers adjust their recipes, ensuring the final products maintain high sensory quality despite reduced cocoa content. F
The roundtable discussion focussed on a two-way sharing of perspectives, insights, and issues.
Image: XKerry Group
China ends suspensions on five Australian meat establishments
The Australian Government has confirmed that China’s suspension of five meat processing establishments has been lifted with immediate effect.
Eight beef processing facilities have now had suspensions lifted, while two facilities remain suspended.
Senator Tim Ayres said lifting the suspensions means these establishments can start filling in orders immediately.
“I know what it means for the beef cattle farming community and those towns. It’s going to have a very significant positive impact in meat processing around Australia and build confidence for future investments and future employment,” said Ayres.
The government continues to press China to remove the remaining trade impediments, including Australia’s rock lobster industry.
Trade impediments imposed by
China before the May 2022 election resulted in a $20.6 billion reduction in exports.
China’s progressive removal of impediments since then, including today’s announcement, means less than $1 billion worth of exports remain impeded.
The lifting of impediments has already had a real-world impact in the tuning of more than $11.5 billion for Australian barley, cotton, oaten hay, wine, coal, copper ores and timber logs.
The Australian Government’s approach is to cooperate with China where they can and disagree where they must engage in Australian national interest.
Trade diversification is a key element of the Government’s trade policy strategy.
The Government aims to continue supporting Australian businesses to sell their world-class products on the global stage. F
NSW Government to modernise the exports of rice
The NSW Government announced it will introduce a Bill to the State Parliament to end statutory rice export marketing (‘vesting’) arrangements by 1 July 2025.
The NSW Government believe it will usher in a new era of greater opportunity and innovation for the rice industry.
T he legislation was introduced to Parliament in June in hopes of enhancing the long-term viability of the state’s rice industry, which had an estimated farm gate value of $219 million in 2022-23.
This is an important step in bringing new opportunities to the agriculture sector and in ensuring regulations do not hinder industry growth.
The contents of the bill came from rice growers from across NSW who called for the end of statutory rice export marketing (‘vesting’) arrangements.
“The NSW Government while drafting a Bill to modernise the state’s rice marketing arrangements received
requests from rice growers in southern NSW to end statutory rice export marketing, the ‘vesting’ arrangements, sooner rather than later,” said NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty.
The decision to deregulate the industry comes at a time when rice growers are well-placed to take advantage of the new marketing opportunities.
Under the future arrangements, growers will be afforded greater choice and flexibility to pursue a range of markets, including export markets.
It will also benefit the long-term sustainability of the industry in the face of lower water availability and a more variable climate.
The NSW Government is committed to ensuring that the industry is supported and will work with the present sole and exclusive export licence holder, SunRice.
This collaboration will help resolve the access to rice seed aspect of the present arrangements and enable a supported transition for the sector. F
Growers will be afforded greater choice and flexibility under the future arrangements.
Senator Tim Ayres said lifting the suspensions means producers can start filling orders immediately.
Work starts on 7000 solar panels at Suntory’s $400M Queensland facility
Work has commenced on a 14km stretch of solar panels at a new Suntory Global Spirits1 and Suntory Beverage & Food facility in Ipswich, Queensland.
The Ipswich facility will play a critical role in unlocking the power of Suntory in the region, delivering innovation and full end-to-end control of its portfolio.
Ian Roberts, Chief Supply Chain Officer of Suntory Beverage & Food Oceania, said the facility provided extraordinary capabilities to fast-track innovation and disrupt the market.
“Our carbon neutral ‘smart’ facility – powered by a combination of solar, biomass and green energy – will give Suntory unrivalled ability to innovate, respond to customer demand, and
deliver beverages that are made locally and sustainably,” said Roberts.
“Led by our Growing For Good philosophy, Suntory has taken every opportunity to use leading technology and set new standards for sustainable manufacturing in Australia, said Roberts.”
Three sustainability investments currently underway at the site include:
• 7000 solar panels, equating to just over nine soccer fields (14km) will power the production of over 20 million cases of beverages a year on commencement.
• A biomass boiler that will use offcuts from the local sawmill as fuel to generate heat for the site’s manufacturing heating requirements.
• T here will also be a fitting of an organic Rankine cycle generator, a
To date, the Ipswich facility has delivered approximately 450 construction and installation jobs, and
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners sells WA brewery
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) Australia announced a binding agreement to sell Feral
Brewing Company to a joint venture comprising of Western Australia’s Nail Brewing and a consortium of investors.
Western Australia’s Nail Brewing and a consortium of investors’ acquisition of Feral Brewing Company will take the beer producer to the next level.
Upon strategic review, CCEP determined that the joint venture partners are well-suited to lead Feral
further 130 roles to support the new Australian Alcohol Licensed Route
F
Brewing into its next chapter.
Beerfarm, another independent Western Australian brewery, will acquire all of Feral’s assets to maintain the production of Feral products.
Managing director of CCEP Australia, Orlando Rodriguez, said the sale of Feral Brewing Company will allow the company to be ideally positioned for the next exciting phase of growth.
“The purchasers possess the attributes to deliver the necessary scale for long-term sustainable growth for the Feral business, and importantly, to continue investing in the development and growth of the Feral team,” said Rodriguez.
Both Beerfarm and Nail Brewing are successful independent breweries with a strong presence in the Western Australian brewing industry.
Feral currently contract brews for both companies at its premises, and the new owners intend to continue growing the brand and maximising beer production volumes at the Bassendean site.
The transaction is expected to be completed in June. F
to Market function.
The new facility will play a critical roll in unlocking the power of Suntory in the region.
Image:
Suntory
Industries Loan Pilot to support regional food & beverage manufacturers
The NSW Rural Assistance Authority is administering the Engine and Emerging Industries Loan pilot to support regionally-based food and beverage manufacturers in adopting advanced manufacturing capabilities.
The Engine and Emerging Industries Loan is available to eligible sole traders, partnerships, trusts or private companies who operate in the food product manufacturing or beverage manufacturing industries in regional NSW.
Low-interest loans of between $100,000 and $1 million are now available to eligible regional enterprises to fund new technologies and equipment that will increase efficiency and productivity.
The loan can be used to fund investments that will result in:
• I mplementation of advanced manufacturing techniques and technology;
• E xpansion of existing advanced manufacturing capabilities;
• Access to external expertise that is directly related to the delivery of the project;
• Purchase and/or installation of specialist equipment and/or infrastructure necessary to progress the project including mobile equipment;
• I ntellectual property protection or advice; and;
• I ncreased capabilities/efficiencies of pre or post-production phases, for example, implementation of pre-market and/or after-market service activities.
To be eligible, enterprises must be able to demonstrate long-term viability
and a capacity to repay the loan.
They must have less than 200 employees, be classified under one of the eligible ANZSIC codes, have a suitable Business and Project Delivery Plan and
should not have had a turnover greater than $250 million.
Applicants can now apply for funding for activities that commenced on or after 1 April 2024. F
Horticulture Awards for Excellence recognise inspiring industry achievements
Leading lights of the Australian horticulture industry have been recognised at the Horticulture Awards for Excellence 2024 in front of more than 1,500 delegates at the soldout Hort Connections Gala Dinner in Melbourne last night.
The annual Horticulture Awards for Excellence are awarded to leading growers and industry members for exceptional achievements and innovations across multiple categories and are widely regarded as the industry’s most prestigious honours.
Ten horticulture industry leaders and pioneers were recognised in this year’s Horticulture Awards for Excellence, and the group included growers, researchers, technology providers, educators and more.
“Each of the winners of this year’s Horticulture Awards for Excellence have made major contributions to the Australian horticulture industry, and they provide clear examples of the innovation and dedication that drives this industry forward,” said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.
“For the leadership and value they bring to the Australian horticulture industry, I thank and congratulate all of our winners, as well as the strong field of nominees in this year’s awards.”
Horticulture Awards for Excellence 2024 winners
Syngenta Grower of the Year: Rocky Lamattina & Sons – VIC
Corteva Agriscience Young Grower of the Year: Zeke Zalsman, Zaldeesh Farms – WA
Bayer Researcher of the Year: Doris
Blaesing, RMCG – VIC
• Butler Market Gardens
Environmental & Sustainability: End Food Waste, Australian Banana Growers Council and Melons Australia – National
• U PL Tech & Innovation: RapidAim – QLD
• Muirs Community Stewardship Award: Veg Education – VIC
• Hort Innovation Exporter of the Year Award: Nutrano Produce Group – NSW
• B oomaroo Nurseries Women in Horticulture: Bree Watson, Bundaberg Fruit & Vegetable Growers – QLD
• V ISY Industry Impact: Ian Layden (Gatton Smart Farm Ag Tech Showcase), QDAF – QLD
• Seeka Marketer of the Year Award: Perfection Fresh – NSW
For more information about the Horticulture Awards for Excellence 2024, please visit hortconnections.com. au/awards. F
Ten horticulture industry leaders and pioneers were recognised at this year’s awards ceremony.
Low interest loans of between $100,000 and $1 million are now available for eligible regional enterprises.
Adelaide Hills chardonnay takes out Prime Minister’s Trophy
An Adelaide Hills chardonnay took out the nation’s top wine award in front of an audience including prime minister Anthony Albanese at the National Press Club.
Murdoch Hill’s 2022 Rocket Chardonnay has won the Prime Minister’s Trophy for Champion Wine of Show at the National Wine Show of Australia.
National Wine Show of Australia chair of judges Matt Harrop said the Chardonnay, from a family-owned vineyard in Oakbank, was a standout.
“To get a chardonnay with such powerful and precise flavours is due to a combination of a great vineyard that’s perfectly tended, with sensibly grown grapes and sensitive winemaking. It’s a great, great wine,” said Harrop.
As winner of the Len Evans Memorial Trophy for White Wine of Show, Murdoch Hill’s 2022 Rocket Chardonnay battled it out for the Prime Minister’s
Trophy against the James Halliday Red Wine of Show, Devil’s Lair’s 2022 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon.
“The Devil’s Lair has everything you could want in a young cabernet – a lot of flavour, lovely colour, perfect aromatics. If you were going to say, ‘here’s an example of how good Australian cabernet can be’, you don’t need to go further than this wine,” said Harrop.
To be eligible to enter the National Wine Show of Australia, presented by Endeavour Group, wines must have won a gold or silver medal at one of 32 qualifying capital city or regional shows.
This year, 952 wines representing 236 Australian wineries competed in the Canberra-based show, run by the Royal National Capital Agricultural Society.
Of the 23 trophy winners, eight were from South Australia, seven from Victoria, four from Western Australia, three from New South Wales and one from Tasmania.
National Wine Show chair Andy Gregory said the 23 trophy winners, as well as the 684 wines that missed out, represented the pinnacle of Australian winemaking.
“The National Wine Show shines a spotlight on the unique characteristics of Australian wines and the distinct regions in which they are made. It’s a celebration of provenance, authenticity and quality,” said Gregory.
Australia to chair the World Wine Trade Group
Australia is now the Chair of the World Wine Trade Group (WWTG), a group that brings together government and industry representatives to simplify international wine trade.
