TOOL TIME
Blockbuster online training and tools to assist your farming enterprise BY JOEL DINSDALE | QUALITY ASSURANCE COORDINATOR, VEGETABLESWA
TIMES HAVE CHANGED — we need only look at businesses such as Kodak or Blockbuster Video to get an indication as to how markets shift. This is known as “The Blockbuster Effect”. Farming is not immune from this phenomenon. External pressures are such that farming enterprises have had to adjust with the times and the training/tools space is one such area where the Blockbuster Effect is taking shape. There is a clear shift towards online training/tools to facilitate more training and increase efficiencies.
With Blockbuster Video firmly in mind…I reminisced about the good-old-days when I used to rent videos and DVDs. My friend Todd owned and ran my local store, so I spent many a weekend hiring videos to pass the cold winters in Margaret River. After hiring what seemed like all the videos in the store, I began to look at the recommendation tags that used to sit below on the shelves so I could pick the best with ease. With that, I said to myself “wouldn’t it be great if there was recommended list of Blockbuster Online Training/Tools that could assist our WA Growers?”. Such a list does not exist (I checked), so I thought I’d give it a crack and create one (with the help of the vegetablesWA team).
So, here’s a list of tools that the team can’t live without: Joel’s top pick: I’d like to recommend Plant Health Australia’s Biosecurity Online Training. Does it get anymore important than protecting your industry by implementing biosecurity on farm? www.planthealthaustralia.com.au/resources/ training/biosecurity-online-training/
Sam’s top pick: Sam is often asked about chemicals when engaging growers. Sam recommends the APVMA’s Pubcris to determine if a chemical is appropriate for use on your crop(s). https://portal.apvma.gov.au/ pubcris
Truyen’s top pick:
Truyen has been busy assisting growers with water. Given that water is a critical resource required in production horticulture, he recommends using the DPIRD Irrigate WA app. www.agric.wa.gov.au/apps/irrigate-wa
Amber’s top pick: Amber is our Communications genius in charge of our vegetablesWA’s communications. Her recommendation for DIY graphic design is Canva.
Melissa’s top pick: Studium is an online website that connects employer with jobseeker. WA Grower SPRING 2020
www.studium.work
Manus’ top pick: For those businesses that are thinking about exporting produce, vegetablesWA has a link to a free Export Checklist. https://vegetableswa.com.au/wp-content/ uploads/2018/12/EFP-Checklist_LR.pdf
John’s top pick: John recommends the MyPestGuide Reporter App for help identifying those tricky pests and diseases that aren’t always straight forward to identify.
Online training/tools to facilitate more training and increase efficiencies.
www.canva.com/en_au/
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Check it out to fulfill your labour requirements (for free).
www.agric.wa.gov.au/apps/ mypestguide-reporter
Bryn’s top pick: While engaging with DPIRD, Bryn has identified a neat fertiliser tool that’s a must for growers.
www.agric.wa.gov.au/fertiliser-calculator
Karen’s top pick: Karen recommends the Harvest to Home website. This neat website provides details on vegetable consumer insights that can assist growers when making decisions in the crop space. www.harvesttohome.net.au MORE INFORMATION Have you got a favourite Online Training and/ or Tool that you’d like to share with other WA Growers? We’d love to hear about it! Contact us at comms@vegetableswa.com.au
