WA Grower Winter 13 by vegetablesWA

$25.00 (inc GST)

WA Grower Potato Growers Association Inc.

Agricultural Produce Commission

APC-VPC APC-PPC

SINCE 1948 Vol. 48 No 2. Winter 2013

Carnarvon edition

Produced by

vegetablesWA

Management Committees

Cover photo: Zelko and Rosita Borich

Vegetable Growers Association

Contact details for Horticulture House vegetablesWA, Potato Growers Association, Western Potatoes Horticulture House 103 Outram Street West Perth 6005 t: (08) 9481 0834 f: (08) 9481 0024 e: office@vegetableswa.com.au

President

Executive Officer Jim Turley m: 0410 697 842 e: pga-vga@vegetableswa.com.au Policy and Program Manager John Shannon t: 0488 111 526 e: john.shannon@vegetableswa.com.au Finance/Administrator/Magazine Advertising Rebecca Blackman t: (08) 9481 0834 e: finance@vegetableswa.com.au

Maureen Dobra t: (08) 9575 2086 m: 0417 174 110

Vice President Ken Sue m: 0417 986 467

Busselton

Anthony Marinovich m: 0417 907 910

Myalup/Bunbury

Treasurer

Committee H. Shapland K. Edwards M. Le D. Rigali M. Grubisa S. Calameri P. Wauchope P. Shain D. Kuzmicich

t: (08) 9845 1064 Albany m: 0427 724 243 Manjimup m: 0417 962 427 Metro m: 0407 447 524 Metro m: 0413 050 182 Metro North m: 0418 957 236 Metro South m: 0400 717 600 Gingin m: 0419 041 045 Carnarvon m: 0400 542 812 Carnarvon

Communications Officer Hayley Wilson t: (08) 9481 0834 e: hayley.wilson@vegetableswa.com.au

Potato Growers Association

Field/Extentsion Officer Sarah Houston m: 0427 373 037 e: sarah.houston@vegetableswa.com.au

Vice President

Vietnamese Field Extension Officer Truyen Vo m: 0457 457 559 e: truyen.vo@vegetableswa.com.au

Andrew Tempra m: 0417 097 729

Life Members A.J. Anderson*, D.J. Arbuckle, J. Arbuckle Snr*, J.H. Arbuckle* (M.B.E.J.P), S. Calameri, G. Kiriros*, R.G.Leach*, F. Natoli, S. Sawle*, R.M. Schultz, C.P. Stevens, W.R. Stevens* (M.B.E.J.P), HR. Ashby*, Amy Harris*, A. Ingrilli. * deceased

Gingin

President Sam Calameri m: 0418 957 236 Dean Ryan m: 0427 731 066

Metro

Pemberton

Treasurer Manjimup

Committee C. Ayres B. Russell V. Carter G. Bendotti D. Ryan M. Rose

m: 0428 451 014 m: 0429 318 216 m: 0417 092 505 m: 0427 569 903 m: 0427 731 066 m: 0409 112 245

Albany Donnybrook Busselton Pemberton Pemberton Myalup

Western Potatoes Pty Ltd Chairman Ross Taylor

m: 0412 446 512

Marketing Manager Paul Graham

This issue of the WA Grower is brought to you by:

m: 0414 382 738

Non-Executive Director Simon Moltoni

m: 0427 761 693

• APC- Vegetable Producers Committee • Potato Growers Association • Western Potatoes • vegetablesWA

Articles reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher.

WA Grower 10

Vol. 48 No 2. Winter 2013

Welcome to the latest edition of the WA Grower Reducing the incidence of stable fly, which require both a blood meal and rotting vegetable matter to complete their life cycle, has been a major focus for vegetablesWA and our growers. Over the past 18 months, the WA vegetable industry has established a set of best management practices and guidelines for growers to follow to ensure minimal breeding of stable fly in vegetable crop residues, as well as helped to fund a number of projects to look into new ways of managing the pest. We certainly hope these combined efforts will yield results to maintain the social licence of our industry.

In the advocacy sphere of our operations we have been pleased with the positive working relationship we have developed with the new state Minister for Agriculture and Food, The Hon Ken Baston MLC. We have also continued our strong engagement with The Hon Terry Redman MLA who following the state election has responsibility for water. I hope you enjoy this edition of the WA Grower. As always, if you have any feedback we would love to hear it.

We have been very pleased to see the vegetablesWA Vietnamese Field Extension Officer, Vo The Truyen, is continuing to make a big difference to the businesses of this significant portion of our West

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Australian growing community. Great evidence of his success has been the grower participation rates in the More Dollars per Drop program in Carnarvon, funded by the state government Royalties for Regions program. vegetablesWA will continue undertaking the best ways to assist growers, no matter what their background.

John Shannon, Policy and Program Manager

Understanding the healthy food message

vegetablesWA President’s Report

Grower profile — Zelko and Rosita Borich

Retirement and recommendations

Prosecution for illegal water take

Industry profile — Ross Taylor

Grower profile — Le Quoc Su

Potato Growers Association President’s Report

Seed quality vital in maximising Midwest potato yields

Western Potatoes signs up Ambassador

Western Potatoes

Your Production

Your Business

Federal budget

NFF’s May Monitor

Recommendations for irrigating tomatoes

Farm Finance

More Dollars per Drop

A smooth transition

Tool time

Nut grass control: a review

Steady progress in tomato disinfestation research

Permits

Your industry

Carnarvon flood mitigation project

Grower profile — Steve Yelash

Seed potatoes the key to growth

Onions Australia

Understanding soil health and nutrition

Grower profile — Paul Shain

Stable fly

Grower profile — Hoang Huy Nguyen

Your Market

Perth Market City

Category management

Your Environment

More bees please!

Your self

beyondblue

Are you gambling with your future?

Farmsafe WA Farm Safety Training Course

Vietnamese translations

WA Grower winter 2013

United Crate Co operative Ltd. An Industry Leader Since 1963 Celebrating

Servicing the Fresh Produce Industry

Contact United Crate Co operative Ltd 1 Zanni Street Canning Vale WA 6155 Email: info@unitedcrate.com.au Web: www.unicrate.com.au PH: (08) 9455 1540 Fax: (08) 9455 2376

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WA Grower winter 2013

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vegetablesWA President’s Report BY Maureen Dobra President, VegetablesWa

What about ME? My neighbours and my children? This was an important statement mentioned by one of the members of the Department of Water (DoW) when vegetablesWA held a meeting at the Bogdanich Farm, in Gingin. The meeting was very well attended by the growers of Gingin. Lots of questions were asked and answered too and most growers left feeling happy about their situations and their relationship with the DoW. This statement not only concerns what is happening with our water supply but any other situations that we find ourselves whilst in business. “We” want what is good for us and what is going to benefit us. “We” also need to be mindful of our neighbour, our staff or our community. Then we want to preserve or to leave what will be good for our children and their children too.

On a brighter note, I attended the Ausveg National Convention on the Gold Coast. It was great to see about 20 growers from Western Australia attend. There were seminars on Future Technologies which were very exciting. It was said that 1,200 people attended the Convention.

The highlight of the Convention was the Awards of Excellence and our WA growers did very well.

Figaro Natoli was awarded the DuPont Industry Recognition Award at the Ausveg National Convention's Awards of Excellence.

Congratulations to Figaro Natoli and being awarded the DuPont Industry Recognition Award and also to Danny Trandos, who was awarded the Dow AgroSciences Young Grower of the Year. Well done! To all those other growers from WA who were nominated and were finalists — well done too! Recently the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) completed an audit of the fuel used on our farm. At the end of the audit they advised us that we could claim on the fuel used in the chiller motors on our trucks. We had been claiming this as 0.12643 cents per litre, and that was incorrect. This is just for on-road vehicles only. The rate that we should be claiming for the diesel in our chiller motor tanks is 0.31933 cents per litre. Even though this is a small amount — we will be saving money! The auditors from the ATO were very helpful with all their advice. RAIN!!! Where is it? So far this year we have had 188mm of rain. We can only hope for more during the rest of the winter and spring!

Danny Trandos, Dow AgroSciences Young Grower of the Year.

WA Grower winter 2013

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Retirement

and recommendations

By Jim Turley VegetablesWa

Please be advised that I have given official notice of my retirement from vegetablesWA effective on the 1st October 2013. On the 8th of September 2003 I was appointed Executive Officer of the Western Australian Vegetable Grower Association (Inc) at their annual general meeting. Over the past ten years it has been one of the highlights of my working career of almost 50 years. Meeting and representing all the wonderful vegetable growers and their families has truly been a fantastic experience. Of course, there were challenges along the way, however, I strongly believe the vegetable growers and their industry were far better as a whole.

There have been many wonderful relationships developed with the growers and their families. From Carnarvon to Albany, working with the growers and the knowledge I have gained has been remarkable. The initiative action in the vegetable production process was also an amazing experience.

To all those growers, families and other people who were so generous with their time to help me help the vegetable industry, I offer a sincere thank you. To Maureen Dobra, President of vegetablesWA, I offer the most sincere thank you of all. Her work, her leadership, her outstanding knowledge of our industry is truly remarkable. Finally, I leave the industry with two strong recommendations to consider. One, I believe the vegetable industry is experiencing unprecedented competition from frozen imported cooked vegetable products entering this country. Therefore, the vegetable industry should consider spending a lot of money on marketing and promotion

educating our consumers (particularly the 18 to 44 year old) about the benefits of eating fresh and safe vegetables grown in Western Australia and how vital they are for their health and wellbeing. If the industry doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t concentrate its marketing and promotion dollars in this area then our consumers in this age group will continue their drift into frozen vegetable products for convenience. Most consumers know fresh and safe is more beneficial for them. However, these benefits must be reinforced into the area of the consumerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health and wellbeing. The government should also be involved to help slow their soaring health bill. The second recommendation is to appoint John Shannon as the Executive Officer for vegetablesWA. John is highly capable and from a farming background and is currently employed by vegetablesWA as the Policy and Program Manager where he is doing an outstanding job.

WA Grower winter 2013

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Industry profile

By Hayley Wilson Communications officer, VegetablesWa

Ross Taylor, Chairman of Western Potatoes When asked how Ross felt about receiving the prestigious award he said, “It sounds a bit cliché but obviously I was shocked, yet very honoured and to be honest, dismayed. It’s not something I had even thought about for even a moment.” Ross was diagnosed with melanoma in 1993 and was given a 10% survival chance (over three years). Since being diagnosed, Ross has not only healed his life, but has specialised in understanding and learning the importance of stress management and nutrition in maintaining a healthy and well-balanced life. He has also given a magnanimous amount to several cancer support organisations.

Western Potatoes Chairman, Ross Taylor was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) on the Queen’s birthday in June 2013. Ross received the honour for his outstanding community service, particularly to cancer communities and his large contribution to AustraliaIndonesia relations.

“I would have to say though that whilst Indonesia has been my passion, working with the hundreds; maybe thousands of people whose lives have been touched by cancer has been our ‘spiritual and philanthropic duty’, for the past twenty years.” Ross is the Past President of The Cancer Support Association of Western Australia and was a founding director and chairman of The Breast Cancer Foundation Inc. He was a founding director of the Melanoma Cancer Support Association of Western Australia Inc., Chairman of the Edith Cowan University-Psychology & Counselling Consultative Committee in Western Australia, and Chairman of both the Brady Cancer Support Foundation Inc. and the newly established Cancer Wellness Centre in WA. Lifeforce Cancer Support Services, was founded by Ross in 1996 to assist people to improve their health. He is also an active international speaker on the subjects of stress in the home and office, nutrition and living and preventing degenerative diseases and regularly appears in Australian and overseas media.

WA Grower winter 2013

Ross first ‘fell in love’ with Indonesia when as a young man he was travelling in Java, Indonesia and was told about a great little island with cheap and good food, brilliant surf and long empty beaches. It was called Bali and it was 1971. Ross stayed at a beach called Kuta at one of only a handful of losmans or guest houses. “I can recall it was costing me about $2.00 a day for the bed and all meals,” said Ross. “But it was simple, quiet but just wonderful.” After that experience Ross became a selfproclaimed Indophile and has spent many years since working and living in his ‘Paradise country’. During 2001–2003 Ross was appointed as the WA government’s regional director to Indonesia and during that time worked very closely with the Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) and WA potato growers to help develop a market for seed potatoes in Indonesia. “It was a wonderful project,” said Ross. “When it comes to doing business with Asia we often focus too much on a ‘We sell-they buy’ approach, but this is far too narrow. How could we compete in Indonesia with subsidised imported fresh potatoes from America and Europe?” Ross found that what WA growers could do was to focus on assisting poor Indonesian farmers develop their own potato crops using WA expertise and training in WA combined with our high-quality — and completely disease free — potato seed. “This was a classic win-win where we get the seed sales and Indonesia adds value to their existing potato industry and creates jobs. This is what a true partnership should be about and we should learn from this visionary thinking,” said Ross.

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the greatest respect and admiration for this lady and my partner!” Ross and Katherine’s son Brenden operates a centre for street children in Galle, Sri Lanka and Lisa, their daughter, has worked as a carer and mentor in cancer support for the past ten years. When not doing charity work Ross loves his surfing of course, sharing a green tea and good food with Katherine and friends, and also writing — a reference to his numerous ‘Opinion’ articles on Indonesia that appear in Australian newspapers.

Interestingly during Ross’ involvement with the Indonesian potato industry in 2002 he worked closely with one of DAFWA’s senior directors, another Indophile, Terry Hill. “I never thought that 12 years later Hilly and I would be heading off to Java together, as too ageing surfers, to spend a few weeks catching some waves!” said Ross, pointing to their planned journey to Indonesia in July this year. After returning to live in Perth Ross was asked to join Western Potatoes Ltd as a director and then subsequently its chairman where he developed a close relationship with the industry and its leadership including Jim Turley (EO of the PGA) and Bert Russell (Chairman PMC). “I love the potato industry because it’s operated by real people who live in WA, who have real families and produce food that is actually really good for us,” said Ross. “It’s what I call an ethically based industry, and having lived with cancer, this is the sort of industry, and the sort of people, I want to work with.” Ross’s wife Katherine works closely with Ross in touching the lives of those affected by cancer. “Philanthropy runs in the family,” says Ross. “Katherine has been amazing and I could not even guess how many couples have sat down with her in our house, after receiving the devastating news of a cancer diagnosis, seeking some mentoring and support in taking control of their cancer journey. I have

Prior to being diagnosed Ross was in senior management with Wesfarmers Limited and subsequently moved to Christmas Island as the general manger of the old rock phosphate fertiliser mine that was purchased from the Australian government by the union workers in 1991. “If anyone, back in the late eighties would have told me that I would have jumpedship from a extraordinary company like Wesfarmers to take over the running of a co-op style rock phosphate mine operated by Chinese and Malay workers, I would have said they were mad!” said Ross. “But for myself and our family it was a very special time in our lives. Even today our two children still ‘think Asian’ due to their life living deep inside the Chinese and Malay community on Christmas Island.”

“Fresh vegetables can improve the health of the community incredibly,” he said. “Nature has worked-out precisely what the human body needs, to not only survive, but also thrive.” Ross says governments will have no option than to focus on people not getting sick rather than paying billions of dollars fixing them when it’s all too late. “And fresh veggies will play a critical role in that process.” At the end of your life, whenever that is, what do you feel will be the most important thing you have done? “I know, from sitting with many people in those last few minutes of their life,” says Ross. “So for me it is this question: ‘Have I, during my short time on this crazy, wonderful planet we call home, made a difference — even in a small way — to my fellow humans, and have I made a difference?’. If the answer is ‘Yes’ then I can slip graciously away with a great big smile on my face. It’s a simple as that.” Ross is the author of several best selling books and audio’s, including Living Simply With Cancer, which features a foreword by Olivia Newton-John and Creating Health... Yourself, which has been acclaimed by many prominent people including Australian cricketer Dennis Lillee.

Ross is also passionate about the WA vegetable industry and the future of health in Australia, and Ross should know having drunk over 3,800 litres of fresh home-made vegie juice since he was diagnosed with cancer. “I often tell my colleagues, you are not just in the horticulture business; you are in the health business. It’s a critical mindset change that not only growers need to make but also politicians and the community,” said Ross. As Ross points out, almost 60% of all diseases inflicted upon Australians are now caused by lifestyle. “With the advances in medical technology combined with an explosion in lifestyle diseases we simply will not be able to afford to be treating millions of people for illnesses that are completely avoidable,” said Ross. “Currently the health budget is around $60 billion per year, and we haven’t seen anything yet!.” WA Grower winter 2013

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Potato Growers Association President’s Report

Potato Growers Association Inc.

By Sam Calameri President, Potato Growers Association

A key to a potato grower’s viability is marketing and promotion in particular educating our consumers in the health benefits of eating more fresh and safe potatoes that are grown in Western Australia. Okay, what are these health benefit claims that can be made within current data based on 100 gram serves.

Carbohydrates • Potatoes have 25% less carbohydrates than pasta • Potatoes have 50% less carbohydrates than rice

100g

SERVE

• Potatoes have 40% less carbohydrates than rice and pasta

Fat • Potatoes have virtually no fat

Fibre • Potatoes have 20% more fibre than pasta • Potatoes have more than double the fibre of rice

B-group vitamins • Potatoes have double the B-group vitamins of pasta

Potatoes are a wonderful vegetable product for the continued health and well being of our consumers. I believe most consumers know the meaning of fresh and safe however, people in certain age groups are drifting towards frozen vegetables for convenience. This reason will be addressed in a series of television advertisements later this year. The other question I ask is, when will the State Government become involved? We have talked over the years to Minister’s advisors but we have not yet sent a detailed written submission. This year the office of Horticulture WA have requested the Premier to consider supporting the vegetable growers as they produce fresh vegetables and potato products that will assist the Government to reduce their soaring health bill. The following photo displays the members of the APC-Potato Producers Committee who are responsible for administering grower’s Fee for Service funding. As chairman I am so proud of the job these men have achieved over the years to benefit the potato growers in Western Australia.

• Potatoes contain over six times more B-group vitamins than rice • Potatoes provide 10% of the average daily intake of B-group vitamins

Vitamin C • Potatoes contain 30% average daily intake of vitamin C. Rice and pasta have no vitamin C at all! • Potatoes contain 60% more vitamin C than blueberries

Iron • Potatoes contain over five times as much iron as broccoli, five times more!

Potassium • Potatoes provide 25% of the RDI for potassium • Potatoes contain 80% more potassium than bananas

Folate • Potatoes contain double the folate of rice.

WA Grower winter 2013

The APC-Potato Producers Committee (Left to right): Glen Ryan, Terry Ackley, Dom Della Vedova, Chairman Sam Calameri, Bert Russell and Executive Officer Jim Turley front row.

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Western Potatoes signs up healthy potatoes Ambassador

Powered by potatoes Western Potatoes is pleased to announce the support of Fergus Kavanagh for the local potato industry. Fergus is captain of the Australian Men’s hockey team and one of the world’s very best hockey players. Consumer research has shown that a perceived unhealthiness is the second largest barrier that is preventing further consumption of potatoes. He’ll be using his profile and reputation as an elite international sportsperson to help change these perceptions and sell the health benefits of potatoes (see Jim Turley article earlier). His first engagement on behalf of the industry will be a tour of local radio stations and press in early August – to complement the health focus of the Western Potatoes campaign.

Coming from Geraldton, Fergus is a strong supporter of all things local. As well as co-captaining the national side, he is also captain of the WA State team — the Thundersticks. When not playing international hockey or competing in leagues around the world, Fergus lives in Perth. Food of choice? Baked potato garnished with herbs and rosemary (naturally). Western Potatoes intends to support Fergus as he builds his hockey career, which is aimed at bringing a gold medal home from the Rio Olympics. Already a dual Olympian, he is hoping to add to his 2 bronze medals in 2014. In the shorter term, his eyes are set on the the 2014 World Cup, where he hopes to come home with another gold medal – having won his first in Dehli in 2010. Fancy a healthy potato recipe? Check our healthy chips!