The WWTG supports trade in wine through information sharing, discussion, and coordination on regulatory issues in wine markets, and joint actions for the removal of trade barriers.
Deputy Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy, Matt Lowe, announced that Australia’s term as Chair of the WWTG began on 1 June 2024.
“Our time as Chair of the WWTG will give us the stage to advance the group’s trade priorities, strengthen collaboration with other members, and highlight the people, places and stories that make Australian wine unique,” said Lowe.
“The WWTG has made significant
achievements that smooth international trade for Australian wine. It provides Australian exporters with better access to other WWTG markets without some of the costs and frustrations of trade barriers based on differences
government and industry, chairing responsibilities will be shared between the department and the industry body representative for the wine sector, Australian Grape & Wine.
The Australian delegation also
To see the full list of winners, please visit https://www.nationalwineshow. com.au/2024-results. F
Research Institute.
Australia will welcome international delegations to Adelaide for the WWTG Annual Meeting in October. WWTG members include Australia, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Georgia, New Zealand,
Murdoch Hill’s 2022 Rocket Chardonnay took home a prestigious award at the National Wine Show of Australia.
The delegation includes representatives from Wine Australia and the Australian Wine Research Institute.
New net zero industry plan in development
The Australian Government is developing a Net Zero Plan to road map how Australian industries, including food and beverage manufacturing, will transition to a net zero economy by 2050.
The Net Zero Plan will set out government priorities, policies, and measures to drive down emissions and will support investment in low emissions and renewable activities.
The industrial sector plan is focused on sub sectors that represent the greatest opportunity for decarbonisation and that will be most impacted by the transition to net zero.
The plan will cover:
• Food and beverages
• Manufacturing
• A lumina and aluminium
• Waste and resource recovery
• Chemicals and plastics
• I ron and steel
• Cement and concrete
• Pulp and paper
Science is responsible for developing the plan with the Minister for Climate Change and Energy in consultation with
cross-cutting and sector-specific issues including valuing emissions reduction and removing blockers to action.
New funding to strengthen Australian agricultural exports
The National Agricultural Traceability Grants Program, designed to enhance trust in Australian agricultural exports to Southeast Asia, has allocated $3.9 million to 11 innovative projects focused on supply chain traceability.
The grants aim to enhance the industry’s credibility and establish comprehensive traceability systems, all designed to promote greater confidence
in Australian products throughout Southeast Asia.
By prioritising traceability from paddock to plate, Australian exporters aim to meet the highest standards of safety and sustainability.
Each organisation awarded a grant is focused on achieving traceability goals and fostering prosperous relationships with international consumers.
The institutions selected for the
grant round and their winning projects include:
• Australian Grape and Wine Incorporated: “Tracing carbon emissions in an international wine industry value chain between Australia and Singapore.”
• D airy Australia Limited: “Leveraging Australian dairy sustainability credentials to influence trade of dairy products in Southeast Asia.”
• Australian Table Grape Association: “Australian Table Grapes Southeast Asia export traceability – B2C & B2B engagement platform.”
• Meat and Livestock Australia Limited: “Showcasing Australian red meat integrity systems and credentials in Southeast Asia.”
• T he University of Adelaide: “Enhancing agricultural traceability for Market Sustainability: A Southeast Asian perspective.”
• Griffith University: “Evaluation and resource development to advance
The Australian government will be consulting throughout 2024 to support the plan’s development. F
Australian agriculture export traceability: A study of seafood and horticulture trade with Vietnam.”
• Monash University: Enhancing trustworthy honey trade through new honeybee hive provenance technology.
• Australian Mango Industry Association: Assessing the opportunity of adopting integrated traceability systems for Australian mangoes in selected Southeast Asian markets.
• E xport Council of Australia: Adopting digital traceability by Australian firms exporting almonds to Malaysia.
• C entral Queensland University: “Leveraging blockchain for enhanced food traceability and trust in Australian-Indonesian horticulture supply chains.”
• eBottli Pty Ltd: “Enhancing Tuna Traceability: RFID-Driven Value Chains for Sustainable Growth in Southeast Asia Bluefin Tuna Trade.”
The Net Zero Plan will set out government priorities, policies, and measures to drive down emissions.
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Where good times and great beers meet
Beerfarm came into being in 2015 when five friends discovered a hidden gem of a property, formerly an old dairy farm, which inspired them to transform it into a tavern and build a brewery. Adam McCleery writes.
In the heart of Western Australia’s picturesque Margaret River region lies a hidden gem known as Beerfarm. Nestled in the rolling hills of Metricup, this craft brewery has become a beacon for beer enthusiasts seeking not only exceptional brews but also a genuine connection to the land and community.
The story of Beerfarm began in 2015, a time when the craft beer movement in Australia was gaining momentum.
“When we started the company, we set out with the goal to build cautiously and slowly, with growth in mind,” said Ian Atkins, co-founder of Beerfarm alongside George Scott, Craig Thommo, and Ben and Josh Thomas.
“The goal was not to create something quickly but to grow slowly and build a strong legacy.”
The group of friends shared passion for brewing and sustainability, so Beerfarm set out to create beers that not only delighted the palate but also respected the environment and gave the market what it wanted.
Atkins, who was also a co-founder of successful brewer, Young Henry’s, said the initial idea was to replicate that success in Western Australia.
“That didn’t work out at the time, which happens in business, so instead the 2.0 plan was put together and Beerfarm was born,” he said.
Situated on a historic property that once housed a dairy farm, the brewery embraced its rustic roots and transformed the old hay shed into a bustling hub of creativity and innovation.
“There was a lot of soul searching at the time, in terms of looking at how do we do things differently, what do we want to achieve, and ultimately what do we want the business to be,” said Atkins.
“We had the very bare bones, including a derelict piece of farming history in Western Australia. That was literally all we had, so it was a question of looking at what we could build form there, and that is also where our name comes from.”
From the outset, sustainability was woven into the fabric of Beerfarm’s ethos.
The founders were determined to minimise their environmental impact and maximise their positive contribution to the community.
“We aim to keep things very simple and are all about producing great, flavoursome products, and putting them out into the marketplace but from a country environment,” said Atkins.
For example, the team implemented water-saving technologies, reused spent grains to feed local livestock, and partnered with nearby farmers to source ingredients and minimise food miles.
This commitment to sustainability wasn’t just a box to tick—it was a way of life.
“We like to treat lightly on the land where we can and make sure to utilise what we have at our disposal,” said Atkins.
“The vision was always to be able to deliver that same small producer feel but on a national scale.
In terms of product development, Beerfarm slowly expanded its product
“We aim to keep things very simple and are all about producing great, flavoursome products, and putting them out into the marketplace but from a country environment.”
The brewery embraced its rustic roots and transformed an old hay shed into a bustling hub.
In the heart of Western Australia’s picturesque Margaret River region lies the hidden gem known as independent brewer, Beerfarm.
The story of Beerfarm began in 2015, a time when the craft beer movement in Australia was gaining momentum.
line to include limited edition and experimental brews, as well as traditional favourites.
They crafted a diverse range of brews, from hop-forward IPAs bursting with citrus and pine to smooth and malty stouts that warmed the soul on a chilly Margaret River evening.
Each beer told a story of craftsmanship, with carefully selected ingredients and a meticulous brewing process that honoured tradition while embracing experimentation.
Their dedication to quality and innovation was recognised with numerous awards and accolades, further solidifying their place in the Australian craft beer scene.
The brewery has most recently been awarded “Gold” for their IPL and IPA at the 2004 AIBAs and “2024 WA Beer of the Year” by the WA Good Food Guide for their IPL and Royal Haze ranking #14 in GABS 2024.
"As part of our national expansion, we’re focused on fully cracking the national liquor distributors and Viren’s industry knowledge, experience, and strong connections will help us get there.”
The timing of great word of mouth was perfect, with Beerfarm looking to take its next growth step by firstly expanding nationally, with dreams for international expansion after.
“We are currently working on getting a development application in New South Wales. We have a brewery ready to go but just need to make it through the bureaucracy,” said Atkins.
In the meantime, Atkins said, the company remains focused on other key areas of successful business growth.
Namely talent acquisitions.
“There’s a combination of things that drive companies, one is obviously attracting Grade-A talent into the business, and growth in new areas,” he said
“This is who we are and what we want to be known for.”
Beerfarm recently hired experienced sales lead, Viren Goundrie, as its head of sales.
The news coincides with Beerfarm’s May acquisition of Feral Brewing’s Bassendean production facilities which is set to enable the business to more than triple its production capacity over the next five years.
“Along with several other recent appointments, it shows that Beerfarm is attracting national talent from across the beverage industry,” said Atkins.
“We’re aiming for growth and people are wanting to be a part of that story.”
“We have always brewed great beer
and now we can deliver more of it. As part of our national expansion, we’re focused on fully cracking the national liquor distributors and Viren’s industry knowledge, experience, and strong connections will help us get there.”
The company’s commitment to the region extended beyond the brewery walls, creating a ripple effect of positivity that touched the lives of many.
Visitors from near and far flock to Beerfarm, not just for the beer, but for the entire experience.
The brewery offers tours where guests can see first-hand how their favourite brews are made, from grain to glass.
Through it all, the founders, and staff of Beerfarm remain true to their vision that good beer brings people together.
Atkins said one key element of Beerfarm’s future expansion is to retain that same feel, while also supplying to a larger market. F
Visitors from near and far flock to Beerfarm, not just for the beer, but for the entire experience.
The Beerfarm team firmly believe a great beer can bring together great people.
Beerfarm crafts a diverse range of beers for the market.
From humble beginnings, Beerfarm has gone from strength to strength over the past decade.
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Empowering the hospitality industry with essential gas solutions
From carbonation and packaging to dispensing beverages, Supagas provides solutions for the unique needs of clients. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.
The hospitality industry, encompassing food and beverage sectors, is facing a multitude of challenges which are impacting running costs.
By making smart choices a business can help mitigate these challenges, in this case, around the use of gases.
For example, gases like CO₂, N₂, and O₂ are integral to the production, preservation, and enjoyment of beverages.
“Rising costs, declining patronage, and increasing excise on alcohol and beer have created a perfect storm for businesses trying to stay afloat,” said David Petroff, national industrial bulk manager, Supagas.
“For beer and alcohol producers, along with hospitality venues, the current economic climate necessitates strategic decisions to maintain quality and customer satisfaction.
“Among these, selecting the right gases for production and dispensing beverages, particularly beer, has become crucial.”
Supagas is perfectly placed to address these challenges and provide affordable solutions for key industry stakeholders and decision makers through its industrial gases expertise.
“In an environment where cost pressures are ever-present, the quality,
Supagas’ national industrial bulk manager, David Petroff.
Image: Supagas
Supagas is placed to help food and beverage manufacturers meet their industrial gas needs in an ever changing environment.
“This is where the importance of choosing the appropriate gases for carbonation, packaging, and dispensing comes into play.”
Supagas offers a range of pure gases and gas mixtures tailored to the hospitality industry’s needs, providing additional benefits.
