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vegetablesWA President’s Report
These activities and projects include: • Increased engagement from the CEO and the vegetablesWA team with grower members and stakeholders, not only as part of updating our strategic plan but also to better understand the needs and priorities of industry and to look for opportunities for collaboration. • Representing you interests in our discussions with government and regulators. For instance, we are keen to hear your views on the challenges around labour and water and the proposed changes to regulations around single use plastic packaging. • The new ‘Building Horticultural
Business Capacity Program’ connecting business owners to farm management experts to assess how your business performs today and the key areas of focus to improve profitability and resilience. • Introduce emerging technologies to help growers seek out new export growth opportunities.
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We’ve partnered with Maven
Marketplaces (a Sydney-based technology company) to develop an app, vegetablesDirect, which seeks to make it easier for growers and international buyers to find each other and make export as easy as a domestic transaction.
These are just a few examples of the kind of initiatives and projects we have in mind to help grow your business efficiently and effectively, so you’re spending more time on the farming and less on everything else. I’m looking forward to meeting as many of you as I can over the coming months, and hearing your thoughts on these initiatives and any other ideas as to how we can support you and your business.
MORE INFORMATION
Manus Stockdale, phone 0448 897 652 or
manus.stockdale@vegetableswa.com.au
vegetablesWA
President’s Report
BY DAN KUZMICICH PRESIDENT, VEGETABLESWA
Abig hello to all my fellow industry members and growers. It’s still quite cool, wandering about my property in Carnarvon today, with no sign of typical spring temperatures as yet. I hear it has been a wild and fierce winter in the south — with a lot of rain and cool conditions.
James Wringe is a good mate and fellow tomato grower in Kirup; as such we speak on a regular basis. He has been keeping me up-to-date about the cold snap with rain and hail in the area over the past few months. Of course, our discussions always go back to labour, and the lack thereof as the main talking point in our discussions. Unfortunately, James has decided to stop growing for the moment, as last season he struggled to get his crop harvested — much of which was left on the vine to rot. James has decided it’s not viable for him to keep going under the current labour conditions.
Whilst travelling through Carnarvon the other week, I also caught up with Jim Trandos from Trandos Farms for dinner on his way to visit his property in Broome. He also commented that it is coming to crunch time to source workers for this up-coming harvest, highlighting the need to work together to get us all through in this current climate. Spearwood grower Paul Glavocich has also informed me about the impact of the weather. The cold has caused a slow growing environment for his produce and he is finding it difficult to fill orders.
Whilst we can’t change the weather, growers have been finding a way to manage through the current shortage of labour.
With the effects of the pandemic still raging across the world, it is anticipated that the long-term situation will not be over any time soon. If you are still facing problems with this issue, please contact our office at vegetablesWA on (08) 9486 7515 or call me personally on 0408 910 761 and we will do our best to assist you. Up here, the harvest season is kicking into full gear in the Gascoyne district and prices seem to be fair and sound across the board. The rain we have had in the first half of the year is always welcomed, but with it weed control has become an issue and an increase in the prevalence of insect pests. Aphids have caused some major damage to capsicum plants by transmitting the Cucumber Mosaic virus which, if not managed well, can be devastating and wipe you out for the season. Growers also reported they have been hit with Black Spot on their tomato plants due to the wet weather, and some have been caught out — not being able to spray on time. The Long Table Dinner was held in Carnarvon on the 6th of August and as usual there was a big turnout. The weather made sure it was a pleasant night. Agriculture Minister Hon Alannah McTiernan MLC was invited as the special guest. As such, I had the opportunity to speak to her one-onone about the industry in general and various matters that challenged the region. Water was particularly high on the agenda.
The chefs did a great job of preparing and cooking our region’s beautiful produce, including local seafood, beef, fruit, but I have to say my favourite on the menu was the goat dish, with vegetables of course! Various people spoke on the night, and Paul Kelly, Chair of the Gascoyne Food Council, must be commended for again hosting and organising this popular event. This year, I was invited to speak to the dining audience, and I felt it was well overdue for me to shift to focus back to the local primary producers. I thanked and acknowledged them as the true heroes of the evening. I hope that I represented the growers well, as without their efforts these events just can’t happen. All in all, it was a great night and a great celebration of the Gascoyne and its produce. In the same vein of celebrating WA grown food and wine, the great news is that Donnybrook Food and Wine Festival is having their second Long Table Lunch on the 25th of September, and I am happy to say that vegetablesWA is one of the major sponsors this year. I am attending to represent our Committee, and I am looking forward to meeting and talking to growers from around this region. So, if you are attending this event please come up and say hi, I would love to have a chat and hear how your peak vegetable body can assist you as a member.
In closing, I would now like to take the opportunity to acknowledge our outgoing CEO, John Shannon. John served vegetablesWA well for over a period of 12 years. John was a valuable asset to our industry over the years and it is with regret that we say goodbye. I have been very fortunate as President to have John as our CEO, reporting to me and the Committee of Management about the daily running of the organisation over the last six years. John has had his finger on the pulse of all our major concerns during the period, including several biosecurity incidents, water issues, COVID-19 and, of course, the labour shortages. On behalf of the organisation, I wish him well in his future pursuits. With this news, our own Manus Stockdale takes over the position of Acting CEO for at least the next six months.
In this period, the Committee of Management will be actively seeking to appoint a permanent replacement CEO. Manus has demonstrated good judgement and has clear understanding of what is expected in this position in the short-term; I thank him for stepping up to the plate. I remind you to please contact the office at vegetablesWA if there is any way we can assist you or help with any issues that is adversely affecting you and the way you do business. I would like to wish all our industries the very best for a continued profitable season and stay safe.
MORE INFORMATION
Contact Dan Kuzmicich on 0408 910 761 or