Fergus Kavanagh

Yellow potato wedges By Chef Dale Sniffen Prep time: under 2 minutes Microwave time: 4 minutes @ full power then turn over 2 minutes @ full power, or until they start to hiss Rest potato 3 minutes, or until safe to touch Baking time: 30 minutes @ 200ºC fan on

Serves 4 to 6

Utensil list Mixing bowl, serrated knife, oven tray lined with baking paper, pastry brush

Ingredients 3 large yellow potato (800gm) pricked with fork on both sides

DOB: 21/05/1985

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Australian Caps: 175 (Co-Captain )

Method

International Achievements: Wor ld Cup Gold Medallist (2010) (Major): • Dual Olympic Bronze Medallis t (2008/2012) • Champions Trophy Gold (2008/09/10/11/12)*

*Only international player in histo ry to his first 5 consecutive tournaments

• Commonwealth Gold Medallis t (2010) Club Achievements: Inaugural Indi an Premier League Winner (Player of Tournament Ranchi Rhinos) (Major) • Australian Hockey League Win ner (2008/09/11) • Hale Hockey Club WA Premiers hip (2010)

1. Puncture potato skin twice on both sides with a fork, evenly space potato in microwave. Par cook @ full power for 4 minutes, turn potato over and cook another 2 minutes. Remove and rest potato for 3 minutes or until they are safe to touch. Cut potato in half lengthwise then cut 4 wedges per half. 2. Brush oil evenly onto an oven tray lined baking paper, place cut side down on paper, leaving a ½cm space between each potato. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown or 40 minutes for a crispier texture. Serve with a juicy steak or grilled fish.

WA Grower winter 2013

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Western Potatoes

Quarter 2 of this year has been dominated by planning for the consumption campaign which starts on July 1st 2013. The sheer size and scale of the campaign has necessitated a transformational change in Western Potatoes and I am pleased that we are now in a position to deliver a highly professional and strategic campaign.

WA Grower winter 2013

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By Paul Graham Western Potatoes

Quarter 2 has seen the development of a day by day marketing plan for the 365 days of the next financial year; engagement of customers into the plan; and the development of a creative template that will be lynch pin of the campaign for the next 18–24 months.

Watch out for a series of grower meetings in early July when we will be visiting each zone to update on the specific plans for the year. We value your feedback and your input can help make our campaign the biggest and best we have ever had. Need reminding of what’s coming up? See later in this article!

News and activities update In addition to the immense amount of planning that has happened for next year, we’ve been making sure potatoes remain front of mind this year. Here are some of the highlights: PR Don Hancey has been at it again, with a superb 30 minute potato focus on radio station 6PR. The segment opened with host Paul Murray giving a massive thumbs up to the recent work of the potato industry, featured a wonderful interactive phone-in with consumers offering their favourite recipes and ended with a giveaway competition to lucky callers. Smalls April and May saw a build up in supply of small potatoes. In combination with the PMC, Western Potatoes assisted in the alleviation of this build up, using a mix of trading and promotional support plans. Western Potatoes is pleased to see the arrival of three new ‘smalls’ products onto the market and hopes this will continue to grow this under valued sector.

Foodservice On behalf of the potato industry, Western Potatoes sponsored two high profile foodservice events. The Great Steak Sandwich competition is held by the Australian Hotels Association and has entrants from across the state. Western Potatoes sponsorship secured signage at the gala judging day and AHA trade fair. In addition, Western Potatoes sponsored the Hospitality Training Group Ball, securing access and exposure to a group of up and coming apprentice chefs. The foodservice campaign is co-funded by Western Potatoes, the PGA and PMC. It is sponsored by Beta Spuds. Promotional products The product trial finished in Coles Claremont and negotiations are ongoing for a wider scale trial. Digital Our digital strategy continues to grow. We send weekly newsletters to trade and consumer contacts and are set to break the 1,000 like barrier on Facebook. A viral video was launched tracing potatoes from paddock to plate. Shows Western Potatoes was represented at the Every Woman Expo by Taste Budds Cooking Studio and one of our star Potatodors Sophie Budd! Seed for Schools May is a critical time for our Seed for Schools program with 300 packs (instructions and seed) sent to our participating schools. Each school receives a monthly newsletter with instructions and we are hoping to secure some favourable PR when it comes to harvest time. This initiative MUST not be undervalued. It provides us with access to educating our future consumers and we intend to use it increasingly in the future.

Kids participating in Seed for Schools program.

WA Grower winter 2013

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Send us your favourite Potato recipes & hints & tips! Western Potatoes are preparing a database for a new website launching 1st October. This will includes fantastic new potato recipes and hints and tips about potatoes. If you have any favorite potato recipes and hints and tips, we’d love to hear them.

We’re looking for recipes on: o o o o o

Chips Mash Roast Salad/Boil Anything else

And any top tips like: “For a treat, add peanut butter to your mash potato. Delicious!” “Throw out potato skin after peeling? Why not try roasting the skins till ultra crispy and serving with dips.” Send your contribution to: Laura Clarke Email: laura@westernpotatoes.com.au Fax: (08) 9481 0224 Post: 103 Outram Street, West Perth 6005

Laura Clarke - Brand Manager E: laura@westernpotatoes.com.au

2013–14 plans At the time of writing, the indications from the APC PPC are that the consumption campaign and foodservice project will be both funded next year. Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect: Consumption campaign The consumption campaign is designed to grow in home consumption of fresh potatoes by young consumers. Starting in the 2013–2014 financial year, it will address perceptions in the target market that potatoes are unhealthy and inconvenient. The consumption campaign will provide consumers with quick, tasty and healthy methods of preparing their favourite potato dishes. 25 recipes are being prepared by professional chef Dale Sniffen, with more hint, tips and recipes being collected from across the supply chain and website across the world. The new campaign will feature a raft of activities designed to change consumer behaviour. Television advertising will be mixed with print media and other out of home advertising initiatives (for example, billboards).

WA Grower winter 2013

A new website will launch in October, to complement Potato Week and a major new focus at the Royal Show. Sales will be driven in store by point of sale and sales promotions, with support given to new product development launches throughout the year. Foodservice project Following a successful inaugural year, the foodservice is set to grow bigger and better still in 2013–14. Don Hancey will be recommissioned to lead the project as our chief Potatodor. Look out for the following: 1. More potato ambassadors (Potatodors). A further five chefs will be appointed to represent the potato industry to their peers. The existing Potatodors, while decommissioned, will remain in the Potatodor club! The new appointments will be made in October. Potatodors to be appointed in October. 2. Another chefs sundowner. The sundowner held at Panorama in February 2013 was an outstanding success. The event will be repeated as an

opportunity for chefs to meet growers, washpackers and other key players in the supply chain. This is timed for February 2014. 3. Potato farm tour. Past and present Potatodors will be invited to visit a potato farm. The visit will include an overnight stay and in a farming region and visits to several potato farms. This is timed for November, with the region selected Busselton. 4. Recipe and usage testing. Modern chefs demand intricate product knowledge to help assist them put the best meals on their customers plates. We’ll be working with a group of chefs to develop specific information on what varieties should be used for what cooking methods and recipes. 5. Promotional material. Further promotional material will be developed for the foodservice sector, with the existing booklet updated with new and improved information on variety eating characteristics. 6. Database development. Western Potatoes has commissioned the development of a database of chefs which will be used to disseminate a monthly email with news from the potato industry.

Staff news Western Potatoes wished Darryl Linto farewell at the end of April. He leaves to pursue other opportunities interstate and overseas. Darryl has done a fantastic job, firstly in his role as a retail manager and latterly in assisting with the coordination of important marketing activities. It is with great regret that we wish him farewell and all the best for the future. Darryl left the business on Friday 27th April. Laura Clarke has joined the business three days a week as a Brand Manager. Laura will be focused on delivering key marketing activities as we enter an exciting time for the WA potato industry.

Your Production

Your

Production

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

Recommendations

for irrigating tomatoes using drip on sand Drip irrigation can be a very efficient method of applying water and fertiliser to crops. However, the best irrigation system is only as efficient as how it is operated and monitored. Scheduling irrigation in an efficient manner on sandy soils is particularly difficult and requires a systematic approach that delivers water evenly, using evaporation-based monitoring to fine-tune irrigations. Plant water use is determined by environmental and plant factors. The environmental factors refer to climate and weather, while plant factors refer to the type of crop and its stage of growth.

Temperature, wind speed, solar radiation and relative humidity are all climatic factors that determine the amount of water required for a plant to grow productively. They can be measured directly using evaporation pan (Epan) or calculated from weather station measurements. Evaporation data can be sourced from DAFWA or SMS weather services like the one run by vegetablesWA. As plants grow larger, have more leaf area, start producing fruit and then mature, the proportion of evaporation needed to be replaced by irrigation changes. These differences in crop water requirements and the proportion of Epan to be replaced are called Crop Factors (CF). Recommendations for irrigating tomatoes were developed in recent HAL and APC/VPC-funded DAFWA projects and used with good results on several farms in the Carabooda area. The recommendations are based on typical plantings on the Swan Coastal Plain around Perth. Plantings generally consist of double rows offset 50cm within and between rows, grown

BY Rohan Prince Development Officer, Department of Agriculture and FooD, WA

Table 1 Recommended crop factors for growing tomatoes on sands of the Swan Coastal Plain based on commercial plantings Crop stage description

Crop factor

Root depth (mm)

Transplanting and establishment

0.5

1st tie

0.6

100

2nd tie

0.9

200

3rd tie

1.1

250

4th tie

1.3

300

5th tie through harvest

1.4

300

Towards end of harvest

1.2

300

with two leaders trellised up stakes to a height of about 1.80m. Each double row is around 2.0m apart giving an average of 20,000 plants per hectare, with a drip line dedicated to each row of plants. Table 1 shows the recommendations for growing tomatoes on sand, and includes a crop stage description, crop factor and rooting depth. Evaporation, like rainfall is reported in millimetres, therefore the

recommendations are calculated to deliver the millimetres required. The application rate for the drip system in this configuration is calculated by multiplying the output of the drippers by the number of drippers per metre. So if drippers were spaced at 25cm and had a flow rate of one litre per hour the output would be 4L/hr.

To calculate daily water requirements, multiply evaporation by the crop factor for the crop stage. The following example shows how the table is used. A crop of tomatoes at first tie requires irrigation for a day with 8.3mm evaporation. Daily Water Requirements = Evaporation x Crop Factor = 8.3 (from a weather station or SMS) x 0.6 (from the table) = 5mm To calculate the minutes of run time required, divide mm required by the application rate and multiply by 60. So for this example: mm required

x 60 = 5/4 x 60 = 75 minutes

application rate

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

How the irrigation required is applied is determined by the individual farm soil water-holding capacity, water quality and the stage of the crop. Irrigation should meet the water-holding capacity for the rooting depth of the crop.

Confirming irrigation effectiveness should be done using logging equipment. In addition, ensuring your system is delivering water evenly throughout the shift and the actual application rate is essential when finely scheduling irrigation.

Excess irrigation leading to water passing through the root zone will lower the efficiency of irrigation and nutrients applied as water is drained through the profile, leaching nutrients and requiring extra water to be applied.

Performing a dye test and identifying how deep water applications reach can help in tailoring irrigation timing to match soil type and crop stage.

Generally, most roots of the tomato plant will not exceed the depth of the rotary hoe. While some stabilisation roots are found beyond 30cm the fibrous feeder roots are located predominately in the top 0â&#x20AC;&#x201C;25cm. Scheduling irrigation to a depth of 30cm for mature plants reduces excess drainage and increase water and fertiliser use efficiency. Crop factors are higher for sandy soils than for heavier soils because of inefficiencies related to the low water-holding capacity of sands. While the principles are the same the recommended crop factors will be slightly lower.

WA Grower winter 2013

By scheduling irrigation based on crop factors and evaporation and tailoring the application and timing to meet soil requirements, increased water and nutrient efficiency will result. More information For further details on these recommendations contact Rohan Prince on rohan.prince@agric.wa.gov.au or mobile 0429 680 069. Details of system assessment and tools to assist scheduling will also be available as farmnotes in the near future.

WA Grower December 2009

See better uniformity See better quality

See better water use

See better nutrient uptake

The C in C-Wise is for carbon, the basis of all plant life. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what gives our C-Life range of carbon based fertilisers their potency. Full of nutrient rich organic carbon, C-Life products feed your crop and restore carbon to make your soil work - naturally. C-Life products stimulate soil biological activity, improving nutrient uptake and natural resilience to soil borne pests and disease. To see healthier, more uniform crops and higher yields at harvest, talk to C-Wise today. For more information call (08) 95819582 or visit cwise.com.au

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Carlos Ramirez from Carnarvon Growers Association (CGA) helping to install soil moisture monitoring equipment in a crop of capsicums.

WA Grower winter 2013

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More Dollars per Drop

Demonstration focus heads north BY ROHAN PRINCE AND TILWIN WESTRUP Department of Agriculture and FooD, WA

recording evaporation and comparing this to water use. Yields will be measured and compared to future crops to ensure that productivity is maintained or improved in an attempt to increase water use efficiency. Sensors measuring soil moisture and importantly soil water tension (which shows how hard the plant is working to remove water from the soil) will be logged constantly and remotely downloaded to assess any plant stress or water that is not being used by the plants.

Previous trials have shown that tension measurements can be very effective in reducing excess water use and plant stress resulting in good commercial yields.

With summer demonstrations of drip irrigation in Manjimup now over, it is now time to turn attention to the north of the state. Two sites in Carnarvon will be established on tomato growers’ properties to benchmark water use efficiency in the area and to get an insight into how irrigation and crop management differs from that on the Swan Coastal Plain. The recent recommendations developed for the sandy soils around Perth will need to be tailored for the significantly different soils in the Gascoyne. However, while the irrigation requirements will change, the principles of irrigation scheduling, monitoring and finetuning are still the same and the approach will be used to develop similar good practice recommendations in Carnarvon. The first season will involve monitoring current practice using soil moisture sensors,

By validating scheduling recommendations for varieties that are producing higher yields and demonstrating this on growers’ farms, it is hoped the project can help provide recommendations on better use of the limited water available in the region.

System assessments The assessment team headed to Carnarvon during June to deliver almost 40 on-farm system tests and interview growers. Interviews from southern growing areas are turning up some interesting points with growers generally viewing improved water use efficiency as a high priority for their businesses. In contrast, low levels of sprinkler uniformity, pressure and flow variation were found during the actual assessments of the irrigation systems, with growers struggling as to how to make improvements. Assessments have found that newer systems tend to be professionally designed, but many older systems are much less efficient. Several growers have hinted that capital investment

is seen as a major barrier to improving water use efficiency. This feedback led to several real examples being worked through, showing that better scheduling without any investment in the irrigation systems could still lead to water saving, production improvement, or both. Helping growers get a greater understanding of soil water storage or ‘bucket size’ for their crop’s root zone and improving scheduling to crop water requirements is one of the activities of this project. Many growers have indicated they have adjusted their frequency and depth of applications to match their farm’s soil type and weather conditions. The assessment process also provides an opportunity for growers to compare production based on crop type and grades produced over the farm for the water used. In many cases production within irrigation shifts is mixed and with variation in measurement and records, it has been challenging to accurately match production and irrigation information. The more details of pack-outs, harvest weights and grades for production blocks captured on farms and provided to the More Dollars per Drop team, the more reliable and ultimately useful the assessment process will be for growers to make improvements that will result in positive outcomes for their business. More information For details on the assessment process, or to sign up for your system to be assessed, email tilwin.westrup@agric.wa.gov.au or fax (08) 9780 6163, or email sarah.houston@ vegetableswa.com.au. For more details about the demonstrations, email rohan.prince@agric.wa.gov.au or mobile 0429 680 069. And keep an eye in the next edition of the WA Grower for more details on the cauliflower and potato drip irrigation work in Manjimup.

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Tool Water desalination and improving water quality A constant supply of fresh, clean water is essential for production of vegetable crops. Different crops will be able to tolerate different levels of salinity before a decline in production is observed. For example, turnips and carrots are some of the most sensitive to salinity and can only tolerate levels of about 600ppm (1dS/m) before a yield decline occurs. On the other hand, zucchini can tolerate soil salinity of up to 2,800ppm (4.7dS/m) before a reduction in yield is recorded. As a general rule, a salinity level under 500ppm (0.8dS/m) is ideal for vegetable production. Care should be taken with a salinity level between 500–1200ppm (0.8–2.3dS/m) to ensure problems don’t occur. Problems with salinity are most likely to occur when levels are over 1200ppm (2.3dS/m) depending on the crop.

time

BY Sarah Houston Field Extension Officer, VegetablesWa

Care-free water conditioners The care-free water conditioner is an in-line catalytic water treatment system. By becoming part of your pipeline, it delivers a continuous supply of water. The process used in the care-free water conditioner helps neutralise the adverse effects of many of the undesirable substances in the water supply. It operates by a combination of turbulence of the water through a catalytic chamber, and the creation of a small electrical field around the chamber casing. This combination causes a separation of the mineral particles in the water, which changes their behaviour. Particles which were previously attracted to each other now repel and separate into smaller individual particles. This allows the ‘separated’ mineral particles and salts to flow through the system with minimal interference.

The better ‘wetting action’ of conditioned water helps to break up soil clods and can improve soil texture by surrounding individual soil particles with tiny droplets of conditioned water. The soil therefore becomes more permeable and is able to retain its moisture content for longer periods. By improving the permeability, unwanted salts which previously accumulated around the root zone and in the soil, are flushed well below the roots in solution. Without saline stress, the plants are able to extract nutrients from the soil more effectively. In addition, mineral particles and salts in conditioned water no longer adhere to the leaves to the same degree and so leaf burn is reduced considerably. For more information on the care-free water conditioner, go to their website at: www.carefree.com.au or phone 1300 300 235.

Here, vegetablesWA looks into some options available to growers to enable them to improve the quality of their water through desalination and conditioning of brackish bore water, and outlines the systems and benefits according to the companies producing them. NOTE: that these are just some examples and growers should look into the suitability of such products for their individual operation and investigate what other options are available. vegetablesWA takes no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by the makers of these products.

WA Grower winter 2013

Different vegetable crops will be able to tolerate different levels of salinity before a decline in production is observed.

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Other systems for improving water quality and irrigation effectiveness Desalin8 — in situ desalinisation Desalin8 have developed a system that uses a unique in situ desalination (ISD) technology which combines water treatment (desalination) with hydrogeological knowledge to continuously and selectively extract in one simple operation high quality freshwater from otherwise poor quality groundwater. The ISD technology mimics the natural interaction between a tree and water in the aquifer. Like a tree, the ISD pump extracts potable water and leaves the salts behind to dissolve back into where it originated, deeper in the aquifer. The process does not add any salt to the aquifer, and in most cases the beneficial use of the groundwater is not compromised and there is minimal environmental impact. For more information on the Desalin8 systems and products, go to the website at: www.desaln8.com or phone (03) 8545 8812.

Large scale solar PV for reducing energy costs Until recently, solar power systems required significant amounts of government subsidies to make them viable. However, as Solargain explain, due to falling system costs and increases in the cost of energy, larger scale commercial solar systems are often more viable that residential ones.

How it works The solar panels collect the sun’s light and convert it into current which flows through to an inverter changing it to standard usable mains power. The electricity produced by the panels is consumed by the business before you pull the remainder down from the grid therefore reducing your account by simply reducing the amount of billable power you use from the electricity supplier. The panels produce the highest output when facing north, however can still be installed effectively in either a westerly or easterly direction. Inverters are best placed in a location where they are out of direct sun such as a shed or plant room.

Hydrosmart Hydrosmart uses computer generated resonance technology to provide both de-scaling and scale prevention by disrupting the bonding between minerals and large compounds. It acts on these minerals to change large crystals into tiny particles and so prevents scale from forming. By neutralising the mineral precipitation, the Hydrosmart technology decreases deposition of scale and oxides, and also opposes corrosion. For information go to: www.hydrosmart.com.au or phone 1300 138 223

GrowFlow Magnetic water conditioners (water magnets) focus a magnetic field through the pipe wall into the water to be treated. This causes the water molecules to change — the magnetic

Systems up to 30kW Many solar companies are able to offer commercial solar systems up to 30kW as the Western Power process that they have to go through is essentially the same as for smaller residential systems. This process requires very little in the way of input and expertise from the solar retailer apart from filling in the basic details of the application form and then Western Power do the rest. The main difference between a residential system and a commercial system up to 30kW in terms of the approval process is that it can take up to four weeks to have the approval as Western Power require more time to investigate the impact of the system on their network, whereas a residential systems can be approved in just a few days.

Systems above 30kW Very few solar companies in the WA solar market have experience and an understanding of how to go about obtaining Western Power approval for systems over 30kW with customers often being told the untruth that 30kW is the maximum system size Western Power will approve. Having sold and installed individual solar systems up to 300kW, Solargain

field interferes with the ionic charges of the mineral ions (salts) in the water. The process prevents minerals such as calcium and magnesium from building up in the pipeline, while sodium and other salts lose their ability to bind to the soil particles. For information go to: www.growflow.com.au

DELTA Water Solutions DELTA water treatment products are designed to treat scale, corrosion, salinity, iron and algae. They offer a range of rural water treatment products for pipes of varying sizes and water problems such as salinity and calcium scale build up via customdesigned magnetic products. For information go to: www.deltawater.com.au or phone 1800 283 600

understand the process you as the client have to go through and have access to the appropriate electrical engineering and project management resources to ensure systems of this size are delivered on time and on budget.