With expert advice and customised solutions, Supagas helps businesses make informed choices about the most suitable gases for their processing applications.
“This focus on quality ensures that beverages are served with optimal carbonation and taste, enhancing the overall customer experience,” said Petroff.
“Carbonation is a critical factor in the beverage industry, especially for beer. The right level of carbonation can significantly affect the taste, mouth feel, and presentation of the drink.
“For example, pure carbon dioxide (CO2) is commonly used for carbonating beverages, but the specific requirements can vary depending on the type of beer or beverage being served.”
Examples of Supagas’ unique offerings, includes its SupaMix and SupaMap ranges.
SupaMix gases are primarily used across a range of businesses to complete various applications, from dispensing beer and stout at the tap, soft drinks, wine, and juices.
Supagas’ expertise in gas applications also helps manufacturers optimise their packaging processes and ensure the best possible conditions for their products.
Supagas’ SupaMap product range is specifically designed for use in Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) processes.
The SupaMap Specialty Gas product range by Supagas is designed for diverse food applications.
These colourless and odourless gases help enhance food quality and freshness and are available in cylinders, packs, and bulk forms.
For businesses where cylinders and packs are insufficient for production needs, bulk supply becomes essential. In addition, large customers can mix gases on
site to streamline their operations.
The range has six variations to address different areas of the production process, including food and beverage and MAP applications.
Supagas also offers these MAP gases in various cylinder sizes and bulk forms, providing flexibility depending on the scale of the operation and specific customer requirements.
Beyond just carbonation, gases play a vital role in the packaging of both food and beverages.
“Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is a technique used to extend the shelf life of perishable goods by replacing the air inside the packaging with a gas mixture,” said Petroff.
“For example, nitrogen (N2) and CO2 are often used to preserve the freshness and quality of beverages. Supagas’ expertise in gas mixtures ensures that businesses can maintain the highest standards of product quality.”
Various foods are packaged using MAP such as fruits, vegetables, meats and seafoods. MAP gases are at a food grade level, supporting the food packaging process to preserve food quality and extending the shelf life of packaged goods.
Dispensing beverages, particularly in high-volume environments like bars and restaurants, also requires the right gases.
“The use of mixed gases, such as CO2 and nitrogen blends, can improve the
pour quality of beer, creating a better experience for the customer,” said Petroff.
“Supagas provides tailored gas solutions that help maintain consistency and quality in every pour.”
Choosing the right gases for beverage production and dispensing is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Each business has unique needs and challenges that require a tailored approach.
“Supagas offers expert advice to help businesses navigate these choices, ensuring that they select the most suitable gases for their specific applications,” added Petroff.
By working closely with clients, Supagas can recommend the best gas products and mixtures for carbonation, packaging, and dispensing.
This personalised approach helps businesses maintain the highest standards of quality and taste, which is essential for attracting and retaining customers.
Despite the industry’s current challenges, by focusing on quality and presentation, businesses can ensure that customers keep coming back for more. F
To learn more, visit www. supagas.com.au
With expert advice and customised solutions, Supagas helps businesses make informed choices about the most suitable gases for processing applications.
Image: Ivan Kulikovstock.adobe.com
Image: Mulderphoto -
Using the right washdown hose ensures sanitary business operation
Continental’s suite of industrial hoses offers a robust and flexible solutions for food and beverage manufacturers. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.
Selecting the appropriate industrial washdown hoses is crucial to reducing the risk of worker injury and preventing cross-contamination between production batches.
The washdown process plays a vital role in food and beverage manufacturing by minimizing the risk of product contamination.
Despite its importance, the need for reliable washdown processes is sometimes overlooked.
Lee Cranswick, head of sales distribution – AUS/NZ - Continental, said having a robust and reliable washdown hose provides a host of advantages.
Continental prides itself on offering
the food and beverage industry connected, environment-friendly, safe, and convenient industry and service solutions around industrial fluid transfer, including washdowns.
“Our mission at Continental is to provide the industry with solutions that incorporate quality and safety, securing customer investments which in turn supports their business. That is what we really try to do within the industry,” said Cranswick.
“Our washdown hoses are flexible enough to be used across many areas within the Food & Beverage sector. From abattoirs, breweries, distilleries to wineries and even into local pubs and supermarkets. The hoses are suitable and should be regarded as the industry standard to meet the tough handling and cleanliness regulations of the Food & Beverage industry.”
A unique feature of Continental’s industrial hoses is the exclusive use of Microban technology.
Microban antimicrobial technology is becoming popular within the food and beverage industry because of its ability to protect products during the manufacturing and washdown process. It extends the life cycle of the hoses and limits the risk of failure and contamination in the manufacturing process.
The technology is designed to protect products from the growth of bacteria, mould, and mildew, all of which can cause a range of issues in the production process if not carefully managed.
“That takes us into the washdown range, which is used after production, so it is about getting your facility clean and ready for the next batch or service,” said Cranswick.
“This range is designed around that idea, and it incorporates a good, better, and best line up, depending on the different performance and added value of the product itself.”
The range of washdown hoses offered by Continental is comprehensive and designed to specifically suit the needs of each application in the food
and beverage industry. This includes the various applications such as exposure to fatty acids, temperature of the fluid, the chemicals being used and whether Food & Drug Administration (FDA) conforming materials are a requirement.
“That is how we have established the Continental washdown range. So, when we talk about the actual application, it is about cleaning the facilities after the fact and preparing equipment to produce the best product available. The main objective with the Continental washdown range is to eliminate the exposure of contamination to the products being manufactured and allows the operators to do this in a safe manner,” said Cranswick.
Cranswick said that in his opinion that many hoses observed as being used in the washdown processes, particularly at food manufacturing facilities, simply are not suitable and will be degrading the finished product.
“It doesn’t really clean the product in my opinion. What we do is use specific compounds that aren’t going to taint the product and equipment being used to prepare and manufacture,” he said.
“It is designed specifically for that application in order to protect the
The range of Continental washdown hoses is designed to specifically suit the needs of each application in the food and beverage industry.
Continental uses specific compounds that aren’t going to taint the product and equipment being used.
quality of the finished product.”
Continental industrial washdown hoses also promise a longer life span, which has a positive impact on protecting the customers investment as well as worker safety.
“A lot of washdown processes are high temperature. The fluid that they are pumping through to kill the bacteria can be in excess of 90 degrees Celsius,” said Cranswick.
“Along with the use of chemicals, we make sure our products are tested to a temperature range that can withstand the washdown process, which is also critical for worker safety because it prevents leaks or bursting, which can spill scalding water directly onto the operator.”
One way Continental ensures its product quality is through extensive development and testing of the products which includes third party approvals such as conformance to FDA stipulations. The compounds used are developed in house by the many Continental chemists and R&D engineers.
“We go that extra mile to help protect the industry and the people within it,” said Cranswick.
“We also use blends that are specifically formulated for this application, which is the same for all of our products to suit each specific application.
Some of these industrial washdown hoses include the Blue Fortress 300 with Microban Antimicrobial Protection.
Continental works exclusively with Microban to incorporate the technology, which ensures the highest quality washdown hoses offered by a manufacturer.
Applications include washdown service in food processing plants, dairies, packing houses, bottling plants, breweries, canneries, and creameries.
Its abrasion and oil-resistant cover also provides maximum protection against the adverse effects of oil and animal fats. Meanwhile, the cover of Fortress washdown hose incorporates Microban’s antimicrobial built-in
product protection.
The Continental Blue Fortress 300 washdown hose, is the regarded as the market leading offering as it has been developed to withstand hot water up to 99˚C for clean-up service, as well as incorporates Microban technology and conforms to FDA requirements.
Continental also offers the whole assembly around industrial washdown hoses to double down on its assurances of a safer piece of equipment that will ultimately last longer and improve efficiency.
“What we always recommend in this application is what we call a crimped fitting to secure a Continental DINGA spray gun,” said Cranswick.
The crimped assembly process is far superior and recommended by Continental for all beer, beverage, and food hoses. The addition of protection rings will also help elevate the fittings and prevent them from touching the floor which may cause damage and contamination.
“The most effective washdown assemblies are constructed using a crimped fitting and Continental DINGA spray gun as opposed to the more commonly used method of using screw clamps or an open-ended hose.
“We recommend these to prevent the nozzle blowing off, it isn’t just the hose but the whole assembly that we offer and encourage customers to look at is a safer and more productive alternative.”
The use of this DINGA gun helps to save water and energy costs, which along with its chemical-free cleaning capability, contributes to the protection of the environment.
Food safety is one of, if not the, most critical factor when it comes to food production and manufacturing and industrial hoses present a strong tool in combating these risks.
“Limiting downtime is always an important part of the manufacturing process so we aim to provide the best possible technology for industrial washdown hoses,” said Cranswick. F
Continental industrial washdown hoses also promise a longer life span.
50 years since the first scan of the barcode
In 1974 a packet of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit chewing gum was chosen to carry the very first barcode ever scanned, and since that day the barcode has become a vital part of everyday life. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.
ustralia is the leading provider of standards for over 25 industry sectors, including
Having introduced barcoding to Australia in 1979, GS1 now enables more than 22,000 member companies, of all sizes, to become more efficient by implementing its system.
“On June 26, 1974, the very first barcode was scanned on a packet of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum and this set into motion a vital, global system that would revolutionise how we live, shop and work,” said Maria Palazzolo, CEO
“The goal was to automate the process of scanning products at point-of-sale to make it more efficient and accurate. Fast forward to 2024, and barcodes now appear on over one billion products worldwide and are scanned more than 10
“Without accurate and scannable barcodes, retailers cannot stock or sell their products and consumers cannot
Palazzolo said the introduction of barcodes had a fundamental impact on the way things were done, and for the better.
“I remember going shopping in the early days with my mum, having to wait for the operator to manually process all the products we were buying, and you’d have to wait in line for a very long time,”
barcodes are vital to pharmacies, hospitals, transport and logistics, and multiple other sectors like the building and construction industry, to deliver operational efficiencies and patient safety throughout entire supply chains.”
Since it was formed in the 1970’s, the organisation that is now GS1 Australia has been helping businesses refine and streamline their supply chains through innovative technologies.
Well-designed standards are the foundation for clear, understandable exchanges between trading partners. By using them, you can keep costs down and reduce complexity in your supply chain.
The GS1 standards are:
• Global – no matter where you operate, the GS1 standards will work
• Robust – they are purpose-built by industry, for industry
• Multi-sector – they work within any organisation or business, and are widely adopted across different sectors
• User-generated – they are built and maintained through a global, collaborative forum of volunteers from all industries
• Scalable – they can be used by small businesses or multinationals
These standards provide the foundation from which GS1 has helped so many companies find success in adopting its system.
“We strive to be the trusted partner for industries and government, leading
“At GS1 Australia, we are celebrating the 50 year “scan-iversary” of the barcode by honouring its beginnings, but we are also looking brightly towards the future with the roll out of 2D “Next Generation” barcodes.”
“Today, we just fly through the checkout, often using scanners ourselves and with-out giving it a second thought and it is about to become even easier with the introduction of Next Generation 2D barcodes.
“Beyond the retail check-out,
their digital transformation, traceability, sustainability and trade evolution journeys,” said Palazzolo
And now that it is the 50th anniversary of the first barcode scan, GS1 Australia wants to highlight the impact it has had as society continues to adopt the
Maria Palazzolo, CEO at GS1 Australia, has seen first hand the positive impacts of new 2D barcodes.
"Fast forward to 2024, and barcodes now appear on over one billion products worldwide and are scanned more than 10 billion times a day.”
next generation of barcode technology.
“At GS1 Australia, we are celebrating the 50 year ’scan-iversary’ of the barcode by honouring its beginnings, but we are also looking brightly towards the future with the roll out of 2D Next Generation barcodes,” said Palazzolo.
“To keep pace with the modern world and support the growing needs of the consumer, the supplier and the retailer, Next Generation 2D barcodes have started rolling out across Australia, predominantly in the fresh food departments of major supermarkets.”
The presence of 2D barcodes is only expected to increase as the benefits continue to be experienced in the real world, especially in terms of traceability.
The next generation barcode 2D barcodes are a type of barcode that can store data both horizontally and vertically, unlike traditional 1D barcodes that store data only in one direction (horizontally). And are expected to have an immediate impact.
This dual-direction storage capability allows 2D barcodes to hold significantly more information in a compact space. This dual-direction storage capability allows 2D barcodes to hold significantly more information in a compact space.
“The next generation of barcodes are expected to have an even greater impact than its predecessors,” said Palazzolo.
“One simple scan at a register, and from a smartphone, will open up a wealth of product and supply chain information.
“Consumers will be able to see where their product has come from and how best to recycle its packaging, while retailers can better manage waste and markdowns, inventory and the customer experience.
“And one of the big wins for the food and beverage industry is that 2D barcodes can stop the sale of expired or recalled products.”
Palazzolo also highlighted the importance of improved traceability when it comes to food and beverage manufacturing, and the extra layer of protection it can provide.
“Food safety events, for example food tampering, cause major financial impacts to growers, suppliers and retailers and has hastened the need for the industry to track food more effectively throughout
the supply chain,” said Palazzolo.
solve many of today’s retail business problems, representing opportunities for fresh food products including meat, poultry, seafood, deli, dairy and bakery.
“If manufacturers want to have their products connected to the consumer, 2D barcodes are the way forward.
“With today’s focus on traceability,
engagement, 2D barcodes connect information to the product and make it available to the consumer via their smart phones.”
GS1 Australia’s continuous commitment to innovation and efficiency has helped revolutionise industries far beyond retail.
Australia has been helping businesses refine and streamline their supply chains through innovative technologies.
past achievements but also a promising glimpse into the future with 2D barcodes rep-resenting a significant leap forward.
The journey of the barcode is far from over and GS1 Australia is poised to lead the way into the next era of digital transformation and innovation. F
GS1
Queensland food manufacturer reaching sustainability goals
Aerofloat was able to help Priestley’s Gourmet Delights install a custom fit wastewater solution for its ever-growing needs. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.
The founders of Australian wastewater treatment company, Aerofloat, envisioned a future where industrial and municipal wastewater challenges could be addressed by cutting-edge technology and sustainable solutions.
And in the years since its creation, the company has been doing exactly that.
The company’s journey is marked by a commitment to innovation. Its groundbreaking patented DAF technology was followed by custom wastewater treatment
plant designs tailored to the unique needs of the food and beverage, dairy, and meat processing industries.
Aerofloat’s solutions are not only high performing, but also compact, easy to operate, and flexible, significantly reducing both capital and operational costs for clients.
Recently, Aerofloat completed a wastewater treatment plant for Priestley’s Gourmet Delights, a manufacturer known for producing high-quality desserts and pastries.
Founded in 1990, the company has established itself as a prominent player in the dessert industry, catering to both the retail and food service markets.
Priestley’s Gourmet Delights emphasises the use of high-quality ingredients and innovative recipes to create its unique and delicious desserts, and this philosophy also applies to the company’s choice of wastewater solutions.
Edi Amstad, maintenance manager, Priestley’s Gourmet Delights, was full of praise for Aerofloat and how the project
was formatted and completed.
“It made sense to work with Aerofloat given their commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Amstad.
“Sustainable operations are something we do and have been embedded across all functions across the business.
“Aerofloat is also 100 per cent Australian-owned and operated, something the company shares with Priestley’s Gourmet Delights.”
Aerofloat has a proven track record of meeting the unique wastewater solution needs of each customer, such as Priestley’s Gourmet Delights.
Amstad said the major requirements of the wastewater treatment solution was that it would allow for the company’s future growth, while also addressing the current needs.
“We needed a system that would allow our business to grow. Aerofloat’s solution was flexible and could manage higher flows – we anticipated a growth trajectory of at least 50 per cent on the capacity of the existing system,” said Amstad.
into a tight space, and because we were with the project from the beginning, we were able to make it neat with a lot of in ground services,” he said.
“For example, the connection between the station and trade waste plant and the discharge pipework are all in ground, so the plant itself is tidy to look at.
“We also had to ensure there was discharge to the other side of the manufacturing facility where the main sewer was located, presenting another
The company’s journey is marked by a commitment to innovation. Its ground-breaking patented DAF technology was followed by custom wastewater treatment plant designs tailored to the unique needs of food, beverage, dairy, and meat processing industries.
“Aerofloat’s system is comfortably treating wastewater flows of 45m3 and has capacity to treat up to 70m3 per day.
“Aerofloat also proposed a wastewater treatment solution that would allow us to meet higher loads and reduce our environmental footprint whilst meeting Queensland Urban Utilities’ water quality requirements for SS, FOG, and pH for discharge to sewer.”
Aerofloat kept in close contact with Priestley’s Gourmet Delights in the time leading up to the upgrade which ensured a good understanding of the company’s growth trajectory and needs.
This allowed Aerofloat’s engineers to advise Priestley’s Gourmet Delights on the best placement and wastewater treatment solution for the site.
With an eye towards meeting future demands if and when they would arise.
Aerofloat co-founder and general manager, Michael Anderson, said the client also had strict space requirements, an issue that Aerofloat has successfully overcome for multiple clients in recent years.
“Priestley’s Gourmet Delights wanted the trade waste plant to be detached from the main building, so we worked collaboratively with them to locate a suitable space behind the building that we could adapt to fit a customised solution, minimising the area footprint,” he said.
“The team at Priestley’s had difficult experiences with trade waste systems in the past with other suppliers, we wanted to prove that working with Aerofloat would be a positive and fruitful experience.”
Anderson said Priestley’s were conscious of keeping costs down and Aerofloat was able to achieve that for them.
“Ultimately, we put the solution
suite of problems which we were able to overcome.”
Once the designs were finalised, Aerofloat managed the construction and commissioning of the treatment plant, ensuring seamless integration with production on site.
Amstad echoes Anderson’s sentiments about the project meeting all the expectations of Priestley’s Gourmet Delights.
“Aerofloat installed a system including its AeroCirc DAF to treat incoming wastewater from the food production area,” said Amstad.
“The solution included influent flow balancing and automatic pH correction to ensure compliant effluent discharge.
“Our sewerage system was a long way from the designated wastewater treatment plant area, Aerofloat got around this problem by installing a pump to move the final treated effluent to sewer.”
To achieve this, the Aerofloat team worked closely with other stakeholders at the site, such as plumbers and engineers, to ensure a uniform system where applicable.
“Given there were pipelines we couldn’t control in the project, we kept in constant communication with all stakeholders to ensure these were built to our required specifications,” said Anderson.
“We tracked all the various other trades and engineering services throughout the project to make sure there are no surprises for the client.
“Our team did a great job of working with the client and as a result were able to deliver the project ahead of time.”
Amstad was also full of praise for Aerofloat’s engineers, who went above and beyond.
wastewater solution for
“We now have a system that can effectively treat our wastewater to ensure compliancy and meet business growth,” he said.
“An added benefit has been the support of Aerofloat’s engineers and technicians across the project; our team have been well trained in the system and understand the importance of an effective wastewater system.”
Aerofloat’s wastewater treatment solution also allowed Priestley’s Gourmet De-lights to meet higher loads and reduce its environmental footprint whilst meeting Queensland Urban Utilities’ water quality requirements for SS, FOG, and pH for discharge to sewer.
“Aerofloat’s team of engineers have
also been readily available to support with any questions from us and have conducted regular testing and optimisations on site during the commissioning process and since,” said Amstad.
Aerofloat also provided ongoing servicing and remote monitoring services to guarantee the long-term performance of the system.
“Aerofloat ensured that we had a system that fit our needs, was performing well, and meeting the requirements of the Queensland Urban Utilities’ water regulations.
“If you are a business that wants to ensure a small environmental footprint and long-term sustainability, choose Aerofloat.” F
Aerofloat’s
Priestley’s Gourmet Delights also helped the company keep costs down.
Protect your business against cyber attacks
The Cyber Wardens program is a crucial step in ensuring small businesses can mitigate cyber risks and focus on their growth and success without the looming threat of cyber attacks. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.
Cyber Wardens is an initiative of the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA), supported by the Australian Government and an industry alliance led by Telstra, CommBank, and the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
The free program aims to equip small businesses with the knowledge necessary to protect themselves against cyber threats, which continue to grow in frequency and complexity.
By completing the Cyber Wardens course, small businesses will gain the tools needed to help safeguard their data, as well as their clients’ and suppliers’ data.
One food and beverage business who has already taken advantage of the Cyber Wardens course and started to reap the benefits is Tunnel Hill Mushrooms.
Dean Smith, owner of Tunnel Hill Mushrooms, said he didn’t have much time to worry about cyber security and use to assume small businesses weren’t the main target of cyber criminals.
“You always hear about the big companies being held for ransom or whatever. But that’s not the case,’’ he said.
“I guess I was a bit naive about the whole thing, because I’m not that tech savvy and I don’t really have a lot of time to keep an eye on it.”
After completing the Cyber Wardens course, Dean expressed a new-found appreciation for the real risks cyber criminals pose to small businesses in the food and beverage sector.
Although Dean was already confident in his ability to spot email scams or emails that seemed “too good to be true,” he now feels more assured about the additional steps he can take to better protect his business.
“I think a lot of people will be like me, either they’re not too confident, or don’t have the time, or find it a bit daunting,” he said.
“But it’s not that hard and it doesn’t take a lot of time to put a few things in
play that will protect your business.”
The Cyber Wardens course demonstrated to Smith the importance of taking regular and calculated steps to improve his business’ cyber security
“I am one of those people who in the past has had the same two or three passwords for everything,” he said.
“The Cyber Wardens training is an important reminder that making strong, unique passwords is a quick and easy way to protect your business.”
Dean said the Cyber Wardens course helped him realise that taking steps to protect your small business from cyber attacks is not that daunting
“It doesn’t take a lot of time to put
Several small businesses have already taken advantage of the Cyber Wardens initiative, including in agribusiness.
a few things in play that will protect your business and I think if I can do it, I think anybody can do it.”