Financial returns Most growers are paying higher rates during daylight hours (Monday to Friday) as a result of being on Peak and Off Peak tariffs with their electricity retailer and are therefore most suited to benefit from a solar system which is reducing power consumption during these peak times. Depending upon the system size and the tariff the grower is on the system will generally pay back its own purchase price with 3–5 years, providing a 20–30% return tax free and given the panels have a warranted output of 25 years the return is even higher over the lifespan of the system.

Solar panels There is significant amount of confusion and conjecture about where the best solar panels are made. For years Germany, Italy and Spain were the biggest consumers of solar panels in the world and therefore a lot of the manufacturing base for the product was based in Europe. However, over the past five years the Chinese manufacturers have stamped WA Grower winter 2013

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their dominance on the global solar panel production market as fierce competition and significant access to capital has driven production costs down.

• Like many products we buy today more important than where it is made is who the parent company is standing behind it.

This ‘change in the guard’ plus the great diversity of the size and quality of manufacturers in China has led to a myth in the industry (perpetrated by retailers) that somehow all Chinese brands are inferior to European brands. Let’s look at the facts:

Solargain recommends customers purchase brands that are in the Top 10 largest panels by market share and that they have representation supporting their product here locally in Australia. Many brands only enter the Australian market through wholesale distributors or directly through retailers and therefore have no local presence supporting their product.

• There is not one European manufactured solar panel brand in the Top 10 suppliers in the world. • Yet at the same time, there are dozens of European and US based manufacturers that are no longer involved in solar or have changed hands such as Bosch, Q-Cells and Solyndra to name a few. • On the flip side however there are many manufacturers in China and the critical decision is which one to choose.

Solar inverters Inverters on the other hand are different. They require much more precision engineering, moving parts and have more potential points of failure and to this end the Europeans are still the leading manufacturers in this area. European brands like SMA and Fronius for example still dominate the supply of inverters for larger scale commercial solar systems.

Buyer beware The solar industry has proven to be quite volatile over the past five years with many different retailers entering the industry and then quickly leaving it. Anyone can sell you the ‘product’ but can it is important to ensure they can install it according to the appropriate standard and be around well after the sale to ensure the appropriate level of service and support is given over the long life of the system — the ability to do this is the reason Solargain are the solar energy specialists. Solargain delivers excellence in correct system design, quality equipment, the right systems size and a reputable retailer. As the cost of power continues to increase over the years you may well look back on your purchase of a large scale commercial solar system as one of the best decisions you made. More information For more information please contact Keith Lynch on (08) 9337 3344.

Panels produce the highest output when facing north, however can still be installed effectively in either a westerly or easterly direction.

WA Grower winter 2013

~Energising Western Australia

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Come talk to us to see what we can do for eligible business customers Supply electricity and gas Arrange energy audits and energy efficiency programs Organise renewable energy system finance and installation

Offer Accredited Green Power We can buy back your intermittent renewable energy using our Wholesale Electricity Market operation and back-up from our super-fast-response Kwinana Swift Power Station

Our one-stop-shop business brings clean energy solutions to your door step.

your power to choose Give us a call today on 9420 0300 to find out more or visit

www.perthenergy.com.au. WA Grower winter 2013

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Nut grass control a review

By Vo The Truyen Field extension officer, VegetablesWa

Nut grass (Cyperus rotundus L.), also called as Coco-grass, Purple Nut Sedge, has been considered as of the worst and the most difficult to control weeds in horticulture/agriculture. Beside competing for resources, nutgrass root exudate and leachate from dry material affects the growth of some other crops. This specie also host to nematodes and insect pests1. Nut grass has been reported present in all states of Australia while in WA it is distributed in several local government areas such as Ashburton, Broome, Carnarvon, Chittering, Derby-West Kimberley, Gingin, Greater Geraldton, Roebourne, Stirling, Wanneroo, Wiluna, Wyndham-East Kimberley2. Studies of nut grass and its control were carried out as early as 1946 in United States3 and about 1965 in Australia4. This review is to highlight points that are believed relevant to assist vegetables growers to develop effective practical tools to contain the problem.

Under Perth conditions the plant grows over Summer, forming rhizomes, tubers and flowers in autumn to winter. Tubers shoot in Spring and extend to the surface to produce a basal bulb that produces the leaves. In turn, these grow over summer producing more tubers and rhizomes6. According to this literature, sprouting of tubers is low when temperatures are below 20 degrees C. The growth of one tuber inhibits the sprouting of adjacent tubers attached by the rhizome. Disturbance that breaks the connecting rhizomes like cultivation results in large tuber sprouting. Tuber dormancy increases with depth. It has been seen that shoots from tubers will push through plastic.

Nutgrass control

• Banded applications of fertilisers. This will place the fertiliser where the crop can use it but keep it away from the weeds growing between the rows. • Post-harvest weed control is critical in reducing the growth. This requires frequent disking to expose tubers to dry conditions. This sometimes is applied to stimulate maximum sprouting which enhances the effectiveness of herbicide treatment. • It is possible to eliminate very small patches of nut grass by digging. Dig at least 10 inches deep and at eight to ten inches beyond the diameter of the plant to ensure removal of the spreading tubers. This is best done early to new nut grass intruders before more tubers are produced.

There has been huge effort from around the world to contain the nut grass problem in horticulture. Major control techniques included cultural, mechanical and chemical control techniques. The combination of these techniques in an integrated approach7 are commonly accepted as the most successful.

Effective chemical control practices

Effective cultural control practices8

Literature recommends that different herbicides are effective against nut grass under different growing conditions and so it is important to correctly identify the suitable chemicals. However, there are common

• Plant crops in the closest row spacing possible. Because nutgrass is intolerant of shade, tight row spacing will allow the crop canopy to shade the ground quicker .

Several chemicals such as: butylate; pebulate; EPTC; halosulfuron; 2,4-D; metolachlor; bentazon; Glyphosate; Methyl bromide; sodium methlydithio-carbamate; Penoxsulam; Sulfentrazone etc. were tried either alone or in combinations with fertilisers to control nut grass in commercial vegetables10,11.

General biology Nut grass is described perennial form of sedge and reproduces primarily by tubers, rhizome and occasionally seed. It can be dispersed through soil, water (flooding), wind and nursery stock. Although the seed viability is low, dormant tubers can remain viable for up to 10 years5. Hundreds of tubers can be produced in one season and they require a chilling period to break dormancy. Tubers are vulnerable to drying and die at low moisture content levels, while cultivation is believed to stimulate growth.

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Nut grass colony in market tomato garden in Carabooda.

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References 1. www.herbiguide.com.au/Descriptions/ hg_Nutgrass.htm. Retrieved 27/5/2013. 2. http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/ profile/810.

Nut grass shoots push through plastic in market tomato garden in Carnarvon.

conclusions in several studies that the postemergence herbicides such as halosulfuron are most effective. Effective application of the post-emergence herbicides to control nut grass requires: • A two-year nut grass eradication program • Stimulation of many nutgrass shoots by postharvest application of water and cultivation. • Treatment of actively growing nut grass plants at the 3- to 5-leaf stage. • Avoiding rainfall or irrigation within 4 hours of application and delay overhead sprinkler irrigation for 2 to 3 days after post-emergence application. • Avoiding applications when weeds are under drought stress, disease, or insect stress.

• Repeat applications after 3-4 weeks when the new growth reach 3-5 leaves stage. • Continued monitoring and spot spraying to control decolonisation. In conclusion, in an effective nut grass eradication program, it is important to prevent tuber production during the late autumn as well as during the early part of the season. Most tubers are produced in the upper 15 centimetres or 6 inches of soil, but under favourable conditions tubers may germinate from this lower depth. Thus two years of mechanical or chemical fallow are usually necessary to get a 90% reduction of the viable tubers in the soil. Continued monitoring and taking necessary actions are essential to prevent the recolonising of nut grass.

3. Justice, 0L. and Whitehead. MD. 1946. Seed production, viability and dormancy in the nutgrasses Cyperus rotundus and C. esculentus. Jour. Agr. Res. 73: 303-318. 4. Meadly, G.R.W. 1965. Weeds of Western Australia. Department of Agriculture and Food, WA. p42-45. 5. http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/ profile/810 (Kate Brown and Karen Bettink, Monday 18 February 2013). 6. www.herbiguide.com.au/Descriptions/ hg_Nutgrass.htm. Retrieved 27/5/2013. 7. Charles GW. 1995. Nutgrass (Cyperus rotundus L.) control in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 35, 633–639 http://books.google.com.au/books/about/ Life_history_studies_as_related_to_weed. html?id=fQUnAQAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y. Retrieved 26/5/2013. 8. www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1073/ ANR-1073.pdf. Retrieved by 19/5/2013. 9. www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/pests/ weeds/hgic2312.html. Retrieved 19/5/2013. 10. www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1073/ ANR-1073.pdf. Retrieved by 19/5/2013. 11. www.hort.cornell.edu/expo/ proceedings/2012/Tomato,%20Pepper%20 and%20Eggplant/Tomato%20Majek.pdf Retrieved by 19/5/2013.

Retrofitting phase change material — saving energy costs Phase Change Products Pty Ltd most recent project retrofitted a thermal storage tank containing Phase Change Product to an existing chiller system at the Center West Exports production facility. The results of the project speak for themselves: • more efficient chiller operation; • lower overall electricity cost due to use of off peak power; • increased heat loading capacity; • desktop or wireless system control allowing instant reaction to any situation; • significant increase in productivity; • resulting in significant improvements in operating costs. The Phase Change Product upgrade to the Center West Export facility has an energy savings of about

$80,000 per year and significantly increased carrot production during the hot summer months. The payback period calculated solely on energy savings is expected to be no more than 4 years. New projects may be eligible for government grants such as the Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program, significantly reducing the payback period by up to 50%. Phase Change Product technology is not new, it is a safe non-toxic solid/liquid material used by companies worldwide. Business’ in Australia are now starting to see the positive benefits this innovative and simple product can have on their bottom line and on the environment through reduced electricity use. For more information please email: keith.coakley@pcpaustralia.com.au or go to www.pcpaustralia.com.au

WA Grower winter 2013

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Steady progress

in tomato disinfestation research Propylene oxide was recently registered by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority for trials in Australia. It has been registered in the USA for several decades and is generally recognised as safe. It did not show any phytotoxicity in tomatoes at 40g/m3 for four hour exposures and has previously been found by us to be effective against Medfly.

Treatment effectiveness being tested at different ripeness.

BY SHIRANI POOGODA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD, WA

This is the preliminary conclusion following testing of possible alternatives over recent months by a DAFWA research team led by Dr Francis De Lima.

Methyl bromide still appears to be the most suitable shortterm alternative to dipping with fenthion to maintain interstate market access for Western Australian tomatoes. However other fumigants may have long-term potential, if combined with heat or cold treatment.

The research, funded by Horticulture Australia Limited and the APC/VPC Committee, follows earlier work which verified that methyl bromide could be an effective fumigant without adverse effects on fruit quality. However, uncertainty about the long-term future use of methyl bromide led to the more extensive project being funded. Cherry, Roma, and gourmet round tomatoes have been tested at a quarter, half, and threequarter ripeness with five different gases at 20 and 10°C. Effects on fruit quality were assessed under industry and international standards for disinfestation against Medfly. In the latest trials, methyl bromide again caused no phytotoxicity to tomatoes. It is likely to be the best near-term option to replace fenthion dips while other fumigants are tested more thoroughly. It slows ripening in tomatoes and can be valuable for extending shelf life. Ethyl formate treatments on tomatoes caused phytotoxicity issues — damaged the fruit resulting in patchy appearance. The lowest safe dose was found to be 20g/m3 for one to two hour exposures. Previously we have not found this dose to be sufficient to disinfest Medfly so it would need to be combined with cold or heat to succeed.

WA Grower winter 2013

Similarly, ethane-di-nitrile is registered for trials. It did not show phytotoxicity in tomatoes at 4.5g/m3 for four hour exposures and we previously found it effective against Medfly. Phosphine is registered for grains and cut flowers. It did not present any phytotoxicity in tomatoes at 2g/m3 for three day exposures. It has been found by us previously to be effective against Medfly but needs to be combined with heat or cold. Like methyl bromide it slows ripening and can be valuable to extend shelf life. Methyl iodide is under review in the USA for human toxicity and re-registration is unlikely. Although considered in earlier project planning, it was not tested for this reason. Cold and heat treatments have also been tested. No phytotoxicity was found in tomatoes held for six days at 2°C. This cold treatment is likely to combine well with a suitable fumigant to reduce the dose and time. Temperatures of 2, 3 and 4°C have good potential in areas of low Medfly prevalence. The DAFWA team previously developed Medfly treatment for export mangoes at 46.7°C for 20 minutes but this high temperature will damage tomatoes. However, at 10 minutes exposure it is potentially a good combination with a suitable fumigant as a combined treatment of less than 90 minutes. Heat also has potential fungicidal benefits. The most suitable treatments based on fruit quality and insect mortality are now being finalised. We will also conduct residue analysis of chemical treatments in tomatoes at the three stages of ripeness. More information More information should be available in coming months.

Your Industry

Your

Industry

WA Grower winter 2013

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Carnarvon flood mitigation project The town of Carnarvon is well protected from flooding by an existing levee system however the Kingsford and horticultural areas outside these levees are subject to extensive flooding and subsequent property damage during flooding of the Gascoyne River.

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When complete the Carnarvon flood mitigation works will provide regional benefits, particularly for the Carnarvon horticultural area by reducing the impact from flooding, reducing the average annual cost of flood damage, providing more land for development and establishing a more sustainable social and economic base for Carnarvon and the regions expansion as a major food bowl. The Department of Regional Development and Lands has accepted ownership of the levees and will monitor and implement the maintenance schedule for their upkeep. Funding to construct Carnarvon’s $60M flood mitigation works has been provided through the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program ($45M) and the Federal Government’s Regional Development Australia Fund ($15M). Construction of the Carnarvon flood mitigation works is being delivered through a Program Alliance between Main Roads Western Australia and Maca Civil Pty Ltd on behalf of the Department of Regional Development and Lands, Department of Water and Shire of Carnarvon.

The works include: • Six Mile a deflection levee that prevents water flowing into Carnarvon from the south:

— Construct a 850m long levee up to 5.5m high;

— Excavate an outlet channel to the west of North West Coastal Highway;

— Construction commenced October 2012 and completed December 2012.

• Lawson Street a deflection levee that diverts water that has already left the Gascoyne River into Nickol Bay:

— Construct a 4.8km long levee up to 5.4m high approx. volume 380,000m3;

— Modifications to Carnarvon Mullewa Road where the levee crosses;

— Construction commenced November 2012;

— Bulk Earthworks complete April 2013 apart from a short section where the levee crosses the Carnarvon Mullewa Road. This will be constructed in conjunction with road works later in 2013.

• Nickol Bay a detention levee that prevents water in Nickol Bay from flowing back into the river as the river level drops. Directs water flow south around bottom of Brown Range and out to the ocean:

— Construct a 5.4km long levee up to 6.2m high;

— Modifications to North West Coastal Highway and Speedway Road where the levee crosses;

— Construction commenced April 2013;

— Bulk earthworks programmed for completion October 2013;

— Remaining works will continue into 2014.

• South River Road stops water from the river flowing into properties on South River Road:

— Construct a levee that will provide 0.5m freeboard in a 1 in 100 ARI event;

— Modifications to South River Road where the levee crosses;

— A concept design for a levee along South River Road has been agreed with DoW and Shire of Carnarvon;

— Consultation with residents along South River Road is underway;

— Construction programmed to commence November 2013 for completion early 2014.

• McGlades Road a deflection levee that diverts water north:

— Construct a 1.6km long levee up to 3.4m high;

— Will be the final levee constructed however its construction is dependent on sufficient funds being available.

The Carnarvon flood mitigation project is scheduled for completion May 2014.

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Grower profile Name Steve and Rosianda Yelash Location Carnarvon Property size Over 7ha Perth

WA Grower winter 2013

Enterprises Zucchinis and chillies

Your Industry

Grower profile

By Hayley Wilson Communications officer, VegetablesWa

Steve Yelash Dedicated growers Steve and Rosianda Yelash run a thriving property in Carnarvon which they describe as a beautiful place to live with ideal conditions for vegetable growing. Steve and his wife Rosianda moved to Australia from Croatia in 1973. They lived in Perth for four months before making the move up to sunny Carnarvon. Since then they have fallen in love with the town and have never looked back. “Carnarvon is a very tight knit community which we enjoy being a part of. The same people have been around for 20–30 years,” says Steve about the region they love.

competitive and our farm was too small to remain viable in that market,” Steve says.

When he was a child in Croatia, Steve’s family grew various products such as olives for olive oil, grapes for wine and their own vegetables. So growing has always been a part of Steve’s life both in Croatia and Australia.

Now located on 18.25 acres, the main crops the Yelash’s produce are zucchinis and four different varieties of chillies. They joined the local marketing group Love Apple about 15 years ago to sell their produce through.

After moving to Carnarvon the Yelash’s initially grew beans, tomatoes and bananas.

Steve has noticed that the demand for zucchinis has changed a lot over the years, with one of the recent developments being that these days chefs want zucchini flowers.

“We began with these crops as the price was good at the time and those where the crops that suited us. But when Queensland came into the game with bananas, it became too

“To produce the flowers exactly how the chefs like them it is very hard to do, we need to pick them either very early in the morning or very late at night. However, it is worth it as they pay a lot more for the flower which is great.” The chillies are also bit of a niché product and the production process requires lots of work and skill “as they are handpicked individually and the plants are low to the ground”. Steve said he loves the climate in Carnarvon as it is nice and warm but not too humid, and being close to the water is also a real positive. However, he does note that “many things cost more here than in Perth”.

In terms of management practices and changes within the industry, the Yelash’s have seen a lot of developments unfold in Carnarvon over the years. “When we first began growing in Carnarvon the irrigation systems were very primitive. Now it is a lot easier to grow with the new systems available.” “Materials and inputs such as fertiliser are four to five times more expensive now, but we are getting the same price for our produce which is frustrating. However, the work now is a bit easier compared to when we first started due to all the new technologies we have available.” Steve and Rosianda have two children, Vic and Anne-Marie who lived with them in Carnarvon until finishing year 12. Whilst at school they enjoyed running around the property to keep fit and healthy, and also helping out with the picking to earn money on the side. “The growing lifestyle in Carnarvon is a beautiful life — you can be very relaxed about the area and there are no restrictions. But someone has to keep it running! I love to watch the growing process and see the end result.” WA Grower winter 2013

Your Industry

Seed potatoes the key to growth BY PETER DAWSON POTATO ACTIVITY LEADER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD

Growing more seed potatoes in Western Australia is the key to developing the industry, we believe, after comparing ware and seed markets combined with international marketing opportunities. And this opportunity could be available to many growers, not just those currently growing seed. Throughout the world’s developed countries, whether we like it or not, fresh potato production and consumption are declining. This is because of competition from alternative sources of carbohydrate such as rice and noodles combined with greater consumption of processed potatoes such as snack foods.

In Australia between 2005 and 2011 fresh potato production fell by 16 per cent despite our population growing by 13%. WA statistics also reflect this trend.

Grabbing a larger slice of this action through expanding export seed sales seems a no-brainer for the WA potato industry, especially considering our acknowledged reputation as growing some of the best seed potatoes in the world. In recent years two WA growers in Tom Fox (Lake Jasper Certified Seed Potatoes) and Kon Peos (Southern Packers) have pioneered seed potato exports to destinations including Indonesia and Thailand. They have recently been joined by Landmark, a much larger international operation, which is interested in accelerating seed potato production and facilitating exports to the developing countries that are eager to expand local production. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been involved in work funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) assisting Indonesian potato growers to improve their crops grown from Australian seed. Indonesia produces about a million tonnes of potatoes annually but their local production is hampered by the lack of quality affordable seed and the scarcity of potato crop management experts to help farmers maximise the potential of their seed.

With strongly growing demand for potatoes, Indonesia imported 100,000 tonnes of potatoes in 2011 alone compared with less than 50,000 tonnes two years earlier. It needs to increase the scale and competitiveness of its local industry and plans to do this by improving the seed potato supply. Currently it produces about 4,000 tonnes of certified seed potatoes and imports a similar quantity but needs about 100,000 tonnes of seed potatoes. The shortfall is met by most farmers saving the small tubers from their own crops for replanting — a practice that increases disease and pest problems. We believe the Indonesian certified seed potato supply could be augmented by using the special conditions found on the island of Lombok. Here highland rice paddies are used to grow potatoes during the dry season — an ideal environment to protect against potato cyst nematode, one of their plant health problems. Farmers there have used WA seed potatoes to grow crops for a processing company. The clean conditions for potato growth in the highland rice paddies mean that the farmers there could multiply the WA seed once to produce an additional supply of high quality seed.

However, the situation in developing countries provides a sharp and welcome contrast. Potatoes are seen as a very efficient source of carbohydrate production as well as an attractive and fashionable vegetable for the growing middle classes. In our own backyard, between 1990 and 2007 potato consumption in Bangladesh rose by 406% compared with population growth of 36%. In Indonesia potato consumption tripled population growth. In the Philippines the ratio was four to one, while in Thailand 19% more people devoured more than 300% more spuds. However, if this growth is to continue it needs to be supported by an improved seed supply for the local industries.

DAFWA entomologist Stewart Learmonth shows how insect infestation can be monitored to improve crop management in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

WA Grower winter 2013

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While other countries are also seeing opportunities for seed potato sales to Indonesia, WA has some important competitive advantages: • We have close links with Indonesia through existing exports of processing seed potatoes. • Our comparative freedom from pests and diseases makes us one of the few areas approved for potato seed imports by Indonesia. • A partial seed scheme has been identified for Granola to strengthen Indonesian seed production and Australian exports.

Lombok farmers and Agriculture department officers showing Peter Dawson (second from right) a new management technique to get the best performance out of their crops grown from WA seed potatoes.

• We have the capacity to expand production to meet additional demand. Potato seed exports are increasing despite the strength of the Australian dollar, and this market provides an opportunity for diversification and expansion for growers in many areas — using spare capacity — where potential for expansion of ware potato production is limited.

The Department’s work in Indonesia is certain to have spin-off benefits in the other potential seed potato markets of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Philippines which have similar conditions to Indonesia.

More information Any grower wanting to know more is urged to contact Tom Fox, Kon Peos or Aaron Chapman at Landmark in Midland.

Coming soon...

Greenhouse enterprise energy use and assessment workshop Project VG09124 ‘Increasing energy efficiency and assessing an alternate energy option for Australian protected cropping’ is a NSW DPI project supported with the vegetable industry levy. Final components of the project including this workshop are provided by EHR Consultants. The project set out to achieve the following: • Develop tools that assist growers in finding ways to assess energy use and to save energy in protected cropping systems

Workshop overview (approx 4 hours)

More information

• Project background and review of energy in greenhouse enterprises

For further information or to register your interest, please contact vegetablesWA Field Extension Officer Sarah Houston on: 0427 373 037 or email Sarah at: sarah.houston@vegetableswa.com.au. Date and location of workshop TBC.

• Greenhouse energy use and assessment guide and workbook

— Finding your way around the resource books

— Conducting a self-assessment

— Examples of energy savings.

• Alternate energy options — the benefit to cost

— Hydronic heating with integrated solar thermal

— Geothermal [Geo-exchange] heat pumps

• Evaluate the benefit to cost of alternate energy options.

• Using the Greenhouse energy estimator tool

The project outcomes and tools developed during the project will be presented to interested growers in WA during the workshop in August 2013.

— Finding your way around the energy estimator tool

— Using the estimator to make financial and carbon emission comparisons.

WA Grower winter 2013

Need help? Call

t s i m o n o r g A 1800 1800 247 666

The vegetable industry’s 1800 Agronomist service provides a unique way for Australia’s vegetable levy payers to access agronomic advice in relation to their commercial vegetable businesses. Available free to vegetable levy payers, this telephone-based service provides general agronomic advice from a highly trained and experienced agronomic service provider. The 1800 Agronomist service provides agronomic advice for Australian vegetable growers on: • • • • • • •

Pest control and identification of pest problems Weed control Nutrition Post harvest Seed / genetic selection Protected cropping Other on-farm technical issues

This project has been funded by HAL using the National Vegetable Levy and matched funds from the Australian Government.

Your Industry

The striking allium dis play at Bejo Seeds.

Onions Australia

hosted a highly successful conference in Melbourne in May By Lechelle Earl Acting CEO, Onions Australia

About 30 onion industry representatives gathered for a series of informative sessions and field trips focussed on the Australian onion industry, with the theme ‘Moving on in Melbourne’. The conference started with a meeting of the Onions Australia Executive Committee, before launching into a full day of activities with a strong allium focus. Growers from every state of Australia undertook an early morning guided tour of the Melbourne Wholesale Fruit, Vegetable and Flower markets. The market’s marketing manager David Fussell guided attendees through the bustling venue, with growers able to speak onsite with onion wholesalers and other vegetable sellers.

WA Grower winter 2013

The tour then continued on to Bejo Seeds, where staff gave an insightful presentation about new breeding opportunities and updated growers on seed technology. Those attending were then given updates from Crop Protection Research about a Fungicide Efficacy Trial, new machinery available from Dobmac Machinery in Tasmania, and information about J-Tech Systems’ new website.

“There will also be several informative sessions for those attending, plus a series of grower tours.” The Onions Australia May conference had excellent support from strategic partners J-tech Systems, Crop Protection Research, Dobmac Machinery, Bejo Seeds and AgNova Technologies.

Consumers

Onions Australia Chairperson Andrew Moon said the conference proved extremely successful, and was pleased with the strong representation.

Consumers are going back to basics when it comes to supermarket shopping, actively seeking out more natural, unprocessed products.

“Onions Australia is making a concerted effort to host informative sessions which are accessible to all growers,” Andrew said.

Therefore it makes sense that fruit and vegetables are returning as key staples in shoppers’ trolleys.

“We are now looking forward to our annual conference, to be held in Mannum, South Australia, on October 2 and 3.

With the average shopper visiting food retailers 2.5 times per week, the appeal of fresh, Australian-grown produce is foremost in their minds.

“Already we have secured Dr Bill Dean who is the director of Research and Development at the US’s largest onion growing operation River Point Farms.

Australian consumers have access to some of the world’s premier clean and green fruit and vegetables.

Your Industry

Onions Australia Executive Committee member Kees Versteeg checks out some quality onions at the Melbourne Wholesale Fruit Vegetable and Flower Market.

or Tony Hubbard Bejo Seeds Direct taking part in the addresses those tour of the Bejo Onions Australia seed operation.

A large group of onion industry representatives toured the Melbourne Wholesale Fruit Vegetable and Flower Market.

They have every right to expect premium produce from every retailer, something that was noted at a recent workshop attended by industry representatives, Horticulture Australia Limited and Woolworths staff. At the workshop it was highlighted that shoppers are continuing to search for value, with Australian consumers looking for inspiration and instore excitement and they are becoming more preoccupied with healthy purchases. The growing interest in unprocessed, natural food means that quality is paramount in fruit and vegetables, and there is a growing desire for seasonal, local produce. It was heartening to hear given that Australian onion growers take exceptional pride in producing top quality, clean onions. The Onions Australia team took away valuable information from the workshop, giving us the opportunity to learn from Woolworths exactly what their customers want. It is becoming obvious that people want to ‘grab and go’, with onions perfect for this, given they come in their own skin packaging, and are quickly prepared.

A Coles spokeswoman said the supermarket was “particularly pleased that we have now been able to close the gap on imports”. The onion is considered one of the all rounders of vegetables, given its ability to be used from salads through to winter dishes. This is where onions really shone through, as they are the healthy tastemaker for all cuisines — they are perfect for everything from stews to barbecues.

The industry The Australian onion industry has been heartened by news from one of the big supermarkets that red and white onions will no longer be imported during times of seasonal shortage. Coles Supermarkets has announced that it will no longer be importing onions during the six week gap that often happens between cold storage running out and new season onions hitting the shelves late in the year. In news that supports the Australian industry, Coles has announced it is working with its growers so that importing from overseas will be a thing of the past. Two years ago the supermarket giant had to import both red and white onions when there were seasonal shortages in Australia.

“Coles has an Australia-first sourcing policy whereby we are working with growers to extend their growing season so we can source purely from Australia and avoid imports whenever and wherever possible. We do this because our customers want to buy Australian and because we are committed to helping rural Australia to grow,” she said. “Currently 96 per cent of our fresh fruit and veg is Australian grown and we are continually working to close the gap on all imports of fresh produce.” This can only be good news for Australian growers, who all too often face nearimpossible competition from overseas products. Onions Australia has been boosted by this support from Coles, and while the latest growing season has seen bumper crops and reasonable prices, it is imperative that Australian supermarkets and consumers continue to support local growers. More information For more information contact Lechelle Earl, Onions Australia Acting CEO, 0458 111 126 or email lechelle@onionsaustralia.org.au

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Industry

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a balancing act

Understanding soil health and nutrition Soil is a complex and dynamic substance that can be hard to measure and describe. Over many years, soil scientists and agronomists have devised many different tests that measure different aspects of the soil. But soil testing is of no benefit unless it helps you understand what your soil is like and what is happening in it. There is more to growing good crops than having adequate levels of nutrients in the soil. Understanding your soil and getting a balance within the soil for your crop is essential. In the soil, balance involves three areas: chemical, physical and biological. Chemical balance refers to the balance of minerals and nutrient elements used by crops to grow. Biological balance refers the soil organisms which decompose raw organic matter to humus which holds water and nutrients. Physical balance refers to the soils texture and structure which relates to aeration and drainage. All three aspects are tied together and are equally important for production of high quality crops. Plants require more of some nutrients than others. Typically plants take up much more nitrogen, potassium, calcium, sulphur, magnesium and phosphorus (macronutrients) than they do manganese, iron, zinc, chlorine, boron, copper or molybdenum (micro-nutrients). But what matters is how much nutrient gets into the plant, not necessarily how much is in the soil. The soil often has far greater reserves of most nutrients than plants need, but most of the total is unavailable. The amount of nutrient that is readily available or exchangeable to plants each year is only a small fraction

WA Grower winter 2013

of the total nutrient content of the soil, and crop needs may exceed the available amount. Conventional crop fertilisation practices take into account that the soil cannot supply all the crops needs, and tries to add back the nutrients the crop uses. Some of the unavailable soil nutrient reserves can also be made available through processes such as weathering of soil minerals, decay of organic matter (OM) by microorganisms and breakdown of soil minerals and release of tightly held nutrients by acids and chelating agents from plant roots, microorganisms and humus. OM is therefore extremely important to soil fertility, and emphasises the importance of regularly recycling organic matter back to the soil, of high populations of soil organisms and of maintaining high levels of humus. Many of the sandy soils in WA have a very low in OM and hence low Cation-Exchange Capacity (CEC), meaning they are not able to hold the nutrients and so they are easily leached through the soil. This is why it is important to supplement these soils with fertilisers to grow a good crop. It is difficult to know for sure in many cases exactly how large the soils total or available nutrient supply really is. Soil tests generally measure the exchangeable or readily available amounts to give an estimate of the nutrients available to the crop at that time. However, soil tests only tell part of the story, and it is important to understand the soils biological, chemical and physical properties to get the whole story. Another type of test often used to monitor nutrient effectiveness is plant tissue testing, where the actual amounts of nutrients taken up by the plant are measured. For tissue testing, it is important to collect the sample early in the morning and ensure you take the right part of the plant (leaf blade or petiole)

BY Sarah Houston Field Extension Officer, VegetablesWa

for correct interpretation of nutrient uptake and concentration within the plant. This can be a useful check â&#x20AC;&#x201D; if the soil testing shows sufficient levels of nutrients and the plant usage is low or deficient, then you can consider other factors that may be involved such as whether root health and absorption are adequate, or perhaps whether there is an imbalance of nutrients or soil pH problem that reduces absorption of one or more nutrients. Figure 1 shows the availability of different elements at different pH levels for typical soils.

It is important to note that different crops take up nutrients at different rates. In other words, some crops are more efficient at absorbing and then utilising nutrients from the soil than others. The most important thing is to understand how your crop interacts with your soil, and adjust as required according to analysis. Soil nutrients are also related to each other. The complexity of soil chemistry means that an excess of one element can actually cause a deficiency of another. Or high levels of one element may increase the demand for another element. Figure 2 shows Mulderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chart which demonstrates some of the interactions between plant nutrients. Antagonism occurs when high levels of a particular nutrient in the soil interfere with the availability and uptake by the plant of other nutrients. Those nutrients which interfere with one another are said to be antagonistic. For example, high nitrogen levels can reduce the availability of boron, potassium and copper. High phosphate levels can influence the uptake of iron, calcium, potassium, copper and zinc. High potassium levels can reduce the availability of magnesium. It is

Your Industry

Figure 1 Availability of nutrients to plants at different pH levels

Figure 2 Mulder’s Chart – Interactions between plant nutrients

Source: http://hydroponicshabitat.com/hydroponic-nutrients)

essential to ensure an adequate and balanced supply of all the nutrients through the use of analysis. Application of constantly high levels of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in compound fertilisers can actually induce plant deficiencies of other essential nutrients.

While the cause of stimulation is different from that of antagonism, the result is the same. Induced deficiencies of the crop occur if they are not supplied with a balanced diet. Excessive amounts of some nutrients can also have a negative impact on other aspects such as the biology of the soil. An example of this is when too much nitrogen in the form of ammonia can burn up humus. And of course some elements can cause toxicities when they are present in large amounts, such as aluminium, copper, chlorine and heavy metals. Remember that putting on more fertiliser isn’t always the answer, both for nutritional balance or for economic reasons. Elements such as phosphorus and potassium have a “diminishing response” curve (see Figure 3), meaning that after a certain point, putting on more of these elements does not increase uptake by the plant and hence does not increase yields. For phosphorus, any more than 100ppm of P in the soil does not produce any further result. For potassium, any more than 200ppm of K in the soil will not produce any further result. (Note – these figures are true in a loamy soil as long as irrigation does not exceed water-holding capacity and

Source: www.holisticsoilmanagement.com.au/soil-chemistry.html)

leach nutrients away. In sandy soils, it is advised to have these levels at the beginning of the season and then top up with P and K as necessary during the growing period according to your watering schedule and the particular crop.) In contrast, increasing nitrogen application will continue to increase crop growth. However, in some crops this does not mean increased yield, as the N causes excessive vegetative growth which as a result has a detrimental effect on commercial yield. This can be seen in crops such as carrots. In other cases, too much N can result in a lack of calcium transport to the plant and cause deficiency problems in crops such as broccoli, lettuce and cauliflower. Figure 3 The diminishing response curve. There is a large increase in crop yield with the addition of P and K fertiliser, but the response diminishes per unit of the nutrient applied as the yield approaches the maximum yield

Crop yield

Stimulation occurs when the high level of a particular nutrient increases the demand by the plant for another nutrient. For example, increased nitrogen levels create a demand for more magnesium, while high potassium levels mean the plant will require more manganese.

Finding the right balance is about raising the levels of low or deficient nutrients and to lower (or at least not raise) the elements that are in excess. This will take some time and some soils might never be able to be balanced to ideal proportions. However, by using regular testing and understanding the relationships between your crop and your soil you can build up a healthier soil and learn to manage the resources according to your situation.

References Much of the above information has been sourced from The Biological Farmer by Gary F. Zimmer (2000). Gary Zimmer is a consultant in the USA who has worked with over 3,500 farms and 75 consultants in the fields of dairy, soils and farming methods for more than 30 years. Credit also goes to Ivan Ivankovic for his input into the content of this article. Please contact vegetablesWA if you would like to speak to Ivan about specific situations and crops you would like help with regarding the above material. More information

Fertiliser rate

If you would like more information on soil health and nutrition for vegetable crops, please contact Sarah Houston on: sarah.houston@vegetableswa.com.au or phone 0427 373 037.

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Industry

Grower profile Name Paul and Rochelle Shain Location Carnarvon Property size 12.5ha Perth

WA Grower winter 2013

Enterprises Beans, capsicums, eggplants, chillies tomatoes and zucchinis

Your Industry

Grower profile Paul Shain

By Hayley Wilson Communications officer, VegetablesWa

Paul Shain is a second generation vegetable grower in Carnarvon. Purchased by his parents, Veljko and Marija Shain (dec), back in 1961, Paul worked on the family property whilst growing up before being shipped off to boarding school. After a short stint at University in Perth he chose to move back to Carnarvon to the family property in 1990, at the time the plantation was predominantly producing bananas, mangoes and avocados, he chose to take a different path and his aim was to reintroduce vegetable production back into the paddocks. Paul met his wife, Rochelle, in 1991 and they married in 1995, they have three sons Lachlan, Declan and Christian and one daughter Madeleine.

Paul starts planting a little later than most of the Carnarvon growers — around the end of March, start of April — harvest of certain crops begins in June/July.

“The Carnarvon growing season is different to Perth, so we generally have a different market to the Perth producers. But unfortunately that doesn’t stop produce coming in from the eastern states, even overseas.” Paul believes disease, an increase in cost of production, an uncertainty of prices, and irrigation water security/availability are the main issues of concern for Carnarvon growers. However, he does note that “spikes in price are higher these days. We are not necessarily getting any more money for a product across the season, but when produce is short there is an exaggerated spike.” He also recognises that the chain stores are a lot more connected with growers in todays market. “The chains have a lot more grower contact rather than just with the market agents. They can move a lot of product and can assist with price reductions and specials to consumers which in turn eases oversupply

on market floors and keeps produce fresher at the point of sale.” Shortly after he returned to the property, Paul built the first ever commercial greenhouse in the Carnarvon region in 1993. He began growing continental cucumbers where he saw a gap in the market as there was only a handful of growers Australia wide. In the mid 90s they started to supply cucumbers to Woolworths through Carnarvon’s Love Apple marketing group. These days Paul grows a variety of vegetables including beans, capsicums, eggplants, chillies, tomatoes and zucchinis and during the warmer months a variety of melon crops. Unfortunately, in the Carnarvon floods of December 2010 all of the Shain’s structures and crops were destroyed, the front paddocks that were filled with melons at the time were washed away, as were structures were filled with cucumbers, tomatoes and beans. What followed was massive investment of soil replacement, machinery work and infrastructure repairs (which continue to this day) which have had a damaging effect on production over the last two and a half years. When Paul isn’t growing he enjoys spending time with his family and fishing at the beautiful spots around Carnarvon.

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Industry

Essential for vegetable growers to reduce stable fly breeding in crop residues BY Sarah Houston Field Extension Officer, VegetablesWa

The issue of breeding stable fly in vegetable crop residue remains a serious issue that must continue to be recognised by vegetable growers. It is crucial that all steps are taken to ensure the numbers of stable flies bred in vegetable residues are minimised.

Stable fly can breed in high numbers in reject produce left to rot in the field.

The new Biosecurity and Agricultural Management (BAM) Act will determine the regulation of stable fly management, and will see all growers and other members of the community responsible for taking on all management practices possible to reduce stable fly breeding.

For vegetable growers, essential practices that must be followed to minimise stable fly breeding in crop residues include: • Only using composted or otherwise treated poultry manure that doesn’t breed stable flies (as required currently under the Health (Poultry Manure Regulations) 2001) • Deal with crop residues in the field within three days of completing harvest • Mulching or similar practices to break the crop residue into small pieces which are allowed to dry, with minimal irrigation, before spraying and incorporation into the soil by hoeing • Timely handling of reject produce left in the field from crops harvested over a long period (for example, selective harvest), or from postharvest and packing operations • Any piles of waste product to be sprayed and buried as soon as possible.

ABOVE: A close view of stable fly maggots on rotting vegetable matter.

WA Grower winter 2013

Please be aware of these management practices if the stable fly is a problem in your area. This is an ongoing issue that is causing huge problems for livestock, pets and residents in many communities, and it will take a whole of community approach to combat the problem. As vegetable growers, we need to do everything it takes to do our part and reduce stable fly breeding in vegetable crops.

Your Industry

Stable fly regulations update

BY IAN MCPHARLIN Senior development officer, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD, WA

New legislation for stable fly management in the horticulture and intensive animal industries is on track to be implemented by 1 September 2013.

The next steps will be managed by an implementation committee of the Regulatory Reference Group. The vegetable industry will be invited, along with other stakeholders, to participate in this final phase of transfer of the regulations from the Health Act to the BAM Act. In particular, the committee will determine how regulation of stable fly management will operate in practice. This needs to be completed by 1 September 2013 when the Health (Poultry manure) Regulations 2001 expire.

The stable fly legislation is encapsulated in the Biosecurity and Agricultural Management Act (BAMA) 2007, which amalgamates many older agriculturally-related acts.

From 1 September the management plan will require vegetable growers to use practices that minimise breeding of stable flies on their properties.

The Regulatory Reference Group (RRG) responsible for the Act’s preparation has had input through growers Maureen Dobra, Roy Humphries and Tony Colloti, as well as John Shannon and Jim Turley from vegetablesWA.

This includes only using composted or otherwise treated poultry manure that doesn’t breed stable flies as required currently under the Health (Poultry Manure Regulations) 2001.