Meanwhile, another prime example of the importance of Cyber Wardens is Future Swirl’s story. Founded in 2022 the small business has already faced cyber security attacks and found the training critical to help defend against future attacks.
“I’ve had my business credit cards skimmed in business identification number (BIN) attacks on two occasions and thousands of dollars were stolen,” said Future Swirl founder Maddalena Easterbrook.
“You put your blood, sweat and tears into your business and want it to succeed. If it was to all unravel because I didn’t put in the necessary, cyber security measures — I’d be devastated.”
The frightening experience helped highlight to Easterbrook the importance of being vigilant against cyber threats, even for small businesses.
“Doing the Cyber Wardens course has been so helpful to inform our company policies and looking around our business to minimise
cyber risks,” she said.
“ We’re focussed on enabling multifactor authentication, being cautious about who has access to what accounts, thinking twice about the links we click on, and monitoring emails being sent and received.”
With cyber protections now in place, Maddalena can focus on her business’s major goals, confident that cyber criminals won’t interfere.
Agribusiness, which plays a vital role in food and beverage manufacturing, is also at constant threat of cyber security attacks, making constant vigilance and employing the right protections supremely important.
Farm technology potentially impacted includes automated machinery, drones, sensors on the farm, cameras scanning conveyor belts, batch tracking in production, and digital finance management systems essential to agribusinesses.
Farmers and producers across livestock, cropping, and horticulture have always faced diverse risks and challenges, from weather events and seasonal factors to pests, biosecurity,
supply chains, and staffing.
While the increasing use of internetbased technology offers many benefits for agribusinesses, it also introduces a growing cyber security risk that must be managed.
COSBOA CEO Luke Achterstraat urges all small agribusinesses across Australia to prioritise cyber security.
“Regional and rural small businesses are the backbones of many communities in Australia. Cyber risk is pervasive and doesn’t discriminate based on a business’s postcode,” he said
“Small businesses must remain aware of the increasingly acute risk of cyber attacks. COSBOA’s Cyber Wardens program can help give small business owners the skills to mitigate the risks.
“Investing in cyber security training and tools is essential to help protect your small business, staff and clients. With Cyber Wardens we’ve made that training free and easy for small businesses.” F
Get your free and simple cyber security training at www. cyberward-ens.com.au/ enrol/enrol-now-food-and-beverage/.
Key Insights for small business:
• 43 per cent of cyber-crime targets small business.
• Every 6 minutes a cyber-crime is reported in Australia (increased 23 per cent in 2023)
• $46,000 per attack is the average cost to a small business of cyber crime
• 30 per cent drop in customers following an attack.
• 80 per cent annual increase in cyber insurance.
• 70 per cent of small businesses have received a suspicious SMS, email, or phone call
• Four out of five small businesses are at serious cyber risk
• 17 per cent have had their data leaked
• 10 per cent have experienced their passwords or accounts hacked
• Multi-factor authentication absent in 50 per cent of small business cyber defences
The program aims to equip small businesses with the knowledge necessary to protect themselves against cyber threats.
Mixed Budget reactions from industry stakeholders
In the wake of the Federal Budget announcement, key industry stakeholders have given mixed reactions. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.
The 2024-25 Federal Budget contained a focus on a key election promise made by the Government regarding plant-based proteins in the Food and Grocery market.
Announced alongside the Albanese Government’s investment of $789 million to the agricultural industry, was the government’s promise to deliver on its election commitment regarding clear labelling of plant-based alternative protein products.
The Government will spend $1.5 million over two years from 2023–24 to work with industry and regulatory agencies to improve existing arrangements in labelling.
The funding will also support independent research into consumers’ current understanding of plant-based labelling and inform improvements to guidance material.
Announcing the latest Budget, Treasurer, the Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP said the budget will also address Australians who are feeling the pinch at the checkout.
Chalmers said steps are being taken to make the Food and Grocery Code mandatory and to make the economy more competitive across the board.
“By strengthening the mergers regime, and abolishing nuisance tariffs and reducing compliance costs for business. Because more competition means more choices, lower prices, better services, and better jobs,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Australian Food & Grocery Council released a statement in response to the budget, commending the twin focus of giving cost of living relief to Australians in the present while investing in a Future Made in Australia.
“It is encouraging to see a budget that addresses the needs of Australians doing
it tough. It is also commendable for the Budget to invest in Australia’s future with support to industries of the future and manufacturing,” said AFGC CEO Tanya Barden.
“As the peak body representing the largest manufacturing sector in Australia, the AFGC highlights the food and grocery industry remains one of key national importance.
“Modernising the food and grocery manufacturing sector through new green technologies is in line with the goals of investing in a Future Made in Australia.
“This would help future-proof our sector, which supports over 270,000 jobs in Australia.”
Barden also pointed out the benefits that will come with the budget announcements.
“Prioritising our food and grocery manufacturing sector through
investment incentives would improve innovation, lower carbon emissions, help boost domestic production and grow international presence for Australianmade consumer goods,” she said.
“We look forward to continuing to engage with government and other stakeholders to work towards a future for a thriving food and grocery manufacturing sector as part of a Future Made in Australia.”
However, the Australian Distillers Association didn’t share the same optimism as the AFGC.
Australian Distillers Association chief executive Paul McLeay said the inaction on spirits tax is particularly disappointing given the Government’s ambitions to grow domestic manufacturing.
“While we are hugely supportive of the Future Made In Australia policy, we hope the Government does not
NSW Farmers Association president Xavier Martin said Chalmers had failed to incorporate fair funding for farmers.
“Modernising
the food and grocery manufacturing sector through new green technologies is in line with the goals of investing in a Future Made in Australia. This would help futureproof our sector, which supports over 270,000 jobs in Australia.”
miss the opportunity to scale other manufacturing industries like spirits, in pursuit of its more costly objectives in solar, green steel and minerals processing,” he said.
“We have 700-plus distilleries in this country making products that simply cannot be replicated by manufacturers in other nations, because they are singular expressions of Australian ingredients, provenance and technical prowess”.
“It won’t take billions of dollars of investment to kick-start our industry. We don’t need excessive subsidies, we just need modest adjustments to policy settings, starting with tax relief.
“We look forward to making this case for the Government in the food and beverage manufacturing inquiry over the coming months.”
The Federal Budget showed that spirits excise is down $200 million on estimates published last year.
Forward estimates nevertheless predict growth of $180 million for 2024-25 and annual growth of $200 million for the three years thereafter.
Spirits & Cocktails Australia chief executive Greg Holland said these projections appear misguided while spirits excise remains unchecked.
“It’s difficult to understand how Treasury has arrived at these growth predictions for our industry while we are still completely hamstrung by the world’s third highest spirits tax,” he said.
“We are already paying $101.85 per litre, with six-monthly increases coming yet again in August and February.
“We wish we shared the Government’s optimism, but its growth forecast is simply not achievable under these conditions.”
NSW Farmers Association president Xavier Martin said Chalmers had failed to incorporate fair funding for farmers within the FY25 budget, with the nation’s agricultural sector facing a whole range of increasing costs and challenges to production.
“Make no mistake – farmers are all for improving traceability, but for
a federal mandate, we need federal funding to ensure farmers aren’t left out of pocket as we progress complying with traceability reforms for our sheep and goats,” he said.
“The Federal Government must find better solutions to fund our biosecurity models other than just a double tax on farmers, and we would happily return the $107 million recently announced to shut down Australia’s live sheep export trade by sea if it meant we could keep this industry operating.
“Meanwhile, our roads and bridges
are crumbling around us with little to no support to get them up to scratch – so it seems the Federal Government has failed the bush in its budget this year.”
While a Federal Government commitment to reform mergers and acquisitions would support muchneeded competition reform, Martin warned the budget still left farmers at a disadvantage.
“Thankfully, small businesses will benefit from continued instant asset write-offs, and farmers could see fairer prices at the farm gate if the government
makes good on its promises for competition reform – but this is a drop in the ocean in the face of the unfair market power and mounting challenges farmers face,” he said.
“While we welcome renewed funding for drought, and particularly for the Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs, there really is little other positive news to come out of the federal budget for our farmers.
“This is a budget that gets the government in the green, but leaves farmers in the red.” F
NSW Farmers Federation president Xavier Martin urged the Federal Government to find better solutions to fund biosecurity models.
AFGC CEO Tanya Barden said making investment incentives for food and beverage manufacturing a priority would improve innovation.
Risk prevention in the digital age
Globally, manufacturing has become a prime target for Cyberattacks. In Australia, the sector ranked in the top ten for cybersecurity incidents and top three for ransomware attacks in 2020-21.
In the late 20th century, the emergence of computer viruses and worms, such as the Morris Worm in 1988 and the Melissa virus in 1999, highlighted the vulnerability of interconnected systems and the potential for widespread disruption amongst businesses.
As personal computers became more widespread in the 1990s, so did the proliferation of cyber threats, including Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, exemplified by incidents like the 1996 attack on the Panix ISP.
By the turn of the millennium, there was a rise of increasingly sophisticated attacks, such as the ILOVEYOU worm in 2000, which impacted up-to ten million Windows personal computers.
Other sophisticated attacks include state-sponsored cyber activities, like the 2007 attack on Estonia.
The 2010s witnessed a shift towards cyber warfare with the emergence of Stuxnet in 2010, a worm designed to target Iran’s nuclear facilities, and the escalation of ransomware attacks, highlighted by incidents like WannaCry in 2017.
Ransomware is a type of malicious software (malware) designed to block access to a computer system or data until a ransom is paid.
Between the 2020–21 financial year, the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) responded to around 1,630 cyber security incidents, averaging 31 incidents per week.
The ACSC classifies each incident it addresses on a scale ranging from Category 1, denoting the most severe, to Category 6, indicating the least severe.
Compared to the previous year, there was a 28 per cent decrease in total incidents, with no Category 1 or 2 incidents recorded.
Category 4 incidents increased, indicating a more significant impact on victim organisations, often involving
data theft, extortion, or service disruption.
Category 4 incidents made up 49 per cent of reported incidents, a notable increase from the previous year.
Low-level malicious activities like reconnaissance, phishing, and non-sensitive data loss were the most common incidents, comprising over half of all cases.
Around a quarter of reported incidents affected critical infrastructure, including essential services like education, health, and communications.
"Cyber-attacks in manufacturing have become increasingly prevalent as industrial systems become more interconnected and digitised.”
Government sectors, followed by professional, scientific, and technical services, and healthcare and social assistance, reported the highest number of incidents.
Ransomware reports to the ACSC via ReportCyber increased by nearly 15 per cent, with around 500 reports received.
Additionally, the ACSC responded to close to 160 ransomware-related incidents. The professional, scientific, and technical services sector, along with the health sector, reported the most ransomware incidents.
Australian businesses faced significant financial losses due to Business Email Compromise (BEC) cybercrime.
While BEC reports saw a slight decrease compared to the previous year, self-reported financial losses surged, totalling approximately $81.45 million, marking a nearly 15 per cent increase.
Cyber-attacks in manufacturing have become increasingly prevalent
as industrial systems become more interconnected and digitised.