Other practices focus on growers managing crop residues in a timely and effective manner to reduce fly numbers. For example, growers will be expected to deal with residues in the field within three days of completing harvest. This is followed by mulching or similar practices to break the crop residue into small pieces which are allowed to dry, with minimal irrigation, before spraying and incorporation into the soil by hoeing. Other practices deal with timely handling of reject produce left in the field from crops harvested over a long period (for example, selective harvest), or from postharvest and packing operations. It is essential that any piles of waste product are sprayed and buried as soon as possible. More information Full details of the management plan will be available for growers once it is finalised.

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WA Grower winter 2013

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Grower profile Name Hoang Huy Nguyen Location Geraldton Perth

Property size 6ha Enterprises Cucumbers

WA Grower winter 2013

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Grower profile

Hoang Huy Nguyen Huy is a successful Vietnamese cucumber grower in Geraldton. He operates a 15 acre farm consisting of 108 glazing plastic houses, each capable for growing a thousand cucumber plants. His cucumber farm has recently upgraded with an automated irrigation system. This, according to him, is an initial step towards developing sustainable practices which he believes is vital to remaining competitive. Huy said: “With the introduction of new technology over time, I observed that production practices in agriculture are constantly changing and being modified towards achieving sustainable practices”. The sustainable practices, as defined by this Vietnamese grower, is a set of farming operation practices that maximise the efficiency of resource use, maintaining good yield and good product quality and those can be repeated over the year.

By Vo The Truyen Field extension officer, VegetablesWa

Huy has had made several trips to Adelaide, where lot of growers have been quite used to this convenient equipment, to study several aspects of this new technology such as: how beneficial it was; how many types are available; pros and cons of each type; how much is the cost; how often it goes wrong; how to calibrate at the first install; and how to fix the problems etc.

Although the cost of adopting this new technology is incurred upfront and the improved returns earned over a longer period, it will also generate savings such as time which is invaluable and allow Huy to do other tasks. With this automatic device Huy no longer has to rush around to different corners of the farm to shift irrigation and to tank mix the fertigation solution. This allows him to pay more attention to the other farming issues such as pest and disease control, maintaining the infrastructure, interacting to workers, and more meeting customer buyers.

Huy also believes that investing in this new technology will do another very important job — to save time for relaxation and having fun. “You have got to make life easier for yourself,” he said.

The new automated irrigation device will maintain inputs records and Huy believes it will help to enhance water and fertiliser use efficiency because it is far more advanced than the conventional practices which based on self-perceived experiences and no record keeping. This may also help to track down problems relating to the low yield and low fruit quality accidences. “Today highly competitive agricultural market does not leave much room for mistakes. If you cannot maintain consistent supply of consistent high quality products to your customer buyers, you would lose the game. Successful growers can’t afford that,” said Huy. Huy revealed that the decision to make investment for the automation irrigation system resulted from a long process of learning and observation. This long process was to acquire knowledge until he got “gut feeling” that the investment will bring profit in different ways.

Improved water and fertiliser use efficiency — the initial step towards building sustainable practices for cucumber production in Geraldton.

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Industry

Fat chance of understanding the healthy food message “Down, down, prices are down”. By Ross Taylor www.lifeforce.com.au

Something to think about • Currently 25% of the population in Australia is obese • 1.5 million children in Australia under the age of 18 are obese.

If you haven’t heard this song over the past 18 months you probably live on Mars. Most of us found it either annoying or a really catchy tune, thanks to Status Quo from the seventies era. And whilst Coles are reaping the rewards from their campaign to bring prices down, down, there is another reality facing all of us: Our obesity levels are, “Up, up; and staying up”. The level of obesity in Australia has now risen from 8% of the population in 1980, to over 25% in 2012. And our kids are doing their ‘bit’ to help the ‘Up, up’ campaign: 1.5 million children under the age of 18 are now obese. Not just fat, but obese! That’s almost a quarter of all kids.

Late last year the Heart Foundation launched a confronting campaign depicting ‘the fat we don’t see’, from inside our bulging stomachs. As someone who has faced ‘terminal’ cancer, headed-up a number of well-known cancer charities and work within the WA vegetable industry, I am passionate about good health and the need to educate my fellow Australians about ‘good’ food and what is ‘lousy’ food. But why aren’t people listening? Maybe it’s because it’s all too hard. After all one of the amazing things about our bodies is that the natural ‘live’ mechanism within all of us will always encourage us to eat; and to eat sweet, high simple-carbohydrate foods such as sugar for storage in order to protect ourselves from the possibility of a future famine. Clever. No wonder it is so hard to say ‘no’ to another slice of pizza or another piece of chocolate when the brain is sending out strong signals

WA Grower winter 2013

to tell us, “Hey it’s OK. You deserve it and one more piece won’t really make that much difference.” Sadly, it will. The other reason why we seem to be losing to war against fat is that we don’t know who to believe any more in helping us to make healthy food choices. Manufacturers of processed food essentially self-regulate themselves as to what they print on the food products they flog us at our favourite supermarkets. Industry groups such as the Australian Food & Grocery Council (AFGC) have long argued against the three-tiered ‘traffic light’ system of grading foods from ‘green’ for healthy, to ‘red’ for unhealthy, arguing that industry is ‘responsible’ enough to regulate itself to ensure consumers are not mislead. Yeah, sure! But the story of why we just can’t win actually has a more worrying side. Take the Heart Foundation who is a highly respected charity that does enormously good work in helping prevent heart disease. But like all charities, and believe me I know, a lack of money is the greatest obstacle to getting the message out there. So it was to the foundation’s credit that they were smart enough to create the nowfamous and influential Tick marketing campaign to help consumers make healthy food choices. What many consumers don’t know of course is that the foundation actually sells the Tick, and pockets over $2.5 million a year from providing endorsements. There is nothing wrong with that, as the money is used for a good cause. But what happens when the need for more cash meets the power of some of the world’s biggest food corporations who desperately want their products to enjoy high credibility with consumers through endorsements such as the Tick?

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Sadly for us, and our kids, things start to become more than just a little questionable. Take a walk down the isle of any supermarket to the where cereals are displayed and there in front of you is a barrage of messages about ‘iron-man’, ‘high energy’ and ‘rich-innutrients’ food and so on. My cousin, who has two young children, regularly buys Milo Cereal, from the giant Nestle Group, as it has been ‘awarded’ the Heart Foundation Tick. Yet a careful inspection of the ingredients panel shows this cereal contains over 28% of refined sugar. That’s almost one third of the entire contents of the box. And my cousin is feeding this stuff to her kids every morning?

Yet, according to the highly respected nutritionist, Dr Rosemary Stanton, “Refined sugar has ... now been officially listed as a heart disease risk”. Dr Joe Kosterich, in a column in The West Australian, expressed real concern that there is too much focus on ‘just the fats’ without taking into consideration the problem of ‘added refined sugars’. “The more we focus on ‘low fat’, the fatter we become”, wrote Dr Joe. “There is a reason for this, and the reason is sugar”.

The misinformation becomes even more confusing with the Heart Foundation stating, “... Sugar is not a Tick criterion because ... sugar is not directly linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or obesity”.

medicine available, are affordable and also tastes great. Most of us know that food is big business. Money really counts, and processed food giants have the fire-power to overwhelm us all with whatever ‘health’ message their marketing gurus determine. But when one of our most respected charities finds itself having to ‘award’ the Tick to high-sugar foods, you really have to wonder if the race to slow our obesity epidemic is already lost?

In years to come the Australian government will spend almost half of the entire national budget on treating Australians for lifestyle health problems. In the meantime our vegetable industry is trying to be heard as we attempt to tell the world that ‘our products’ are the best form of preventative

Ross Taylor is a cancer survivor, health advocate and is the author of the book, Creating Health...Yourself. He is also the chairman of Western Potatoes.

Colquhoun’s Fremantle Bag Co. Sales Contact: Matt Hosking Mobile 0419 919 530 Unit 1, 2-4 Purdy Place, Canning Vale, WA Phone: (08) 9456 0566 Fax: (08) 9456 0166 Email: freobagsales@colquhouns.com.au www.colquhouns.com.au

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By Hayley Wilson Communications officer, VegetablesWa

Grower profile

Zelko and Rosita Borich Zelko and Rosita Borich are family orientated growers passionate about growing their crops and about their home town of Carnarvon.

After a few bad seasons with virus affecting their capsicum crops they decided to start growing stone fruit to diversify the business and spread the risk in case of another bad capsicum season. This has proven to be a successful move the stone fruit are currently going well.

The Borich’s have been growing in Carnarvon for 24 years and moved to their current 43 acre property in 1993. When they began growing they started with “a bit of everything including tomatoes, beans, and cucumbers”. After a few years they decided to focus production primarily on capsicums.

Since starting in the industry, Zelko said that things have changed immensely.

“It was an important management decision to stick to one line as we could produce better quality that way.”

“Twenty years ago when we were growing we were guessing a lot — putting on a bag of this here and a bag of this there. But now we are a lot more meticulous and use a lot of soil and leaf testing.” He also noted that there is much more professional advice on offer these days for them to take on board, and if they need to know more about a topic they are able to research it further online.

“These days the average price for capsicums is a lot better — it is more stable rather than going up and down all the time. Quantity and quality has changed dramatically.” He also said that growers are producing double what they used to as demand has increased greatly over the years for capsicums. The Borcih’s start picking in May and grow up until December. “We have a unique growing season which no other growing regions interfere with except Queensland.” The weather is one of the Borich’s favourite aspects of Carnarvon. However, Zelko notices that “the heat is different to what it used to be and is getting warmer a lot later in the season”. Zelko and Rosita both agree that they love the growing lifestyle. “It’s a good feeling to be a grower and know that our children had a different up bringing to the children down in Perth.” Zelko and Rosita’s children, Andrea (27),Marko (24) and Ivan (20) all worked on the farm since they were 7 years old. “It was great to all be working together as a family and have your children growing up in front of you.” The children have each gone on to pursue their own separate careers, but they hope that one of them will eventually take over the property. Zelko and Rosita love Carnarvon and said, “It’s a charming little town and we have lots of friends along the river. We have a lovely friendly neighbourhood and this is one of the main reasons we are still here today”.

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Industry

Grower profile Name Zelko and Rosita Borich Location Carnarvon Perth

Property size 17ha Enterprises Capsicum and stone fruit

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Industry

A tampered meter.

Prosecution

for illegal water take A recent prosecution of a Gnangara vegetable grower reflected the commitment of the Department of Water (DoW) to ensure all licensed users remained within their allocated water entitlement.

DoW Executive Director Regional Delivery and Regulation Paul Brown said prosecution was always a last resort when working with the state’s licensed water users.

“The magistrate has indicated the fine took into account the need for the sentence to act as both a specific and a general deterrent,” he said.

“The department works closely with the large number of licensed water users and our compliance and enforcement program provides plenty of room for users that make honest mistakes in regard to water use,” he said.

“The Gnangara water resource is essential to Perth’s public, industrial, agricultural, parks and recreational water supplies, and must be used within its limits.

“However, deliberately taking more water than you are entitled to should never be an option.” A commercial farming tenant working on two plots of land in Gnangara when the offences were committed, was convicted in absentia under section 55 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2004 for Unauthorised Taking of Water-contrary to Section 5C(1) (a) of the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914 and fined $4,000 and ordered to pay $656.15 costs. He was convicted of taking 79,306 kilolitres more groundwater than he was licensed to. In imposing the fine the Magistrate said the accused had taken water in blatant disregard of the licensed limit. Mr Brown said the department was satisfied with the result as the community expected the department to manage water transparently and equitably.

WA Grower winter 2013

“Allocation limits for Gnangara are set to ensure the sustainable productive use of the water, and users who take more than their licensed amount put at risk everyone else’s supply by taking more than their share.” Mr Brown said the department had increased its compliance and enforcement actions in high risk areas like the Gnangara groundwater system, which are under pressure from the drying climate and significant productive use. “We work with licensed users to help them bring their water use in line with entitlements before we prosecute, but the department will take action for serious, consistent and deliberate over-taking of water entitlements.” In fully allocated areas irrigators needed to focus on their water budgeting and options such as efficiency gains. “We are in a changing water resource environment and businesses need to make

Your Industry

adjustments to manage production inside their allocated water entitlement. “There are also options of water trading within your local area to meet your businesses water needs.”

Giving back — are you hungry to help?

The department’s latest reporting on water trading published by the National Water Commission has shown that the trade of water allocations is an increasing solution that in some cases, is helping solve the water demand issues for a number of WA growers.

South West MLC Colin Holt needs your help. For three years now he has done an annual Food Drive for the charitable organisation, Foodbank WA. Travelling from Mandurah to Albany collecting food donations and delivering them to local Foodbank branches — providing more than seven tonnes of food, the equivalent of 11,000 meals. These donations make a tremendous difference, directly helping members of our own community.

Leaving aside the trading of allocated surface water within the Harvey Water cooperative, which accounts for almost half of the dollar value of all trades of WA’s surface and groundwater trades ($670,000 in 2011–12), there were 106 surface and groundwater trades in WA in 2011–12 valued at $390,000. In 2011–12 WA’s trades were less than two per cent of the rest of the nation’s, amounting to 28,322ML made up of 13,850ML transferred as part of a sale of land or business, 4,545ML temporarily leased and 9,927ML transferred within Harvey Water. These trades are a combination of water temporarily or permanently traded from one licensee to another, and water licences transferred as part of a sale of property or business.

“Temporary water trading is an option among licensed water users that is helping irrigators manage their business needs from year to year,” Mr Brown said.

Colin is seeking your help to make more of a difference this year. How can growers, producers and processors help? Bulk donations are an important gift to Foodbank; it enables them to supply greater quantities of fresh and frozen produce to people in need, student breakfast clubs and other great initiatives.

All donations are totally tax deductible and the person donating the goods gets to set the price.

If this time of the year is not the best time for your produce, Colin will arrange pickups at any time of the year. Just keep in touch with his office and when you have something ready to go, call them and they will make it happen.

Second and third grade produce is completely acceptable. A great way of ensuring non-market grade food doesn’t go to waste.

Previously, Colin has collected fantastic bulk donations from Harvey Beef, Patane Produce, and Fawcett’s Orchards. Every contribution is greatly appreciated.

Please call Colin’s office now to set up a time for a pick up. This year’s run will be

Foodbank WA is the pantry for the welfare sector and in partnership with over 1,200 agencies it delivers hunger relief to people state wide. It also operates life changing health programs including the Schools Breakfast Program which provides a healthy breakfast to more than 15,000 students every week. Each month 55,000 Western Australians receive food that has originated from Foodbank WA. Many of the beneficiaries of Foodbank are located in regional WA and our support will help many families.

“This is reflected by the most trading activity occurring within the heavily allocated areas of the Wanneroo, Swan, and Gingin management areas. “The value is established between the two parties, but has remained fairly stable over the last few years indicating the market in WA is finding its way, its own way.”

in early September. Colin is willing to pick up donations from your door step.

More information

Colin in the truck, ready to come to your door!

If you are able to donate, or wish to offer your support to this worthy cause, please call my office on (08) 9841 7144.

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Industry

Grower profile Name Le Quoc Su Location Carnarvon Perth

Property size 5.6ha Enterprises Tomato

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Industry

Grower profile Le Quoc Su

By Vo The Truyen Field extension officer, VegetablesWa

Su then took the volunteer teachers’ advice to take free English language courses provided by The Adult Migrant English Program under the form of distance learning through a package of sequenced texts and audiovisual material, and backed by regular telephone contact with a qualified teacher. Su was videoed and reported by the program as an enthusiast and hard working student in his remote area.

Vietnamese grower Le Quoc Su overcomes his language barrier and excels at Carnarvon tomato production school.

Le Quoc Su runs a small scale but very impressive tomato farm in Carnarvon, WA. What makes him notable amongst the Vietnamese growers in this area is his enthusiasm for constant learning and his smart thinking to overcome the language barrier to make his small scale tomato farm very efficient. Su grew up on a remote province in far south of Vietnam, just off of the U minh melaleuca forest, a land rich with culture but so widespread with poverty and illiteracy that college isn’t an option for most. Seven years ago, by his fate he packed up his belongings and moved to Carnarvon, leaving the paddy rice field, and poor resourced jungles of his homeland for opportunity namely the chance to realise “the Australia dream”.

Su settled in Carnarvon, WA, and initially took a job as a seasonal worker on a tomato farm making minimum wage. He didn’t plan to work there long as his sights were set on progressing as a grower and owning his own farm. A year later he then moved to being a share farmer and then leased a 14 acres farm after a few years of making savings to realise his dream. But there was one obstacle in his way. He spoke no English.

“As a grower you must constantly update technical information to progress, it is hard to do so without English,” the Vietnamesespeaking tomato grower said. Determined to overcome the language barrier, Su first took an English course run under a Home Tutor Scheme, providing language assistance by a trained volunteer in the village. Although the former course could run only three days a week, each lesson lasted for two hours at lunch time. He pursued this English learning opportunity for three years until the teacher couple moved to other area. He was one of the last few students.

Such courses brought up Su’s English to the basic level needed for daily communication. However, Su was still unable to speak or comprehend technical level English well enough. As a result Su appreciates help to understand technical information from his close Vietnamese friend, Duc, who grew up and was schooled in Australia with competent English. Interestingly, Duc has a reputation as of the most advanced growers in the area who is always keen to learn new knowledge and technology. By going along with this friend, Su hardly misses a meeting or training course. Su benefits from sitting beside Duc who “coaches” him as the events go. Also, he gets his friend help to translate to captured the key points, such as “what” and “how to” or “when”. With his friend’s support Su does not hesitate to invite English-speaking trainers and consultants to visit his farm to ask for technical advice. Not always having Duc around, Su has armed his mobile phone with an online English-Vietnamese dictionary and Google Translate to help him to deal with terms and new words in the chemical labels, invoices, market bills. These tools are also useful for him to enjoy learning the other online technical support tools such as the Yara TankmixIT tool on his mobile. Life today is full of ambitions and ideas for Su. From here he would like to get his own land one day and to progress to an advanced level like his friends. He has also set goals to become fluent in English. It is already a long way from his beginnings in Vietnam. WA Grower winter 2013

Increased returns in tomatoes, capsicums and watermelons with Awaken & NutriSync D The products at a glance A return on investment (ROI) ratio of 2:1 is a sound investment; spending one dollar to make two is clearly a profitable exercise. What then about a 185:1 ROI ratio? You’d have to be mad to not invest that dollar surely? Independent trial work conducted by Peracto in 2012 in Bowen Qld showed that one application of Awaken through the drip tape and two foliar applications of NutriSync D applied to their tomato crop returned the grower an extra $22,588/ha yet those applications only cost $122/ha. This equates to a return on investment of 185:1! This was not achieved by replacing all or part of the grower’s normal nutritional program, but was driven by the introduction of new yieldincreasing and quality-improving products. What’s more, these exciting new products from US-based Loveland Agri Products have produced similar beneficial results in a range of high-value horticultural crops such as potatoes, capsicums, watermelon and sweet corn. See the results table for more information. Awaken is a 20-0-2 nutritional product containing ACA technology (zinc ammonium acetate). Products containing ACA technology such as Awaken have been shown to have PGR (plant growth regulator) properties and crops treated with it will often exhibit better photosynthetic efficiency as a result of it increasing chlorophyll and carotenoid density within the leaf tissue. They will generally benefit from increased metabolism due to greater synthetic auxin production (auxin regulates growth). It also has been shown to improve cell elongation which can assist with root growth and development resulting in increased nutrient uptake.

Tomatoes - marketable fruit

NutriSync D is a foliar product that drives nutrient mobility within the plant ensuring that is continually available where it is needed. This is achieved via its key component Inositol which is a proven nutrient uptake and transport synergist. Inositol is an optically inactive alcohol that is a component of the Vitamin B complex. Inositol is widely used in pharmaceutical products for its ability to improve the mobility and utility of the respective products active ingredient.

What customers say? When Loveland products Awaken and NutriSync D were introduced into the horticultural market of the Gumlu/Burdekin region in Queensland in early 2012, Raymond and Andrew Totorica (Totorica Bros) put their hands up to trial these products on their capsicum farm. The decision was made to trial 6 bays out of a 12 bay planting. After transplant Awaken was applied at 4.7L/ ha through the drip tape at first watering. The response was evident after 5 days as the bays, which had the Awaken applied, had very minimal plant loss due to plant-back shock; presumably because the Awaken treated plants had become more resilient to stress through improved nutrient assimilation in the period prior to transplant. The untreated bays had a far more severe plant-back response. Over the next 4-5 weeks the crop establishment in the Awaken treated bays was superior and improved budding was evident. This is when NutriSync D was applied at 730mL/ha as a foliar application only on the Awaken treated plants. This was followed up by another NutriSync D application 4 weeks later.

Peracto capsicum trial in Bowen Qld 2012 When it came to the fruiting stage, the fruit count was near double that of the untreated plants. The fruit retention was also greater which showed that the plant was healthy enough to carry more fruit. These Loveland Products have mixing compatibility with most insecticides and fungicides, which makes it very simple to incorporate them into spray programs. Totorica Brothers grow approx 40 – 50 hectares of capsicums and now use the Loveland Products on the entire farm.

The range of Loveland Agri Products is available exclusively through Landmark. For more information on the range of products and to view trial results go to loveland.landmark.com.au

Capsicums - marketable fruit

Watermelons - marketable fruit

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A crop infected with potato leafroll virus.

Seed quality

vital in maximising Midwest potato yields BY IAN MCPHARLIN AND STEWART LEARMONTH DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD, WA

The Midwest is a promising new area for winter potato production but yields could improve by using better quality seed. This is one of our main conclusions after two years research work supported by Horticulture Australia Limited, DAFWA and the potato industry. To maximise yield and quality of potatoes, high quality seed is needed as well as getting the growing practices right. For example, growers found virus in some crops (from 1 to more than 10%) even with excellent aphid control pointing to quality issues with the source seed. High levels of viruses (more than 10%) such as PLRV can cause significant yield reductions (more than 5%) in ware and crisp crops and at more than 1% seed crops would be rejected for certification. If seed quality is poor even the best growing practices won’t make up for it. Sown crops are behind from the start and always play

catch up. Although it is a cliché that “good seed pays, it doesn’t cost” it is wise to think carefully about cutting corners on this important input.

Two main aspects of seed quality need to be considered the maturity of the tuber or ‘physiological age’ and the level of disease and pest infestation, that is the sanitary quality. Physiological age is important as it determines whether the seed will sprout (germinate) in a reasonable time after sowing and suits the crop market requirements. Seed that is too young (juvenile) or too old (senile) may not germinate at all, but rot in the ground in warm or wet conditions. If germination is slow and uneven it may allow excess weed growth relative to the crop, produce low stem and tuber numbers with resultant poor yields. Growers usually choose between physiologically young and old seed, depending on cropping requirements, avoiding juvenile and senile seed. Young seed WA Grower winter 2013

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Table 1 Maximum tolerance for foreign varieties (% of plants) and diseases (% plants infected) in WA certified seed potato crops at first and second inspections and for ratings 1 to 3 Inspection factor

Rating 1* 1st

Rating 2 2nd

1st

Rating 3^ 2nd

1st

2nd

0.10

% of plants Foreign varieties

Aphids can invade crops rapidly and should be monitored regularly.

produces fewer stems per plant and fewer but larger tubers so may be suitable for a French fry crop. Older seed produces more stems per plant resulting in higher numbers of smaller tubers required for small round seed crops. Midwest growers are both purchasers and growers of seed. For example, seed from the South West is often too physiologically young for autumn-sown crops as it is harvested too late (December onwards). To meet this need Midwest growers source G4 seed in winter for one generation and harvest the G5 in October to have seed old enough for rapid emergence the following autumn. So they are seed growers only for a limited number of ‘bulkings’. Nevertheless, the seed quality

0.05

0.00

0.10

0.01

Viruses

0.10

0.01

0.25

0.10

1.00

Other diseases

0.25

0.10

0.50

0.25

2.00

Total

0.25

0.10

0.50

0.25

2.00

* All rating 1 crops are certified free of PVY ^ Not to be further ‘bulked’ for seed.

of both the starting material (G4) and the harvest (G5) from the Midwest must be high. The sanitary quality of seed is managed by schemes such as the WA Certified Seed Scheme which guarantees the purchaser that the seed has reached minimum standards with respect to disease and pest levels. A buyer of certified seed is assured of high levels of sanitary quality. Growers are interested in virus levels as these cannot be controlled by chemicals, and only indirectly by seed quality. Control of aphids in the crop is essential for viruses spread this way such as potato leafroll virus (PLRV) and potato virus Y (PVY).

A project survey of aphids showed the Midwest to be a higher risk area for virus spread than other seed areas of the South West nearer the coast. Although infestations varied between farms and years aphid numbers peaked in both autumn and spring. To minimise disease problems in their seed crops, grower should purchase G4 seed of the highest quality. This is available as ‘rating 1 seed’ from the WA Certified Seed Potato Scheme (Table 1) Rating 1 seed has much lower virus infection than rating 2 (10 times less) or 3 (100 times less). Starting with this high quality seed the Midwest crop should be managed as for a certified crop so the harvested G5 seed is of highest quality for the subsequent ware or crisp crop. Midwest seed crops sown in winter may not benefit from insecticides at planting, as aphid numbers are very low, but may require them later in the crop.

As aphids can invade crops rapidly they should be monitored weekly in the growing crop, particularly seed crops to assist in timely management decisions.

Bags of certified seed.

WA Grower winter 2013

Sample 100 middle and lower leaves from 50 plants selected randomly and check for aphid colonies. A colony is three or more aphids with at least two of them wingless – proving they are breeding in the crop. Aphids should be controlled if they exceed a ‘threshold’ of 5% (aphid colonies on 5% of leaves) otherwise virus introduction and spread is likely, producing unhealthy seed crops unsuitable for certification.

Your Business

Your

Business

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Business

Federal budget The Federal Budget was released in May 13 and some of the major changes and impacts to agriculture and businesses are detailed below.

By Rebecca Blackman Financial & Administration Manager, VegetablesWa

• Increasing the non primary production threshold for FMDs from $65,000 to $100,000, resulting in a reduction in estimated taxation revenue of $13.0 million over three years from 1 July 2014;

Monthly PAYG instalments system

The National Drought Program Reform will be delivered in cooperation with state and territory governments. The reform will assist farm families during difficult times; improve farmer preparedness for future challenges including droughts and other variable climatic and business conditions and help farmers to become more self reliant. The reform also includes the following elements:

The Government announced that it is going to extend its yet-to-be implemented monthly PAYG instalments system to trusts, superannuation funds, sole traders and large investors.

• Continuation of Farm Management Deposits (FMD) and taxation measures such as current primary producer taxation concessions that support and assist farmer risk management;

• $0.9 million over three years for a communication campaign to increase awareness of the assistance package; and

Previously, based on announcements in March 2013, this measure was to be limited to corporate tax entities however the Government has now announced that the monthly PAYG instalments system would also apply to:

• A national approach to the provision of farm business training through a standardised Vocational Education and Training accredited skill set developed by AgriFood Skills Australia and key members of the farming and training sector and delivered through the Vocational Education and Training system by registered training organisations;

• All other entities with turnover of $1 billion or more from 1 January 2016 • All other entities with turnover of $20 million or more from 1 January 2017 There would be an exception for entities, other than head companies or provisional head companies, that have a turnover of less than $100 million and report GST on a quarterly or annual basis — these entities would not be required to pay monthly PAYG instalments. Furthermore, entities that are subject to the taxation of financial arrangements (TOFA) rules would assess their entry to the monthly PAYG instalments system using gross TOFA income, rather than net TOFA income.

Farm Household Allowance The Government has introduced nearly $100 million for a new Farm Household Allowance (FHA) to support farmers in hardship, part of the National Drought Program Reform. The funding will be provided over four years for a new FHA under National Drought Program Reform commencing from 1 July 2014. The FHA will be available to eligible farm families in periods of hardship regardless of the source of that hardship. Eligibility for support will be determined through an assessment of the farmer’s existing assets, liabilities and income.

WA Grower winter 2013

• A coordinated, collaborative approach to the provision of social support services that aims to ensure that people receive support before reaching a crisis point; and • Tools and technologies to inform farmer’s risk management decision making including examining ways to improve the provision of information to farmers.

Farm Finance A new Farm Finance package has been announced to help farmers struggling with debt, providing concessional loans, more rural financial counsellors, and a better approach to debt mediation. The Government will provide a package of measures to support and assist farmers experiencing acute levels of debt and to help improve their ongoing financial resilience. Farm Finance includes: • The provision of up to $420 million over two years in concessional loans to eligible primary production businesses for the purpose of productivity enhancements and debt refinancing from 1 July 2013; • Changes to the FMD scheme to allow FMD owners to consolidate their existing accounts that have been held for longer than 12 months without triggering tax liabilities;

• $6.3 million over two years to expand the Rural Financial Counselling Service by an additional 17 full-time equivalent counsellors from 1 July 2013;

• The development of a nationally consistent approach to farm debt mediation process across all jurisdictions, to be developed by a working group comprising federal, state and industry stakeholders.

The concessional loans program will make available up to $30 million per annum for two years to each state. Loans will be for a maximum of $650,000 per eligible primary production business, available for a period of up to 20 years, and will be administered by an appropriate state or territory delivery agency. The interest only concessional loan component will be available for five years, and after this time the loan will revert to a market rate and recipients will also commence repaying the principal.

National Produce Monitoring System The Government will provide $25.4 million over five years to develop a pilot National Produce Monitoring program to identify risks associated with the use of agricultural chemicals and veterinary medicines that are currently not being assessed. The program will complement and better integrate existing private and public monitoring activities and specifically address gaps in existing monitoring systems for food sold for consumption. This pilot forms part of a wider regulatory framework for agricultural chemicals and veterinary medicines being developed with the states and territories. Funding for the program will be provided under the Sustainable Agriculture stream of the Caring for our Country program.

Your Business

NFF’s May Monitor

shows most banks pass on rate relief Three weeks after the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cut interest rates to a record low, the majority of financial lenders have passed the rate cut on to their agribusiness customers, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) Agribusiness Loan Monitor shows. The May Monitor, shows that five of the seven term loans tracked — from ANZ, BankSA, BankWest, NAB and Suncorp — have each had their rates cut by the full 0.25 per cent. CommBank meanwhile has passed on 0.20%, with only Bendigo Bank making no change to their rates. In overdrafts, five of the eight lenders — ANZ, BankSA, BankWest, NAB and Westpac — have each passed on the 0.25% rate cut to their agribusiness customers, with CommBank passing on 0.20%. Only Bendigo Bank and Suncorp failed to pass on any rate cut to their overdraft customers.

NFF President Duncan Fraser welcomed the news that the majority of lenders had passed the rate cut on in full, and urged those lenders yet to move their rates to follow suit. “The 25 basis points rate cut, combined with a fall in the Australian dollar to below parity, is good news for Australian farmers and the agribusiness sector at a time when parts of the country are facing severe rainfall deficiencies, and farmers are grappling with challenges that are impacting on both their productivity and profitability,” Mr Fraser said. “This rate relief couldn’t come at a better time for farmers, particularly as they wait for further detail from the State and Federal Governments on the implementation of the two major debt and drought announcement from the past month: the Farm Finance and National Drought Program Reform.

“We urge the governments to release the full detail on these programs, and encourage the banks that are yet to pass on a rate cut to pass it on in full,” Mr Fraser said.

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THERMAL STORAGE USE OFF PEAK POWER • Reduce energy costs • Retrofit to existing chillers • Increase cooling capacity • Increase productivity

Overall, the May Agribusiness Loan Monitor shows that since July 2012, the RBA has cut interest rates by a total of 0.75%. None of the financial lenders have passed the rate cuts on in full, with ANZ and NAB providing the biggest rate cuts on to their agribusiness customers — a total of 0.65% from both lenders for both their term loans and overdrafts. More information The NFF’s May Loan Monitor is available at www.nff.org.au/get/4022.pdf. The Monitor is compiled each month by leading money market monitor Canstar and published by the NFF as a tool for all Australian farmers.

Thermal storage installed with phase change material is the answer. Phase Change Products Pty Ltd has a proven track record, over 17 years experience and a leader in the field of thermal storage with phase change material. To read about the savings achieved in a recent project refer to the feature article “Energy carrot”, which appeared in the August 2012 issue of Ecolibrium. Call us now on

08 9324 8520 0433 032 718 Phase Change Products Pty Ltd www.pcpaustralia.com.au

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Business

Farm Finance Farm Finance builds the ongoing financial resilience of farmers who are currently struggling with high levels of debt.

The package has four parts: 1. Short-term assistance in the form of concessional loans for productivity enhancement projects or debt restructuring 2. Funding for around 17 additional full-time counsellors with the RFCS 3. Increasing the non-primary production income threshold for Farm Management Deposits (FMDs) from $65,000 to $100,000, and allowing consolidation of existing FMD accounts held for at least 12 months 4. Establishing a nationally consistent approach to farm debt mediation.

Concessional loans for farm businesses As part of Farm Finance, the Australian Government is committing up to $30 million each year for the next two years, to each state and the Northern Territory to be used for loans that support productivity enhancement projects or debt restructuring (via an appropriate delivery agency). Up to $650,000 in concessional loans from the Australian Government will be available to eligible farm businesses in need of shortterm financial assistance. Why is the government providing funds for concessional loans? Significant debt pressure can restrict growth and hinder farmers from improving their business practices.

Concessional loans can not only offer much-needed assistance to farm businesses in the short-term, but can also improve their financial capabilities into the future. Concessional loans give farmers the breathing space to focus on growing and improving their farm business, including risk management practices and preparedness measures, as well as looking at opportunities to improve their business structures. Concessional loans will only be made available to viable farm businesses. Loan recipients will need to demonstrate financial need, participate in a farm business planning exercise, and demonstrate their capacity to meet a debt repayment schedule. Key points:

â&#x20AC;˘ The Australian Government is committing up to $30 million each year for the next two years, to each state and the Northern Territory to provide concessional loans to farmers in need. â&#x20AC;˘ Concessional loans give farmers the breathing space to focus on growing and improving their farm business.

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Business

• The Australian Government will work with the state and Northern Territory governments to make these loan products available across the country via appropriate delivery agencies. The Australian Government is committed to a robust agriculture industry and supporting farm businesses to be more productive into the future. How can farm businesses access concessional loans? The Australian Government will work with each state and the Northern Territory governments, and their appropriate delivery agency, to make these loan products available. Access to concessional loans by farm businesses located in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) would depend on the ACT Government entering into an agreement with one of its state neighbours for inclusion under its concessional loans arrangement.

Funding for more rural financial counsellors The Australian Government is committed to a robust agriculture industry and supporting farm businesses to be more productive into the future. Rural Financial Counselling Service The Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) provides free, impartial and confidential financial counselling to help farmers, fishers and agriculture-dependent small businesses in their decision making. Rural financial counsellors are also an important source of referrals to other specialist services. There are currently 14 service providers employing more than 110 rural financial counsellors across the country.

Counsellors will be deployed across the country to focus on regions and industries experiencing acute debt stress and where recent natural disasters have had a heavy impact on farm businesses. Initially, additional counsellors will be placed in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia.

Enhancing the Farm Management Deposits Scheme

A number of positions will be filled by ‘mobile’ rural financial counsellors; these counsellors will be placed in various locations over time, depending on where need is the greatest.

The FMD Scheme is designed to assist primary producers to become more self-reliant, deal more effectively with fluctuations in cash flow and manage financial risk.

Key points

• The RFCS program provides free financial counselling and support to people in rural Australia • Additional RFCS counsellors will be deployed across the country • These counsellors will be able to move to areas as the need arises. Background on the RFCS The RFCS Program, established in 1986, is jointly funded by the Australian and state governments. On 4 May 2011, the Australian Government committed $54.9 million to fund the RFCS Program to 30 June 2015. Rural financial counsellors can: • Help clients identify financial and business options • Help clients negotiate with their lenders • Help clients develop an action plan • Help clients meet their mutual obligations under the Transitional Farm Family Payment • Give clients information about government and other assistance schemes

Additional funding for the RFCS

• Refer clients to accountants, agricultural advisers and educational services

Recent natural disasters and an increased need for debt mediation services have placed additional demands on counsellors across the country.

• Refer clients to Centrelink and to professionals for succession planning, family mediation and personal, emotional and social counselling.

That’s why Farm Finance will provide an additional $5.6 million over the next two years for around 17 additional full-time counsellors in the areas they are needed most. This additional funding ensures counsellors are not taken away from servicing their existing client base.

In addition to the 14 service providers across the country, the Australian and the Northern Territory Governments have provided additional funding to RFCS South Australia to deliver a 12 month trial of RFCS services in the Northern Territory. This trial is underway.

The Australian Government is committed to a robust agriculture industry and supporting farm businesses to be more productive into the future. The Farm Management Deposits Scheme

The Scheme encourages primary producers to smooth their taxable income by depositing funds in high income years and withdrawing in low-income years. Changes to the Farm Management Deposits Scheme Under Farm Finance, two enhancements are being made to the FMD Scheme to give greater flexibility to primary producers in managing their finances. The first enhancement is an increase in the non-primary production income threshold from $65,000 to $100,000, meaning more primary producers who diversify their income to manage their risks can access the FMD Scheme. The second enhancement will allow primary producers who hold multiple FMDs to consolidate them once they have been held for the minimum 12‑month period. Removing this red tape will allow primary producers to consolidate their FMD accounts and make better use of the scheme. Key points

• The FMD Scheme is designed to assist primary producers to become more self-reliant, deal more effectively with fluctuations in cash flow and manage financial risk • The scheme’s non-primary production income threshold will be increased from $65,000 to $100,000 • Primary producers will be able to consolidate their FMD accounts that have been held for 12 months. More information Further information about Farm Finance and the support available for farmers experiencing debt stress can be found at www.daff.gov.au/ farmfinance. Further information on the RFCS can be found at www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/drought/rfcs.

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Business

Vegetable Industry Development Program

A smooth transition

navigating your way through the family business Key messages • Good business processes and structures are required to facilitate a smooth transition • Each member of the family business needs a clearly defined role and responsibility, with agreed expectations about what is required to progress through the business • Effective business structures are needed to ensure everyone is rewarded fairly for their contribution to the business and to provide an effective vehicle for easy transition of management and ownership of the business • Planning for business growth is an essential element of a succession plan. Your objective is to have a business of sufficient scale and profitability that can fulfil the needs and aspirations of multiple generations and/or families.

Family businesses in the vegetable industry can be highly effective, efficient and profitable. A family business can provide a happy and productive place for family members to build a career, teach others and eventually retire and transfer responsibility and assets to others.

This article covers the following topics:

This will only happen if some planning is done to make the process of transition work well.

A few simple processes can ensure everyone (family members and others) is heading in the same direction and knows where they and the business are going.

One of the keys to achieving a successful transition is having the right business processes and structures in place. This article describes the processes and structures required to facilitate a smooth transition for everyone.

• People management and leadership • Business structure • Profitability.

People management and leadership The most important resource in any business is the human resource. This is just as important in a family business, as in any other business. Why treat your family members any less than you would an employee?

These processes include: • Clear roles and responsibilities — ensure everyone working within the business has a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities. Write it down and discuss it so that everyone knows what is expected of them. Provide a clear pathway to increased responsibility. A tool to assist in developing clear roles and responsibilities can be found at: www.makingmorefromsheep.com.au/ capable-confident-producers/tool_4.1.htm

• Regular reviews — a semi formal meeting should be held with every person in the business, at least once a year. At this time, review their aspirations, training needs, ideas for business improvement, role and responsibilities, and remuneration. Review family members’ progression along the pathway to increased responsibility. • Supervision and mentoring — everyone needs to be guided, trained and given support throughout their working lives. This includes the family members within your business! Develop a relationship where managers and supervisors listen to their staff and provide advice when it is needed.

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Business

• Team work — everyone in the business needs to work as an effective team. Effective teams have: — An agreement on how they will work together — Honest discussions when behaviour is not acceptable. • Family/Business meetings — good communication is essential throughout the working team and family. Regular meetings (at least twice a year) are required to deal with decisions about the long-term future of the business and each members’ role within it. Hold this meeting outside the home and, if necessary, get away from the workplace so that everyone can give it the attention it deserves and avoid falling into their traditional family roles. A fact sheet on running family meetings can be found at: www.grdc. com.au/uploads/documents/GRDC_FS_ SuccessionPlanning.pdf?shortcut=1

These simple processes facilitate transition because everyone is clear about the roles and responsibilities, which need to be fulfilled to make the business successful. They can see their place within this system and understand how they need to develop to fill the role of others, as they transition through the business.

Business structure Effective business structures are needed to ensure everyone is rewarded fairly for their contribution to the business and to provide an effective vehicle for easy transition of management and ownership of the business. Reward should always be based on contribution.

Younger family members often only provide labour when they commence in the business, but they will need to develop and take on more responsibility as they progress through the business and their remuneration should reflect this development over time.

families. Some key questions to ask yourself and seek professional advice on are:

Regular and honest discussions about roles and responsibilities and remuneration should ensure people are fairly rewarded. It is very important in family businesses to reward people adequately and avoid making promises of rewards in the future. This can lead to disputes in the future, which hinder transition.

• If an older generation is to ‘retire’ and ‘handover’ to a younger generation:

• Are the rewards provided by the business for labour, management and capital sufficient to support the families that rely on the business for their income?