Manufacturers’ Monthly spoke with Lesley Carhart to explore how manufacturers can develop the necessary skills to defend against cyberattacks.
Carhart, also known as hacks4pancakes, is the principal incident responder and threat analyst at Dragos, an industrial cybersecurity company.
Carhart is actively engaged in various cybersecurity topics, including industrial control systems, the SolarWinds hack, ransomware attacks, smart device insecurity, remote working, multi-factor authentication, and the 2021 Microsoft Exchange Server data breach.
“There’s a lot of legacy devices and networks in play that are doing very, very critical things in manufacturing processes,” said Carhart.
“Most large manufacturing organisations have global operations, and some of their most critical facilities are sometimes in less resource nations around the world.
“If there’s a compromise in one factory in one place in the world, it’s very likely to spread into other parts of the business network and financial network, in other manufacturing facilities.”
These attacks often pose significant threats to operational efficiency, product quality, and even physical safety.
Ransomware-related cybersecurity incidents were most reported by the professional, scientific, and technical services sector to ReportCyber in 2022–23, with the retail trade sector following closely behind, and then the manufacturing sector.
Together, these three sectors comprised over 40 percent of the reported ransomware-related cybersecurity incidents.
As reported by the ABC, the ransomware attack on JBS in 2021, allegedly carried out by Russia’s REvil
hacker group, disrupted meatpacking operations at multiple plants for up to five days across Australia, the U.S, and Canada.
JBS had to shut down its 47 sites across Australia due to the attack.
The producer, which supplies a fifth of the world’s meat, experienced significant production and distribution interruptions, resulting in many non-union employees losing several days’ wages.
The meat-producer ultimately paid $14.2 million to the group.
Cyberattacks on supply chains can also pose significant challenges for manufacturers by disrupting operations, decreasing production output, and increasing costs associated with remediation and cybersecurity enhancements.
If businesses involved in supplying, manufacturing, distributing, or retailing products or services utilised by an organisation constitute a cyber supply
chain, there will be inherent cyber supply chain risks stemming from these businesses.
Similarly, an organisation can pass on any cyber supply chain risks it carries to its customers.
As reported by CPO magazine, a supply chain attack on a business partner of Applied Materials, a major semiconductor manufacturing company, resulted in a $375 million loss due to disrupted shipments.
Although Applied Materials did not identify the affected partner, Bloomberg reported that MKS Instruments, which announced a ransomware attack on February 3, was the source.
Carhart explained that in most of their response cases, they encounter two groups of cyber attackers. One group is financially motivated, while the other group consists of insider attackers.
“Most of those are not intentional insiders,” said Carhart.
“There’s always this small percentile of people who don’t get a promotion, don’t get hired on their malicious contractors, and for some reason, they want to do something bad.
“But the vast majority of insider cases are people just trying to do their job.”
Carhart explained that insider attackers will often either try to accomplish something and encounter a security or process control that prevents them from proceeding as expected, or
they’re simply bored and want to watch TV late at night.
“We see people hook up cellular modem, they hook up TV antennas, they connect USB drives other devices to the computer to do what they want to do, whether it’s some maintenance thing they’ve been told to do, or for personal entertainment,” Carhart said.
Carhart said that the sources of these insider attacks can be particularly difficult to locate.
“It takes time for those things to be detected,” said Carhart.
“Sometimes people find an antenna months and months later, even years later.
“Sometimes they find a connection plugged in that shouldn’t be there and at that point, it’s a matter of figuring out what was compromised. Can we trust the integrity of the network anymore?”
What can be done?
Carhart explained that to effectively manage cybersecurity, manufacturers must start with understanding their environment, including topology and asset inventories.
“I know a lot of groups make assumptions that they do have those types of information available to them, but they’re out of date, they’ve vastly changed over time,” said Carhart.
“I would start with very basic security hygiene things like, where are your network boundaries? What systems do
you have in play? How old are they? Who manages them? And where do they live?
“After you figure that out, then you can start doing more architectural analysis, such as passive assessment of how you’re architected, whether you can segment things better.”
Secondly, Carhart said that businesses should form an intrusion plan in case of any potential ransomware attacks. Hindsight is key.
“That should certainly take the form
of playbooks and documentation,” said Carhart.
“You don’t have to have a perfect asset inventory, a perfect network map, or a perfect incident response plan. But the more you have done in advance, the less miserable you’re going to be if you do have an incident.”
Lastly, manufacturers can benefit from updating their systems. However, as Carhart explained, this can be a difficult task.
“If there’s a compromise in one factory in one place in the world, it’s very likely to spread into other parts of the business network and financial network, in other manufacturing facilities.”
Businesses should form an intrusion plan in case of any potential ransomware attacks.
Images:
Pakin/AdobeStock
“You’re at the mercy of your budget and your original equipment manufacturer (OEM),” said Carhart.
“When you buy process equipment, it’s warranted by the OEM to operate in a specific configuration and changing that can impact your process, production, and system integrity.
“It can also void the warranty, leading to loss of vendor support. Therefore, changes must be carefully planned during maintenance outages.”
If manufacturers are looking to bolster their business against cybercriminals, they can opt to do that internally, or they can consult a thirdparty.
But, if done internally, it can take
time, said Carhart.
“You can do it internally—it takes time and human resources. It’s like using an open-source product; nothing is free. It requires human hours to do it,” they said.
“Alternatively, you can outsource this to organisations that specialise in consulting for OT systems, architecture, and monitoring and assessment.
“I would encourage you to use contractors or consultants that specialise in OT systems for your manufacturing facilities because dealing with those environments requires a lot more sensitivity.
“Either option is fine, but if it’s not done, and you have a crisis, you’ll have to
do it at the beginning of the response.”
Carhart explained that in the event of a cyberattack architectural segmentation can slow down attackers, which can allow for more response time.
In cybersecurity, architectural segmentation refers to the practice of dividing a network or system into separate segments or zones, often referred to as security zones, based on the sensitivity of the data and the need for access control.
This segmentation helps to contain security breaches and limit the impact of potential attacks by restricting lateral movement within the network.
“I do see that architectural segmentation is vastly impactful, which
can be everything from controlling remote access, putting multifactor on to just breaking the network up into segments,” said Carhart.
“This makes it a little bit more difficult for an adversary to move from facility to facility.”
Ultimately, by taking proactive steps to enhance cybersecurity resilience, manufacturers can safeguard their operations, protect sensitive data, and maintain trust with customers and partners.
In an increasingly digitised and interconnected world, cybersecurity readiness is essential for the longterm success and sustainability of manufacturing businesses. F
To effectively manage cyber security, manufacturers must start with understanding their environment.
Coexistence between QLD agriculture and resource sectors
The Queensland Government has passed legislation that is designed to strengthen coexistence between agriculture, resources, and renewable sectors. Food & Beverage Industry News
Queensland parliament has passed legislation that will strengthen coexistence between the state’s resources, agriculture and renewable energy industries.
As part of the changes, The GasFields Commission Queensland will now be called Coexistence Queensland with a new and expanded remit and the Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment and Land Access Ombudsman will have expanded roles.
Coexistence Queensland’s expanded role will be to provide enhanced information, engagement and education services to the community and industry on land access and coexistence issues across the resources and renewable energy sectors. Previously this institution’s focus was just on the onshore gas industry.
Other coexistence reforms include:
• E xpanding the remit of the Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment
(OGIA) to provide advice, on request, to government entities on subsurface impacts from petroleum and gas activities.
• E xpanding the role of the Land Access Ombudsman (LAO) to provide support to stakeholders on a broader range of land access disputes through an alternative dispute resolution pathway.
The legislation also includes amendments that are improving processes for assessing and administering resource authorities and reducing the state’s financial risk from resource companies failing to comply with their environmental or rehabilitation obligations.
“Queensland’s coexistence framework has been strong, but we have never compromised on our efforts to making it stronger,” said Resources and Critical Minerals Minister Scott Stewart.
“This reform process started more
than 18 months ago, and I want to thank everyone for working with us on these reforms.
“The expanded roles and responsibilities of Coexistence Queensland, the Land Access Ombudsman and the Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment are especially important, because it means any gaps or duplication of services have now been addressed.”
The reforms will build stronger relationships between resources, agriculture and other land uses and align with key focus areas outlined in the Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan.
The Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan (QRIDP) is a strategic initiative by the Queensland Government to support and grow the resources sector in Queensland, Australia.
Overall, the Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan is designed to
provide a framework for the sustainable growth of the resources sector in Queensland while balancing economic, social, and environmental considerations.
“Because of its previous focus dealing with land access issues relating to the onshore gas industry, Coexistence Queensland is well placed to provide
seeking access to their land,” said Stewart.
“The decision has also been made to do more consultation on the subsidence management framework to ensure stakeholders can provide more feedback.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Energy and Clean Economy Jobs Mick de Brenni, said Queensland was leading the way when it
and the Miles Government is committed to ensuring we listen and work with locals and landholders,” he said.
“Coexistence Queensland is an expansion of our highly successful GasFields Commission and will be a trusted independent body to support the valuable partnerships between the state’s resources, agriculture, and renewable energy industries.
“The clean energy transition presents a once in a generation opportunity for landholders, and agriculture and resource businesses.
“By working together, we can achieve fantastic outcomes for all.”
Coexistence Queensland CEO Warwick Squire was also left optimistic by the developments.
“We’re excited our remit will expand to address coexistence matters across the broader energy and resources under our new name Coexistence Queensland,” he said.
“Coexistence Queensland will play a key role in connecting landholders, community, industry and government to work and thrive together.
“It’s about ensuring industry development occurs in a socially responsible and sustainable way, with the interests of community at its core.”
Squire said it was fitting to expand the organisation’s remit to address coexistence matters across the State’s broader resources and renewable energy
sectors given industry’s growth.
“The energy landscape is rapidly transforming, which brings about the emergence of new coexistence challenges and opportunities,” Squire said.
“The Commission’s experience as an independent organisation makes us well placed to assist industry and communities to navigate challenges and harness opportunities.
“For over a decade, the GasFields Commission has been widely respected for helping bridge coexistence challenges between the Queensland onshore gas sector, and landholders and communities.”
GasFields Commission Chair, John Anderson, said coexistence has been woven into the fabric of shared landscapes for thousands of years.
“The concept of coexistence is not new – our ancestors understood the delicate balance between using and preserving natural systems and resources through passing on traditions of stewardship between generations,” said Anderson.
“We safeguarded the longevity and integrity of our shared landscapes that are central and essential to our being.
“Our shared goal should be clear – to achieve balanced outcomes that meet community and industry needs by way of understanding and respecting the intricate relationships between people and place, and progress and preservation.” F
Coexistence Queensland’s expanded role will be to provide enhanced information, engagement and education services to the community and industry. Image:
Minister of Energy and Clean Economy Jobs Mick de Brenni, said Queensland was leading the way when it came to coexistence in this regard.
STRALIAN LK NDLING
2024 WorldStar Packaging Awards - ANZ wins third in world
A 20 strong delegation of PIDA winners for Australia and New Zealand recently flew to Bangkok, Thailand to attend the 2024 WorldStar Packaging Awards ceremony which was held at ProPak Asia.
Author Nerida Kelton FAIP, Executive Director – AIP, Vice President – Sustainability & Save Food - WPO
Adelegation of Australian and New Zealand PIDA winners were able to celebrate the fact that the ANZ region took out third in the world for the highest amount of general awards but were also able to cheer on two very special award recognitions for the region that were announced on the night.
KOi refillable foaming handwash starter kit and 4 pk refillable handwash tablets from Coles Group were recognised with a silver president award and JBS Swift Lamb Cutlets CRYOVAC Darfesh Mono-PET rollstock (SEE) took out the coveted Gold for the Sustainability special award category.
John Bigley, AIP president, accepted the Silver President award for Coles and Nerida Kelton, wearing her vice president Sustainability and Save Food hat for the WPO, was extremely proud to have been able to personally present Alan Adams with the Gold Sustainability award.
As the silver winner for the President Award, Natalie Shaw, sustainable
packaging lead at Coles Group said that award, is a significant achievement for the in this prestigious awards program. It
ANZ PIDA Winners have once again been internationally recognised with 16 awards across 8 categories.
The KOi refillable foaming handwash starter kit and 4 pk refillable handwash tablets from Coles Group were recognised with a silver President award,
and sustainable design.”
“The Coles team are committed to improve sustainability across our product packaging that, in turn, enables customers to divert packaging waste, including plastic, from landfill. Winning two WorldStar awards is a high recognition and provides motivation to keep improving and innovating as we work towards supporting industry in delivering the 2025 national packaging targets,” she said.
According to Alan Adams, sustainability director APAC, SEE, “We were surprised to win the Gold Sustainability Award and are thrilled to receive this pinnacle of recognition for our teams at SEE and JBS teams who drive – behind the scenes – the delivery of sustainable high-performance packs to market. A big thank you to the WPO, and the AIP via the PIDA Awards, for this opportunity to celebrate and recognise our great teams.”
Brian Petroff, general manager of JBS Southern Value Add and Retail Ready added that JBS is proud of the recent Gold Sustainability special award recognition from the WorldStar Awards.
“We take great pride in the innovative solutions developed by JBS Southern – Value Add, which actively promotes sustainability. With this recent achievement, we successfully reduced a significant amount of plastic waste from landfills.
“Consumers are more than ever conscience of packaging waste and so are we, our packaging solutions aim to minimise waste while guaranteeing the visually appealing and durable retail-ready packaging JBS Southern is known for. Our team continues to find sustainable solutions right across the business, and it is fantastic to receive such high recognition with this award,” said Petroff.
AIP executive director, Nerida Kelton also added “What an absolute honour to have been able to celebrate the ANZ PIDA award winning packs, but to also present the Gold Sustainability award to JBS and SEE. A very special moment was to also find out on the night that Coles received the silver President’s award which is a remarkable achievement.
“For me personally, it truly is a proud moment to see how well PIDA winners continue to do on the global stage, how we all come together to celebrate the companies that are recognised and how we are the loudest cheer squad in the room year-on-year. To receive a WorldStar Packaging Award is becoming more difficult each year, as there are
so many entries from across the globe to choose from. The latest round of WorldStar Packaging Awards attracted 435 entries from 41 countries and 35 judges determined 214 winners for the 2024 round of the awards program. For ANZ to do so well each year is a true testament to how innovative and intuitive our packaging designs really are on a global scale. Congratulations to the 16 companies and we can’t wait for 2025.”
The AIP also had a large area in ProPak Asia that showcased 2023 PIDA winners for all of the visitors of the exhibition to see. The area had high
traffic for the four days of the show with many enquiries about the packaging designs.
ANZ PIDA winners have once again been internationally recognised with 16 awards across eight categories including Packaging Materials & Components, Food, Other, Household, Health & Personal Care, E-Commerce, Labelling & Decoration and Alcoholic Beverages.
Three of our innovations were recognised across multiple categories – the DualPakECO certified compostable food trays (Confoil/BASF), Wine Protector Packaging (Planet Protector Packaging)
and KOi foaming handwash starter kit and refill solution by Coles Group.
In addition, first time entrant Australian Organic Food Co was recognised for the Australasian-first Minestrone Soup mono material retort pouch (Flavour Makers & Toppan) and Future Ecology – Emguard (Oji Fibre Solutions) from New Zealand. Only winners from the Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design (PDIA) awards are eligible in the region to enter the prestigious global WorldStar Packaging awards, that are run by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO). F
One of the ANZ companies recognised with an award was first time entrant Australian Organic Food Co, for its Minestrone Soup mono material retort pouch.
The Australian Institute of Packaging had a prominent display at the 2024 WorldStar Packaging Awards.
Global dairy market strengthens amid supply constraints
Global fundamentals for the dairy market have improved since the last update, mostly reflecting supply-side factors. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.
Weaker than expected EU milk solids production and tight cream supplies pushed the butter market sharply higher, supporting the lift in Oceania butterfat and EU cheese prices.
It’s likely to be several months before the EU butterfat fundamentals weaken. There may be some pushback in EU domestic demand, but a further threat may come from higher availability from NZ when butterfat availability increases seasonally in Oceania from September onwards.
This will test the affordability of high butterfat prices in the Asia and MENA markets and Europe could then become a more viable alternative market for NZ exporters, with lower tariffs under the NZ-EU and NZ-UK FTAs.
The strong lift in butterfat prices will continue to burn off demand in price-sensitive export markets, facing affordability challenges due to still rising prices generally, and a stronger US dollar.
Meanwhile, weak demand and prospect of sustained higher NZ supply will continue to limit the upside for SMP
in the EU and US, despite low stocks in both these major producers. Ingredient demand in food processing continues to lag in most domestic markets.
While trade in developing market regions outside of China increased as buyers restocked at lower prices in Q1-24, increased ingredient prices will test viability of this trade in coming months.
supporting the $17 billion Australian dairy sector.
“Dairy is Australia’s third largest agricultural industry, and we will continue to do everything we can to support Australian dairy producers and processors, even when that means making tough decisions,” Minister Watt said, referencing the Government’s decision to
“Statistics show dairy is a product of choice for Australian consumers, and indeed for many international markets.”
The US cheese market remains in focus given the importance of marginal trade to the big three export regions. The rally in US cheese prices stalled, and while there is limited growth in milk output, ongoing pressures on consumer spending and expanding cheese capacity may put global market prices under pressure later in 2024 and into H1-25.
This comes a couple of months after Agriculture Minister Murray Watt spoke about the ‘critical importance’ of the dairy industry’s contribution to Australia.
Minister Watt highlighted the government’s commitment to
walk away from the EU trade deal.
The symposium, which was a pledge by the Government at the last federal election, tackled issues facing the industry, including productivity and growth, and sustainability and climate.
ADIC Chair Ben Bennett said the industry was heartened by the Minister’s support.
“Statistics show dairy is a product of choice for Australian consumers, and indeed for many international markets,” he said.
“Every one of the industry’s current challenges presents an opportunity and on Friday, our industry made an important step to working together to drive positive change.
“Now, following the symposium, it’s important that government and industry chart a path forward that ensures the resilience, viability, and prosperity of Australian dairy for generations to come.”
ADIC deputy chair John Williams said the Minister’s announcement to commit funds to Dairy Australia to conduct workshops to explore the productivity challenge was fantastic news for an industry that is crucial to the economy and regional communities.
“We truly believe there are strong opportunities for profitable growth in the Australian dairy processing sector, with a stable domestic market and growing global demand for high quality dairy products,” said Williams.
“Our goal is to secure a strong, vibrant Australian dairy industry and to keep dairy manufacturing local and we’re committed to doing everything we can to make this happen.” F
Deal activity picks up
Overall, the outlook for transactions in the food and beverage industry for the second half of 2024 remains positive, reflecting strong investor interest and dynamic market activities. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.
Following a slow start to the year, corporate activity in the food and beverage industry picked up in the months of April and May 2024. Seven transactions were announced over the two-month period to May 2024.
ASX-listed Mighty Craft sold the assets associated with Mismatch Brewing Co and 78 Degrees spirits to a consortium of publicans and investors for a consideration of not less than $7.2 million.
The sale encompasses all assets of both brands, including intellectual property and licenses.
The sale of 78 Degrees completed in early June 2024 for a consideration of $5.2 million. The Mismatch sale is expected to complete in mid-June 2024.
Following an off-market takeover offer, Keybridge Capital increased its shareholding in ASX-listed Yowie from 35.5 per cent to 78.4 per cent. The company announced a change to the Yowie management team after the takeover offer closed.
Adelaide-based premium gin maker, Never Never Distilling Co was acquired by Asahi. The gin business was set up 8 years ago and sold 100,000 bottles of premium gin in 2022-23.
3 April 2024 Mismatch
26 April 2024Yowie (78.3% stake)
1 May 2024 Never Never Distilling Co
6 May 2024Birch & Waite Foods
Private Equity Sauces and dressings
20 May 2024 bWellness Nuchev Complementary health
28 May 2024PETstock stores & clinics Pet O Animal health
4 June 2024Thompson’s Herbals and Thursday Plantation Homart Pharmaceuticals Nutraceuticals
Quadrant Private Equity acquired a shareholding in premium liquids business Birch & Waite Foods. The remaining shareholders of Birch & Waite includes Fortitude Investment Partners and the Birch & Waite CEO, Paul O’Brien. Media reports suggest the transaction valued the Birch & Waite business at more than $300 million.
ASX-listed Nuchev acquired bWellness, an Adelaide-based complementary health products supplier.
together with 3rd party brands are distributed through the practitioner channel and health food stores. The purchase price was based on a 4.3x multiple of FY23 normalised EBITDA.
Independently owned retail pet chain PetO, acquired 41 stores and 25 veterinary clinics from PETstock. PETstock is privately owned, with Woolworths acquiring a 55 per cent stake in the business in 2022.
As a condition of the Woolworths
of PetO to $200 million.
Homart Pharmaceuticals, a Sydney based complementary health and beauty products business acquired the Thomson’s Herbals and Thursday Plantation brands from New Zealandowned Integria Healthcare.
The two brands will provide additional scale for the Homart business as Homart works towards an IPO in 2025.
The outlook for transactions in the food and beverage industry halfway
Azbil launches high-precision single-loop controller
Azbil Corporation (Tokyo Stock Exchange code 6845) announced that it started sales of the model C1A single loop controller, which features high accuracy and fast response and reduces the burden on personnel, from C1A installation through to maintenance.
Despite its compact 48 × 48 mm front panel size, the C1A achieves a high accuracy of ±0.1% of the reading (for thermocouple or Pt100 RTD) and high-speed response with a sampling cycle of 25 ms, and it is equipped with various labour-saving functions for manufacturing sites.
Single loop controllers compare signals from sensors with the set values, execute PID control according to the amount of deviation, and output control signals to actuators for keeping the control target (temperature, pressure, flow rate, etc.) at the correct level. They are essential devices for efficient operation at factories and plants. Azbil provides single loop controllers with a variety of functions that are required for applications in the factory automation market.