— Is the business profitable enough to provide sufficient reward for the older generations’ capital to sustain their needs and aspirations?

— Will the business still provide sufficient reward to the younger generation to sustain their needs and aspirations, after rewarding the older generation for their capital?

— Is the business profitable enough to afford to ‘buy-out’ the older generation and/or any non farming siblings?

Capital All businesses need capital to operate. Agriculture is capital intensive, i.e. there is often a lot of capital invested in land and infrastructure, and plant and equipment. Those family members who contribute this capital should receive an agreed return on their capital contribution. A business structure that allows for different people to contribute different amounts of capital and be rewarded appropriately for this investment can facilitate transition, when complemented by a system that rewards labour and management separately.

To remain profitable, all businesses must be open to innovation and change and be prepared to improve skills. A process for continual business improvement can be found at: www.makingmorefromsheep.com. au/capable-confident-producers/

Profit

procedure_4.4.htm

Business profit is the amount leftover after accounting for operating costs and providing the agreed rewards for family members’ labour, management and capital. This profit should be split between the business owners based on a written agreement between the owners.

There are no golden rules, which mandate what these rewards should be. Often rewards that are seen as ‘non commercial’ or below standard industry rates are sufficient to meet needs and aspirations. However, families need to form an agreement on what is appropriate for them and their business and write it down.

• Capital

Development of effective business structures may require advice from accountants, lawyers or business consultants. These professionals can provide advice on taxation implications, legal structures, wills, power of attorney and life insurance. Ensure when this work is done that you develop effective business structures which provide clear rewards.

• Profit

Profitable business

Labour and management

To enable the people in the business to be rewarded, the business must be profitable. A prosperous business must be growing and adapting new technologies.

If the people management and leadership, business structure and profitability are well established, family members will be able to enter the business, grow and develop while they are there and leave in a way which maintains relationships and profitability.

This is especially so if the business is required to support multiple generations and/or

The example on the next page demonstrates how this can happen.

Clearly defining the different types of contribution required can facilitate the transition process. There are three areas where it is important to have clarity: • Labour and management

Are your family members simply working in the business under direction (labour), or taking responsibility and making decisions (management)? There is a difference! Thus, the rewards should also differ.

Thus, planning for business growth is an essential element of a succession plan. Your objective is to have a business of sufficient scale and profitability that it can fulfil the needs and aspirations of multiple generations and/or families.

Summing up

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Business

Case study

The Jones Family

Learn more

Brian and Sue Jones are in their mid 50s. They have a son and a daughter assisting on the farm. Their daughter Claire is 24 and manages the packing and marketing side of their business, which focuses on the production of sweet corn. Their son Richard (23) manages production.

If you would like to read further information on:

Brian and Sue would like to work part time and travel for three months of the year. They would also like to free up some of their capital they have tied up in the land to put into their superannuation.

• What a succession agreement looks like

They agree as a family on the following changes: Requirements

Previous arrangements

New arrangements

People management and leadership Clear roles and responsibilities

Brian has always enjoyed growing the sweet corn, but left packing and marketing to Sue. Richard and Claire work with their mum and dad, doing what is required at the time with no specific role or responsibility.

Brian and Sue will take a more strategic and visionary role and be less “hands on”, whilst Richard will become the production manager and Claire the marketing manager.

Regular reviews The family chat openly about how the business is going, but struggle to really review their individual performance. After all, “we are family!”

Brian and Sue have agreed to sit down with each of Richard and Claire individually three times a year to discuss how they are going. Sue will ask a friend, who is a human resource manager in a large company for advice.

Supervision and mentoring

Brian is pretty good at telling everyone what to do, but Richard and Claire would love him to stop and explain “why” a little more often.

Why?” has become an acceptable question and Sue will support Brian by trying to record his answers to help develop a written record of their experience.

Team work

They all get on well and work together. Both Richard and Claire have had opportunities to work elsewhere, but they have chosen to work within the family business.

They all agree the team is great and the proposed changes are about helping it to continue this way.

Family meetings

They seem to happen all of the time around the dinner table, but they do seem to avoid the “hard” questions.

They have agreed to go away for a weekend each year during a planned break in production to review business performance and discuss their long-term goals.

Business structure Labour and management

Everyone has been living off a set figure of drawings per month, but Brian and Sue have bought cars for both Richard and Claire.

Brian and Sue will be paid $30,000 by the business, whilst Richard and Claire’s share of the drawings will be increased and converted to a wage, once they have met with their accountant and worked out how much the business can afford.

Capital

There is no differentiation.

The family have agreed to discuss this next year, after they see how the new arrangements go, but ultimately Brian and Sue would like Richard and Claire to lease the business from them to fund their retirement. Brian and Sue have agreed to leave their assets to Richard and Claire, upon their death.

Profit

They live well, but other than the tax statements do not really know how profitable the business really is.

They agreed to discuss this next year too. If Richard and Claire lease the business from Brian and Sue, then the profit would be shared between Richard and Claire based on a written agreement.

The business has got them this far!

They recognise they need to increase the profitability and scale of the business in order to provide an income for all.

• How to get the best out of your accountant

• How to find a useful facilitator • The difference between management succession and estate succession, or • Setting up an advisory board. Let your state vegetable association or the InnoVeg sub-program know so they can obtain and tailor this information to your needs. Alternatively the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) has funded the development of a guide suitable for any farming family planning the future of their business. A Guide to Succession: Sustaining families and farms is a factual booklet that includes practical examples and case studies, checklists and decision making tools. To access go to: www.grdc.com.au/director/events/ grdcpublications?item_id=9A81C188 0E68D64D1BFE095A223E4E4D&pag eNumber=1 If you would like to work through some of these issues one-on-one or in a group please contact Kristen Stirling from the InnoVeg subprogram on (03) 9882 2670 or at kristens@rmcg.com.au to discuss what options are available.

Profitability Prosperous business

WA Grower winter 2013

The Vegetable Industry Development Program is funded by HAL using the vegetable levy and matched funds from the Australian Government.

Your market

Your

Market

WA Grower winter 2013

Your market

Perth Market City share of wholesale fruit and vegetable market The Perth Market Authority recently released a further report under its project to collate the best available information to map and define the wholesale market share held by tenants operating on the Market City site operated by the Perth Market Authority (PMA). The analysis was undertaken for the year ending 30 June 2012. The wholesale market was quantified as $943.5 million in value and 492,939 tonnes of externally traded

product. The PMA trader share was 62% of the value and 46% of the volume, which represented declines in value share 4.1% and volumes of 2.8% (see Figure 1). Lower exposure to the high growth channels of full service supermarkets and international exports were major drivers of the market share decline. There are also indications that operators in the PMA facility are being drawn into more trade in lower value products.

The dynamics of the market services by PMA tenants remains dominated by retail competitive intensity and a positive food service sector.

Figure 1 PMA wholesale market share â&#x20AC;&#x201D; external trade and value-added trade identified

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Your market

Key findings • The market volumes increased over the previous year by 6.0%, which is greater than market value increase of 3.8%. This indicates that fruit and vegetable values were lower for the year in review. • The PMA traders’ share has declined due to lower exposure to the distribution channels that generated growth. • There are indications that PMA tenants are being drawn in to trading in lower value fruit and vegetable categories. • The WA market for fresh fruit and vegetables has enjoyed population based demand growth beyond the levels of other states. This positive growth climate is likely to stimulate investments in market share. • The drivers of more frequent food shopping patterns are firm, and when combined with the scheduled changes to retail trading hours seem likely to favour some channels and impact wholesale market share. • Some consumers are willing to pay a premium for product attributes that deliver convenience. This demand has been met in part by processing at pack-house and in some instances processing in and around the wholesale market. • The appeal of supporting the “local farmer” has worked because it satisfies a number of needs, but could be vulnerable due to widespread and varied use and interpretation. • Patronage for fresh food specialists is set in long-term influences and positioning advantages, but will now be tested by the convenience of full service supermarkets with like trading hours. • These more positive WA food service market conditions appear likely to draw more investment into the sector and with that, more demand for wholesale fruit and vegetables into food service channels. • Solving the logistical challenges is a tipping point for online food growth and if resolved the PMA central market facility can service.

Apparent wholesale market share impacts

Consumption and shopping influences and trends

The PMA traders’ market share volume loss of 2.8% is reflected in the total wholesale market increasing by 5.2% or 24,523 tonnes and PMA traders’ volumes decreased by 2.3% or 5,208 tonnes. This was driven by varying growth levels across the distribution channels that impacted PMA traders’ share, due to varied exposure to these channels.

This analysis has identified a number of consumer trends that influence how households buy their food and how food is moving through the West Australian fresh produce value chain.

The most significant impacts came from corporate supermarkets and international export, which between them generated over 80% of the total market growth. These are two channels that PMA does not hold high exposure and therefore their growth served to reduce share. Patterns of higher exposure to lower value fresh fruit and vegetables, which could be attributed to: • The PMA tenants having more exposure to products in flush, which tend to be at lower values. This is a logical repercussion as the central markets are the most likely distribution options for unexpected or unplanned volumes. • PMA tenants being less exposed to the higher prices that are typically paid by some major buyers, to secure the large quantities of consistent quality product. • Lower overall weighted sales due to proportionately more sales of lower value lines than the total market. This drives the higher value loss of share.

These trends are anchored in the pressures felt by time-poor consumers, while being balanced by consumers’ drive to seek better value. These two almost opposing drivers set the scene for how the West Australian produce sector will be pushed to develop in coming years, and the opportunities and challenges for the industry will be determined by how these two motivations are exhibited by consumers. The practical implications of these are described below. WA population growth has exceeded national levels for the year in review, meaning the size of the retail and food service markets for fruit and vegetable has increased as these new residents fall into normal food buying behaviour. For the year in review, the population in WA increased by 3.3% or 78,000 to 2,430,300 million. This was a higher growth rate than national population growth of 1.6%, reflecting that WA population growth was higher than all other states. This higher growth level would have flowed through to increased demand for fresh fruit and vegetables at market and through food service providers. This positive growth climate is not enjoyed by other states. These more buoyant conditions are also reflected WA Grower winter 2013

Your market

in the expansion into WA of several casual food service chains, including Grill’d Burgers, Mad Mex and Sumo Salads. All indications are that these new offers have been welcomed by consumers and generated good volumes.

The WA market for fresh fruit and vegetables has enjoyed population based demand growth beyond the levels of other states. This positive growth climate is likely to stimulate investments in market share. Increased frequency of household food shopping remains one of the most significant and far reaching demand trends. Households are now shopping for smaller quantities more often, and the smaller ‘top-up shop’ is now the dominant mode of shopping. It is anchored in the long-term trend towards smaller households as well as meal decisions being made closer to meal time (by all household types). In addition, there are increasing numbers of urban consumers living in inner-city locations now using their supermarket as their fridge. The strength of the demand is reflected in how retailers have responded with substantial investments in the likes of selfservice checkouts, to cater for these shopping patterns. The impact of this trend is poised to be magnified by recent changes in retail trading hours, which were introduced from August 2012 and therefore will impact in the year ending June 2013. These changes will allow the corporate supermarkets to open for extended hours and on Sundays. If these changes follow the patterns of other states they will enable the corporate supermarkets, with their one stop shop convenience, to gain market share.

The drivers of more frequent food shopping patterns are firm, and when combined with the scheduled changes to retail trading hours seem likely to favour some channels and impact wholesale market share.

WA Grower winter 2013

A premium for ‘making it easier’ is being generated for products that are more mealready, or are provided in smaller portions. The smaller portions suit the shorter meal planning timeframes and more frequent shopping patterns of many time poor households, who are accepting of the price premium. A contributing factor to this demand is the heightened consumer concerns about using all they buy and minimising home waste. Mealpulse panel responses for the year under review indicate that over 60% would buy a smaller portion if it reduced home waste. This willingness to pay for these attributes has contributed to the majority of the value added to retail fresh fruit and vegetable categories in the last 5 years. It is reflected in higher sales of the likes of punnets of berries and tomatoes, packaged salads, sliced mushrooms and sweet corn cobbettes. These products are typically meal size portions and all sell at a higher price per kg than other like forms of the same product, which are often available in a loose selfselect form.

Some consumers are willing to pay a premium for product attributes that deliver convenience. This demand has been met in part by processing at pack-house and in some instances processing in and around the wholesale market. Increased concerns about sustainability and environmental issues have fuelled a desire for consumers to ‘do their bit’ and contribute to their community. However, not all are prepared to pay for it. However this interest has had to deal with the myriad of ethical food and provenance messages and the inherent complexity of the issue. The situation has been somewhat compounded by the tendency of the new media landscape to reduce attention spans and summarise issues into simple headlines. Then the ‘support your local farmer’ movement arrived with an uncluttered message and a feel good benefit for consumers. All indications are that it has been embraced by the supply chain and consumers in most developed markets.

The impact of this trend is elevated with West Australian consumers’ due to the existence of the series of ‘Buy WA grown’ initiatives, which are currently lead by the ‘buy west eat best’ program. Supporting local growers will resonate strongly with WA consumers. However, this analysis suggests that there is a risk that ‘locally grown’, if it remains relatively undefined, could drift into the sort of confused messaging that has enveloped the many versions of Australian Made.

The appeal of supporting the ‘local farmer’ has worked because it satisfies a number of needs, but could be vulnerable due to widespread and varied use and interpretation. The specialist greengrocers enjoy patronage from a good proportion of food shoppers, but it is of more relevance that these retailers are viewed as highly favoured providers by many of these consumers. The detail of this

Your market

Figure 2 Food categories purchased online Groceries

70%

Fruit or vegetables

40%

Dairy

37%

Meat

27%

Bakery

21%

Prepared meals

19%

Other

13%

Percentage of shoppers that buy in each category

have gained marginal share. It has been the households most sensitive to cost that have reduced spending at specialists.

Patronage for fresh food specialists is set in long-term influences and positioning advantages, but will now be tested by the convenience of full service supermarkets with like trading hours.

view is reflected in the reasons why 25–30% of supermarket shoppers regularly use these retailers, which are anchored on better quality, range and, in some categories, lower regular prices. Specialist fresh food retailers in Western Australia have also enjoyed extended trading hours compared to full service supermarkets in the state. It should also be remembered that Australian retail has evolved with a Mediterranean influence, and in the last 30 years has enjoyed a similar cultural injection of influence from SE Asia. Both these cultures aspire to buy their food at smaller specialist outlets or markets. While these reasons amount to a defendable set of advantages, and have provided the basis for these specialists to survive, it is also significant that by default, consumers also position the supermarket fresh food offers on these attributes. Over the year to June 2012, specialist retailers lost share, while supermarkets

These more positive WA food service market conditions appear likely to draw more investment into the sector and with that, more demand for wholesale fruit and vegetables into food service channels.

The food service channel nationally has been significantly reshaped with value seeking consumers trading down to lower cost options and the accompanying expansion of new styles of ‘casual dining’, as well as improved, healthier and higher-value product ranges in QSR outlets. The adverse impacts of these trends in Western Australia have been significantly softened by greater population growth, higher apparent consumer affluence and servicing the growth in the resource sector. In these conditions however, the state’s market has seen growth in high-end restaurant numbers as well as strong growth in servicing the in-house catering requirements of the mining camps, while pressure on the mid-range restaurants remains. Changes in consumer behaviour have impacted some eating out occasions. For example, lunch which was once an occasion for a social or business meeting has transitioned towards a ‘catch up for a coffee’, reducing the sales of sit down food for those who cater for lunch. In addition, the strong growth in breakfast in recent years is now being challenged by a new range of ‘breakfast to go’ beverage protein products that are well suited to eating on the run.

E-tailing of food is poised for expansion. If solutions are found to the problem of getting deliveries to the consumer, they could prove to be a game changer for grocery and meal offers. The key hurdle is centred on delivery to the household or workplace, and the difficulties of aligning that delivery with customers being home. This challenge has stimulated an array of solutions that include click ‘n’ collect, a number of third party providers of refrigerated letterboxes, as well as a domestic sized refrigerated letterbox that are available for any household to purchase. Of those shoppers who currently purchase online food ingredients for preparation at home, the most popular categories as outlined in Figure 2 include: groceries followed by fruit and vegetables, and dairy products. Fruit and vegetables are clearly in the frame of products on line. All indications are that online food operations globally are struggling to generate profit. This is widely attributed to the fact that they are competing with the supermarket business model which is the least cost option to distribute food, enjoy buying scale and offers a model that harnesses shopper labour, together with the challenges of home delivery. The central market facility, that operates as the focal point for distribution of fruit and vegetables are the obvious solution for emerging online retailers to source product, consolidate orders and then on distribute fruit and vegetables.

Solving the logistical challenges is a tipping point for online food growth and if resolved the PMA central market facility can service this channel and pick up market share. WA Grower winter 2013

Your market

Category management By Paul Graham Marketing Manager, vegetablesWA

It is widely accepted that the Australian food industry is production driven. For some time industry leaders have been attempting to convert the food industry to a market driven approach. Fundamental to a market driven approach is the need to understand the consumer and market in which you operate. Whenever this concept it discussed, you are a bound to hear the terms ‘market intelligence’ and ‘category management’. A quick google search will show you there is no one unified definition of either term, so what do they mean in practice?

Market intelligence This is data. Pure facts. Intelligence can be very specific to your product and service (for example, the average consumer eats 2.1 serves of carrots once a week) or quite general consumer trend information (for example, in home meal occasions are growing at 2% due to the popularity of cooking shows). Over the last 10 years, significant advances in the type of information available, detail of information available and access to information available have been made — at a price and level of detail to suit almost any budget. So, while there is a no shortage of information available, it is often poorly used — or much worse, not used at all! On its own market intelligence is interesting, but useless. This is where category management comes into its own.

Category management Category management takes information and data, applies a raft of balances and sense checks to it and then turns it into useable strategic recommendations for the business. It sets a business strategy and agenda with one purpose.

WA Grower winter 2013

Profit!

A practical example

While category management is used in different ways by different sections of the supply chain, the central purpose remains clear — drive more profit for the business.

There has been a large push from retailers across Australia to move product from large bulk bags into smaller, more accessible pack formats.

Consider the retailer (large or small). Category management techniques are used in ranging decisions, pricing decisions, promotional decisions, new product development decisions etc. They are used to create an overall category strategy for the retailer that maximises the long term profit that can be extracted from shoppers.

The businesses who saw this trend first have been in a fantastic position to capitalise on new product listings at the expense of businesses that wanted to continue to sell bulk bags or loose product.

Implications for the grower How does this affect the grower? It presents opportunities: Firstly, being aware of category management means you understand the processes that your customers (retailers or distributors) are going through. Provide them with information that positions your product in a way that increases their category profitability. Secondly, apply the principles to your own product mix and promotional strategy. It can lead to decisions on new product development; culling of your own product range; implementation of your own promotional strategy etc.

Where do I start? Category management is not just for big businesses. Everyone can use the concept. 1. Get the facts. a. Understand your consumer. Can’t pay for professional research or data? Have a look online. There are a raft of fantastic consumer and industry studies freely available to through local and national industry associations. b. Understand your environment. Talk to your customers. Get first hand advice from retailers and distributors about the trends they are seeing in their businesses and the implications for them. c. Understand yourself. Get a handle on what products are making you the most (and least money). Figuring out what products are important to your business will help you prioritise your efforts (and what you are good at). 2. Translate the facts. Take some time to figure out what the information means. Looks for trends in the information that you have picked up. 3. Apply the facts to your business. The information is worthless if you don’t act on it. Develop new business strategies on the back of the information and your core strengths. It could be new products, new pack sizes, new promotional plans — whatever it takes to deliver an increase in profit to your business.

There has been a push to move product from bulk bags into smaller, more accessible pack formats.

Your Environment

Your

Environment

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Environment

More bees please! Photos by Dr Rob Manning DepArtment of Agriculture and Food, WA

Horticulturalists with knowledge about fruit varieties would know about cross-pollination. Honey bees are essential to this in regards to bringing male and female flower parts together to obtain fruit set. When horticulturalists hire beehives for pollination they pay somewhere between $80 and $120/hive for the pollination period. Sometimes a daily rate is charged. However, not all beehives are the same, but they are all likely to be called ‘Langstroth’ — a type of box (or “super” as beekeepers call them), but they come with varying number of frames inside them (from 4 to 10 frames) and sometimes in the box depth varies (these varying depths known as ‘WSP’, ‘Shallow’ boxes. All of these influence the total population of a beehive. But the key to the biggest influence in bee population is the quality of the queen bee. This is where horticulturalists will see some differences and they should keep records of the number of beehives hired and yield of their crops together with weather data. They can ask the beekeeper for a look inside a random number of hives. I have heard of instances where the horticulturalists thought that the hives are active, but in fact they had died out and other bees where coming and going from it because they were robbing the left-over honey inside it. But they were still charged for the hire. It is wise to get to know beekeepers who are good keepers of honey bees. Beekeepers keep bees because they produce honey which is their major source of income. Key to that income is queen bee quality, and that all comes down to bee breeding. So here again the horticulturalist is benefiting indirectly through what the beekeeper does. Not every beekeeper has a flare for queen bee breeding.