As typified by semiconductor manufacturing facilities, compact and high-performance equipment is needed for maximizing productivity in limited factory space. For devices like single loop controllers, which are built into other equipment, there is a growing demand for smaller size and higher performance. Additionally, it is important while equipment is running to reduce downtime by maintaining a constant understanding of the state of processes in order to prevent problems from occurring. Also, to cope with problems like a decrease in skilled workers and labour shortages, the manufacturing industry has begun to use more intuitive and simpler methods of PID adjustment rather than methods that rely on experienced workers.
Features
• High accuracy of ±0.1 per cent of the reading (for thermocouple or
Pressure calibration
Pt100 RTD), highspeed response with a sampling cycle of 25 ms
• 4.5-digit numerical display showing values from −19999 to 19999 in units of 0.01 °C, enabling more detailed checking of process conditions
• Multi-status indicator. In addition to settings and sensor input values, a bar graph of MV output percentage and other operational information can be displayed, making it easy to understand the status of control.
• PLC link communication function for communication with a PLC without the need for programming
• Front panel monitoring or alarm output of heater resistance calculated from CT/VT inputs, for understanding the condition of the heater
• Smart Loader Package with PID simulation function as a standard feature, allowing improved controllability through intuitive operation from a PC.
Azbil Corporation (03) 8645 3905 www.azbil.com
made fast and easy
The Beamex POC8 is an accurate and user-friendly automatic pressure output controller, providing regulated output from vacuum to 210 bar (3045 psi). The POC8 can be integrated to the Beamex CENTRiCAL workshop calibration solution or delivered as a portable desktop version. Together with Beamex MC6 family calibrators and Beamex calibration management software, the POC8 offers a fully automated solution for performing, documenting and managing pressure calibrations easily, efficiently and accurately.
Together with Beamex MC6 family calibrators, as well as Beamex calibration management software, the POC8 offers an automatic calibration solution for performing, documenting and managing pressure calibrations easily and efficiently.
With its 7-inch colour LCD display with touch screen, the POC8 is easy, fast and efficient to use. The user interface includes more than 10 different language options.
The POC8 pressure controller can be integrated to the Beamex CENTRiCAL workshop calibration solution.
The POC8 can also be used as a stand-alone desktop pressure controller, which makes it an easily movable solution.
The standard accessories which align with the Beamex POC8 include an accredited calibration certificate, a user manual, pressure hoses and fittings for connecting to pressure/vacuum supply.
As well as optional accessories such as the Beamex DMT Dirt and Moisture Trap, a transport case, and pressure hoses and fittings.
To learn more about the Beamex POC8 and all it has to offer, contact AMS Instrumentation and Calibration, the official distributor of the product within Australia and have been supplying industrial instrumentation and calibration equipment to the local market for more than five decades.
See contact details below.
AMS Instrumentation and Calibration (02) 8197 2825 www.ams-ic.com.au
FLIR announces Extech BR450W series
FLIR, a Teledyne Technologies company, today announced the Extech BR450W Series of video borescopes for inspecting difficult-to-reach targets in building, automotive, and plant maintenance applications. The two models, the BR450W-D Dual HD Wireless and BR450W-A2 Two-Way Articulating Wireless, will provide users with remote control and display, documentation, sharing options, and an intuitive user interface that streamlines troubleshooting of hard-to-reach spaces.
The BR450W Series connects via Wi-Fi to the Extech ExView App for remote viewing of the 1280 × 720 resolution visible image. Users can capture images, videos, and audio recordings through the app, share them with customers and colleagues alike, and then use the information to identify and document problems during an inspection. The app offers an optional side-by-side view for easier troubleshooting and can host multiple meter connections to iOS and Android tablets or phones.
The BR450W-D Dual HD Wireless Video Borescope is designed for HVAC, hard-to-reach electrical, attic, and crawlspace inspections. It has a dualview 5.5 mm diameter camera on a 1.5 m (4.9 ft), IP67-rated probe to capture and share crisp images and videos.
The BR450W-A2 Two-Way Articulating Wireless Video Borescope is purpose-built for automotive, industrial, and commercial building inspections. It features a two-way, 1.5 m (4.9 ft) articulating IP67-rated probe, approved for use in brake and transmission fluid, diesel fuel, unleaded gasoline, engine oil, and CPC hydraulic fluid.
Combining advanced functionality with ease of use
Beamex MC6 is an advanced, high-accuracy field calibrator and communicator. It offers calibration capabilities for pressure, temperature and various electrical signals. The MC6 also contains a fieldbus communicator for HART, FOUNDATION Fieldbus and Profibus PA instruments. The usability and ease-of-use are among the main features of the MC6. It has a large 5.7-inch colour touch-screen with a multilingual user interface. The robust IP65-rated dust- and water-proof casing, ergonomic design and light weight make it an ideal measurement device for field use in various industries, such as the pharmaceutical, energy, oil and gas, food and beverage, service as well as the petrochemical and chemical industries. The MC6 is one device with five different operational modes, which means that it is fast and easy to use, and you can carry less equipment in the field. The operation modes are: meter, calibrator, documenting calibrator, data logger and fieldbus communicator. In addition, the MC6 communicates with Beamex CMX calibration software, enabling fully automated and paperless calibration and documentation. In conclusion, the MC6 is more than a calibrator.
Features:
High accuracy:
The MC6 is a reliable and stable calibrator with unmatched accuracy for demanding industrial conditions. Each MC6 is delivered with a traceable, accredited calibration certificate as standard as proof of its accuracy. Advanced functionality:
The MC6 is a multifunction calibrator and multi-bus communicator with calibration capabilities for pressure, temperature, and various electrical signals. The MC6 offers a lot of useful features that support your calibration process, and it can even perform fully automatic calibrations. It also offers versatile functionalities beyond traditional calibration applications.
The MC6 offers several intuitive user interface modes that are optimised
The MC6 contains a multi-bus field communicator for HART, FOUNDATION Fieldbus, and Profibus PA protocols to calibrate, configure, and trim your smart instruments. All three protocols can be enabled simultaneously.
Digital data flow
The MC6 is a documenting calibrator that communicates with Beamex calibration management software, enabling a fully digitalized calibration process.
AMS Instrumentation and Calibration (02) 8197 2825 www.ams-ic.com.au
NFF champions Australian trade and sustainability
The National Farmers’ Federation and Australian Agriculture are leading a delegation through Europe to highlight the Australian Agriculture Sustainability Framework (AASF). Food & Beverage Industry News reports.
The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) president David Jochinke and CEO Tony Mahar, along with the special representative for Australian Agriculture (SRAA) Su McCluskey, are championing the vital message of Australia’s trade and sustainability credentials in Europe.
The delegation has been showcasing the Australian Agriculture Sustainability Framework (AASF), an industry-led initiative that highlights Australia’s dedication to sustainable agriculture.
The AASF establishes a cohesive understanding of sustainability objectives through a standardised set of
themes, principles, and criteria.
These themes cover environmental stewardship, the well-being of people, animals, and communities, and enhancing economic resilience.
By aligning terminology across various sectors and supply chains, the AASF promotes stakeholder coherence and facilitates clearer communication of industry-wide sustainability goals.
The visit began in the Netherlands, a global leader in agricultural technology and the third-largest exporter of agricultural products worldwide.
“This engagement underscores Australia’s commitment to sustainable agriculture on the global stage, as well as the pivotal role of collaborative
initiatives like the AASF in ensuring both industry and government are positioned as leaders in this space,” said Jochinke.
The delegation’s itinerary included meetings with the Ministry of Agriculture of the Netherlands, visits to the World Horticultural Centre, the Greentech Conference, discussions with representatives from Wageningen University, farm tours, and meeting with the Dutch Farmers Association.
The delegations visit to Rome was to meet with key representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization and host an evening event on the AASF the Australian Ambassador’s residence alongside the Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
The rest of the week centred on the World Farmers’ Organisation General Assembly where the NFF will ensure Australian farmers’ voices are heard and are part of international agricultural policy development.
The World Farmers’ Organization (WFO) General Assembly is an annual gathering of member organizations from around the world, representing farmers and agricultural producers.
The General Assembly serves as the highest decision-making body of the WFO and provides a platform for farmers to discuss and address global agricultural issues, share experiences, and influence international agricultural policies.
“Engagement with government officials and industry stakeholders has cantered around common challenges such as environmental regulations, farm productivity, water management and trade,” said Jochinke.
The Australian Agriculture Sustainability Framework has been the focus of a promotional tour by key stakeholders such as the National Farmers’ Federation.
Image: Zoran Zeremskistock.adobe.com
“It’s imperative we work with our EU counterparts on their approach to deforestation, animal welfare, and the use of chemicals in agriculture, especially making sure they understand how these are managed in Australia’s unique landscapes.”
In her role as the first SRAA, Ms McCluskey works to boost Australia’s presence and influence in the agricultural institutions that shape farmers access to export markets.
The NFF values its partnership with the SRAA, recognising it as pivotal for ongoing bilateral engagement and advocacy in international forums.
“This collaborative effort underscores the shared commitment by industry and government to present a ‘team Australia’ approach on the world stage,” said Jochinke.
In other good news for Australian agriculture, the Queensland Government has already approved $81 million of its $120 million of grants available to the sector.
“It’s imperative we work with our EU counterparts on their approach to
deforestation, animal welfare, and the use of chemicals in agriculture, especially making sure they understand how these are managed in Australia’s unique landscapes.”
Sustainability loans are designed to support investment in cutting-edge infrastructure, ensuring a viable future for your farming business.
These loans can fund activities that enhance the sustainability of your farming systems, natural resources, and financial stability.
In terms of use, sustainability loans can be used to:
• Upgrade, expand or diversify your current operation to improve productivity and long-term profitability, create jobs and boost private sector investment
• Undertake drought preparedness activities and invest in infrastructure that improves drought and
disaster preparedness
• Improve irrigation and establish additional water points to improve efficiency
• Purchase capital equipment to meet environmental and climatic challenges, including predator fencing and renewable energy, measures to improve outcomes for the Great Barrier Reef and measures which could reduce net carbon emissions
• Invest in biosecurity measures
• Implement value adding or supply chain initiatives.
Mt Alma Organics in the Burdekin provides a great example of a primary producer taking advantage of the loans program.
The business used the loan to fund the on-farm rural worker accommodation.
“Our seasonal worker pool is growing so we needed extra accommodation,” Gary said.
“We currently have 18 seasonal workers from the Solomon Islands that live and work on the farm here and their main roles are picking zucchinis, chilies, and watermelons.
“It’s hard to find suitable housing close-by and the nearest town is 30 kilometres away.”
Mt Alma Organics’ new openplan five-bedroom home has also helped boost team morale.
The latest round of funding opened on July 1, 2024.
It’s hoped initiatives such as the Queensland Government loan scheme and the NFF’s championing of Australian trade and sustainability will continue to bolster the sector. F
The AASF establishes a cohesive understanding of sustainability objectives through a standardised set of themes, principles, and criteria.