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An artificially inseminated queen bee — the number ensures the beekeeper that it’s the same productive breeder queen that larvae are being grafted from to produce more queen bees.

From 1980 to present, Western Australia has had a continuous bee breeding program which from 1992 has cost a small group of beekeepers much time and expense to run. Prior to 1992, the then Department of Agriculture had spent together with levy money from beekeepers close to $1.5 million on the program. For all of these 33 years, a large number of horticulturalists have benefited in yield from their fruit trees or vegetable crops. If a beekeeper is really serious about honey production, they will aim to always have young queens in their hives. The younger the queen, the higher the brood production. So for horticulturalists, the younger the queen, the higher are the number of foragers that pollinate flowers ... that’s the synergy horticulturalists get from beekeepers beekeeping properly. Queen bees do cost money — in an apiary of beehives, the cost could be upwards of $2,000 to buy those queens. A beekeeper

somewhere has had to breed them using their knowledge and observation of what to select to breed from. Evaluations for breeding stock can take a full year to conduct. There are a few beekeepers who also practise

Your Environment

Save the Bees: Honeyweek 2013 Every third spoon of food you eat required pollination by a honeybee. However, our bees are under serious threats by parasites, pesticides and environmental stresses and bees are on decline on a global scale. Australia still has healthy bees, but one of the worst parasites killing bees, the mite Varroa, is now surrounding Australia and is expected to make landfall in the coming decade. This will have devastating effects on our wild and managed bees, and farmers will need to pay beekeepers to provide hives for pollination. Researchers at the Centre for Integrative Bee Research (CIBER) at The University of Western Australia cooperate with the bee-keeping industry and governmental partners to try safeguarding honeybees and their pollination services. We want to show the general public what we do, why we do it and why it is worthwhile to pursue a career in research or beekeeping. Honey Week 2013 has been a huge success. During the school holidays a number of events were organised to inform a broader public about the importance of bees: artificial insemination. These beekeepers have been trained in the main by an overseas expert at great expense, not only in the cost of attendance at workshops but also in the expensive equipment they need to facilitate the precision work (microscopes etc). Variation in the hire fee charged by beekeepers is reflected in the amount of work they do to have a beehive that is ready for pollination.

A good strong hive. To have bees like this in Spring ready for pollination, a beekeeper must begin manipulation of the hive in the Autumn (i.e. NOW !), this is the time growers must organise their pollination orders to enable them to maximise their crop yield.

Documentary

Exhibition

More than Honey was screened for the first time in WA, at the Cinema Paradiso in Perth: Oscar-nominated director Markus Imhoof filmed some of this theatrical movie in WA, and scientists from CIBER were on the advisory board and feature in it as well. This is the most successful documentary on record in Switzerland, was awarded the Swiss and the German film prize for ‘Best Documentary’, as well as the International Film Festival in Santa Barbara, US. The film is currently screened in 14 European countries, and will premiere in the US in June this year. For the Australian premier the film was screened at the Cinema Paradiso as part of the German film festival and was sold out within days.

A Bee exhibition at SciTech where visitors could taste honey, observe bees in a show hive and have discussions with scientists and beekeepers. SciTech attracted over a 1,000 visitors on some days.

Lecture A well-visited public lecture at The University of Western Australia, by Professor Boris Baer, director of the Centre for Integrative Bee Research at the University of Western Australia. He presented a broader picture of honeybees and latest research and outreach activities, illustrated by beautiful pictures of honeybees.

Festival in the Swan Valley On Sunday, 5th of May, the festival successfully promoted bees and honey. On a perfect autumn day, visitors tasted honey, listened to talks, saw cranes loading bee-hives onto trucks, lit a smoker, did a waggle dance to the Jazz band or cradled the friendly animals of the visiting pet zoo. The festival attracted around 6,000 visitors, which is three times more than last year. More information

Einstein once said, if bees ever die out, mankind will die out 4 years later.

• CIBER, Centre for Integrative Bee Research: www.ciber.science.uwa.edu.au • UWA, University of Western Australia: www.uwa.edu.au • Cinema Paradiso: www.cinemaparadiso.com.au/

A FILM BY MARKUS IMHOOF BUCH UND REGIE MARKUS IMHOOF SCHNITT ANNE FABINI KAMERA JÖRG JESHEL (BVK) MAKROKAMERA ATTILA BOA TON DIETER MEYER SOUNDDESIGN NILS KIRCHHOFF TONMISCHUNG BERNHARD MAISCH CO-AUTORIN UND REGIE 2. UNIT KERSTIN HOPPENHAUS MUSIK PETER SCHERER SPRECHER ROBERT HUNGER-BÜHLER KATHARINA BOGENSBERGER PRODUZENTEN THOMAS KUFUS HELMUT GRASSER PIERRE-ALAIN MEIER MARKUS IMHOOF REDAKTION URS AUGSTBURGER (SF) HUBERT VON SPRETI (BR) SONJA SCHEIDER (BR) HEINRICH MIS (ORF) EINE KOPRODUKTION VON ZERO ONE FILM ALLEGRO FILM THELMA FILM ORMENIS FILM BAYERISCHER RUNDFUNK MIT UNTERSTÜTZUNG VON BUNDESAMT FÜR KULTUR (EDI) SCHWEIZ BUNDESAMT FÜR UMWELT BAFU AARGAUER KURATORIUM GEORGE FOUNDATION KULTURFONDS SUISSIMAGE G + B SCHWYZER-WINIKER STIFTUNG ERNST GÖHNER STIFTUNG ZÜRCHER FILMSTIFTUNG FONDS REGIO FILMS SUCCÈS CINEMA SUCCÈS PASSAGE ANTENNE FREDI M. MURER FRENETIC FILMS FILMFÖRDERUNGSANSTALT FILMFERNSEHFOND BAYERN DEUTSCHER FILMFÖRDERFONDS ÖSTERREICHISCHES FILMINSTITUT FILMFOND WIEN ORF FILM/FERNSEH-ABKOMMEN EURIMAGES UND DEM MEDIA PROGRAMM DER EU WORLD SALES FILMS BOUTIQUE www.morethanhoney.ch

HERSTELLUNGSLEITUNG TASSILO ASCHAUER

IN KOPRODUKTION MIT SRF SCHWEIZER RADIO UND FERNSEHEN / SSR SRG

AVEC LA LOTERIE ROMANDE ET LE CANTON DU JURA

• The Audi German Film Festival: www.goethe.de/ozfilmfest

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Self

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Important facts • One in eight men will have depression and one in five men will experience anxiety at some stage of their lives. • Depression is a high risk factor for suicide and, in Australia, there are approximately 2,200 suicides each year. • One in five women in Australia will experience depression and one in three women will experience anxiety during their lifetime. • Depression affects up to one in 10 women while they are pregnant and almost one in seven women during the first year after the birth.

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beyondblue

Three million Australians are living with depression or anxiety beyondblue is working to reduce the impact of depression and anxiety in the community by raising awareness and understanding, empowering people to seek help, and supporting recovery, management and resilience. Men On average, one in eight men will have depression and one in five men will experience anxiety at some stage of their lives. While women are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, men are less likely to talk about it. This increases the risk of their depression or anxiety going unrecognised and untreated.

In fact, one in five women in Australia will experience depression and one in three women will experience anxiety during their lifetime. Depression and anxiety can happen at any time, but we know women are more likely to experience these conditions during pregnancy and the year following the birth of a baby. Depression affects up to one in 10 women while they are pregnant and almost one in seven women during the first year after the birth.

Anxiety is likely to be at least as common as depression during pregnancy and the year following, and many women experience both conditions at the same time. Understanding the risks and recognising the signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety can help you to recognise them in yourself and others. The important thing to remember is that effective treatments are available and, with the right care, most people recover.

• How an individual’s mental health can impact on the workplace • How the workplace setting can be used to promote broader messages about mental health. Is the workplace an appropriate setting to promote mental health?

Whether employers know it or not, a significant proportion of their employees (approximately 20 per cent) are likely to be experiencing a mental health problem at any one time. It is in the interests of employers to take action to support employees with mental illness and promote mental health in the workplace. Why is mental health in the workplace important for organisations and businesses?

There are a number of reasons why organisations and businesses need to improve the mental health of their workplaces:

Mental health in the workplace — an overview

1. There are considerable financial costs associated with mental health problems in the workplace including absenteeism, presenteeism (i.e. reduced productivity while at work), high staff turnover, accidents and workers’ compensation claims. (It also costs the overall community through the use of health services, loss of productivity, loss of lives, social exclusion and human rights abuses.)

Taking action may not be as hard as you think.

A ‘mentally healthy workplace’ promotes and protects employee mental health and can have a positive impact on productivity, performance, staff retention and being perceived as an employer of choice.

Women

2. Employers are subject to a number of legislative requirements related to mental health in the workplace, including work health and safety, discrimination, privacy and fair work legislation.

What is mental health in the workplace?

Good mental health is essential to the overall health of both men and women, but women experience some mental health problems (including depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress) at higher rates than men.

Mental health in the workplace refers to the relationship between employee mental health and the workplace. It encompasses:

Depression is a high risk factor for suicide and, in Australia, there are approximately 2,200 suicides each year. 80 per cent are by men — with an average of five men taking their lives every single day. Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 44, significantly exceeding the national road toll. It’s important to remember that depression and anxiety are illnesses, not weaknesses, and effective treatments are available.

Mental health in the workplace

• How the workplace can impact on an individual’s mental health

3. Employers have an ethical responsibility to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of their workforce and their families as well as the community at large. WA Grower winter 2013

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Who is responsible for mental health in the workplace?

Everyone in an organisation and business can play a role in observing practices that promote good mental health in their workplace. The role of individuals within an organisation or business will vary depending on their position. Organisational leaders and business owners have a crucial role in driving a long-term commitment to policies and practices which promote good mental health in the workplace, particularly by promoting by example a positive workplace culture. How can employers improve mental health in their workplace?

As each workplace is unique there is no single formula to improve the mental health of employees in an organisation or business. However, guiding principles and evidenceinformed actions exist, which are applicable to all employers.

Actions can be taken across the following six areas: 1. Develop and implement policies 2. Raise awareness and reduce stigma 3. Build skills and resilience 4. Improve workplace culture and job design 5. Facilitate access to psychological support services 6. Support staying at (and returning to) work.

beyondblue believes that all Australian workplaces have a responsibility to support the mental health of their employees. For managers and leaders

Business owners and organisational leaders have a role to help reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental health problems.

of workplaces. Business owners and organisational leaders are responsible for driving a long-term commitment to policies and practices. They have a significant impact on workplace culture and the working environment through their behaviour, leadership style and the design of job roles. The reduced scale of small to medium businesses means owners and managers are likely to have more frequent interaction with workers and be an even more significant determinant of employee mental health. Roles of business owners and organisational leaders: • Demonstrate a visible, active commitment to workplace mental health. • Build the approach of the organisation or business to workplace mental health. • Integrate good health and safety management with all business decisions. • Hold managers at all levels accountable for to maintaining a mentally healthy workplace (and reward them for facilitating this). • Make workplace mental health policies and practices a value and goal or your organisation or business.

More than three million Australians experience depression or anxiety. These conditions tend to affect people during their prime working years (16 to 64 years), so it is quite likely that you know someone, personally or at work, who is experiencing depression or anxiety.

• Ensure that clear objectives and performance measures are in place.

Business owners and organisational leaders

• Reduce stigma and discrimination against people with mental health problems.

The commitment of business owners and organisational leaders is a critical success factor for improving the mental health

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• Ensure policies and actions are implemented. • Provide workplace practices that promote employees’ good mental health.

• Develop your leadership and people management skills.

Managers and supervisors

Managers and supervisors have an important role in identifying and eliminating (or reducing) health and safety risks, and appropriately supporting employees experiencing a mental health problem. This includes having a basic level of understanding of mental health problems, communicating effectively to employees about mental health, and making reasonable adjustments in the workplace to enable employees with a mental health condition to do their job. The Australian Human Rights Commission has developed a publication that provides information and practical guidance on managing mental health conditions at work. You can download www.humanrights.gov.au/ publications/2010-workers-mental-illnesspractical-guide-managers

For people with depression or anxiety If you have depression or anxiety, it can be difficult to know what to say or do within your workplace. Do you have to tell your boss? Should you tell your colleagues? What will they think? How will it impact on your career? Some people may feel that their condition doesn’t affect their work, therefore doesn’t need to be discussed at all. For others though, depression and anxiety can impact on their work and how they function within their workplace in a number of ways, such as: • Finding it difficult to concentrate on tasks • Turning up to work late • Feeling tired and fatigued • Being unusually tearful or emotional

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• Getting angry easily or frustrated with tasks or people • Finding it difficult to meet reasonable deadlines • Finding it hard to accept constructive and well-delivered feedback • Having difficulty managing multiple tasks or demands • Being vulnerable to stress and anxiety • Drinking alcohol to cope • Having loss of confidence and negative thought patterns • Appearing restless, tense and on edge • Avoiding certain workplace activities such as staff meetings • Becoming overwhelmed or upset easily • Finding it hard to make decisions • Referring to being constantly worried and appearing apprehensive. Do I have to tell my employer? The decision to disclose within the workplace that you have experienced (or are experiencing) a mental health problem is often a difficult one. The decision to tell or not is up to the individual and each situation will be different. If your depression or anxiety does not affect how you do your job, then you are not legally required to tell your employer about it. However, if an employer has no idea you have depression or anxiety, they may not be able to provide you with the assistance you may need.

Disclosing your condition might also: • Allow you and your employer to identify any reasonable adjustments to assist you in doing your job, such as time off to see your doctor or mental health practitioner. (Disability discrimination law obliges employers to consider reasonable adjustments for staff with a disability.) • Avoid misunderstanding or labelling and educate others in the workplace about depression and anxiety. • Protect your right to bring a formal disability discrimination complaint (if necessary) at a later time. • Provide you with access to support/ mentoring resources and information available for people with depression and anxiety. Reasons not to tell • Depression or anxiety may not affect how you do your job therefore it may not be relevant for your employer to know. • You don’t need any reasonable adjustments at present or in the foreseeable future. • You have a right to privacy. • You fear negative attitudes and stereotypes may lead to discrimination such as harassment, dismissal, denial of job opportunities or promotions.

Before making the decision to share your situation or not, have a think about the following factors: • Does your condition impact on your ability to perform your work in a safe manner? • Does your employer have an organisationwide mental health strategy? • Does your organisation have policies and procedures relating to returning to work after a mental health condition? • Does your employer have a specific privacy policy? If you tell your manager or supervisor about your condition, will they keep it confidential? • Will your long-term career goals be affected? • It can be very stressful to be in a situation where you feel that you must hide a problem. • Do you know of anyone else in the organisation who has disclosed a mental health condition? Can you talk to them about their experience? • Your employer may be able to provide you with support if they are aware of your problem. Otherwise, they may misinterpret a change in your behaviour as a performance issue. • Workplace social support is a factor in managing and recovering from a mental health condition. • You have rights under legislation.

Depression and anxiety is a recognised disability and attracts certain rights under the Australia-wide Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Reasons to tell It may be a good idea to tell your employer about your depression or anxiety if it impacts on how you do your job or the health and safety aspects of your work environment, for example, if you feel that your decision-making capacity or ability to operate machinery is compromised. It may also be a good idea to discuss your condition with your employer if it’s affecting your standard of work, especially if you are being subjected to disciplinary procedures or warnings for poor work performance. In this case, you may need some workplace adjustments.

Depression and anxiety is a recognised disability and attracts certain rights under the Australia-wide Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

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Telling your employer If you decide to tell your employer that you have depression or anxiety, you may find it useful to think about the following: • What are your reasons for telling? • What reaction are you expecting? • What will you do if the reaction you get is different from your expectations? • Who will you tell? It may be helpful, initially, to talk to a trusted colleague who can provide support. You may decide to ask this person to be present when you talk to your manager about your depression or anxiety. This may be particularly useful if you are unwell at the time of the discussion. Alternatively, you may find it useful to have a confidential discussion with a HR officer. • What will you say? How much detail about your condition are you comfortable revealing? • Are there any particular actions your employer could take that would assist you? • Are there problems at work that are contributing to your current situation? For example, are there problems with other people bullying or harassing you? Do you want to discuss these with your manager? • Explain how your experience of depression or anxiety impacts on your ability to do your job. If it doesn’t impact at all, tell your manager this to avoid incorrect assumptions. Tell him/her about any adjustments you may require. • Remind your employer of your skills and strengths in your role. • Discuss the best way for you and your manager to talk about concerns in the future. • Keep a record of all discussions you have with your manager about these issues. Telling your workmates It’s also a good idea to discuss with your manager what, if anything, you would like other team members to know about your experience. Your manager has an obligation to keep details of your condition confidential. It’s also worth asking if your organisation has a policy regarding employee privacy. If adjustments are made to your job, you may also find your colleagues will be curious about them. For example, if you have organised to have time off work, colleagues may ask your manager why you get time off but they don’t.

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If you decide to also tell your workmates, or give permission for your manager to inform the team or certain individuals, consider: • How much detail are you comfortable revealing? • How will you answer potentially insensitive questions from colleagues who don’t understand what you are experiencing? • What do you want your manager to tell your colleagues?

What are the signs and symptoms? There are some common signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety to be aware of. In addition, there are some workplace behaviours that might indicate someone is having a mental health issue. These include: • Finding it difficult to concentrate on tasks • Turning up to work late

• How will you describe what’s been happening?

• Feeling tired and fatigued

• Think about whether you want to mention your diagnosis.

• Getting angry easily or frustrated with tasks or people

Know your rights

• Finding it difficult to meet reasonable deadlines

If you think you’ve been treated unfairly at work because of your depression or anxiety, or you would like information on your rights, contact the Australian Human Rights Commission on 1300 656 419.

• Being unusually tearful or emotional

• Finding it hard to accept constructive and well-delivered feedback • Having difficulty managing multiple tasks or demands

For workmates and colleague

• Drinking alcohol to cope

More than three million Australians experience depression or anxiety, with these conditions tending to affect people during their prime working years (16 to 64 years). It is likely that you know someone, personally or at work, who is experiencing depression or anxiety.

• Having loss of confidence and negative thought patterns

If you’re concerned about a workmate, you can play an important role in assisting them to get help. Here’s some useful information: If you’ve noticed a workmate is not quite acting their usual self, or seems out of sorts, it can be difficult to know what to say. You might not feel it’s your place to say anything at all. But if you are concerned about someone, it’s best not to ignore the situation. Reaching out and being supportive is a good way of looking out for your colleagues. It’s not your role to diagnose or provide counselling, but it is your role to assist the person to get help if they need it. Each situation will be different and but remember, your role can be critical in assisting that person to get the help they need. Half of all those experiencing depression and anxiety do not seek help, even though there are plenty of effective treatments out there. The workplace can play an important role in whether someone seeks help or not.

• Appearing restless, tense and on edge • Avoiding certain workplace activities such as staff meetings • Becoming overwhelmed or upset easily • Finding it hard to make decisions • Referring to being constantly worried and appearing apprehensive. Have you ever noticed someone behaving differently in your workplace? Do you think that they are not quite acting their usual self? If you’re concerned about someone, approach them. The key is to initiate conversation and understand their situation. Encourage them to seek help and give them details of help services. Tips for helping workmates with depression or anxiety: • Learn about depression and anxiety. • Find out what help is available, for example, does your workplace offer an Employee Assistance Program? • Think about how to approach your colleague. Are you the best person? Maybe another workmate or someone from HR might be more suitable? What’s the best time and place? How will you react if your discussion doesn’t go as planned? • Plan how you will start your conversation. Let the person know that you are concerned

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and explain why. Open-ended questions are a good way to start a conversation. The conversation will be easier when approached with respect and concern. • Use appropriate body language. Make the person feel comfortable. To show you are listening, try to maintain eye contact and sit in a relaxed position. • Don’t diagnose. It is not your role to diagnose depression or anxiety, or to provide counselling. • Accept their decision. If they don’t wish to speak about it, respect their choice, but leave the door open for further discussion. • The discussion might not be immediately successful and you may need to try a few times to approach them. However, your actions may still make a difference. The person may choose to act at a later stage or continue the conversation with others.

DO • Spend time talking about their experiences • Indicate that you’ve noticed a change in their behaviour • Suggest they might see their doctor • Offer to assist them to make an appointment

Remember, speaking openly about mental health in the workplace will reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking.

Looking after yourself It’s important for people who are caring for someone with depression or anxiety to look after themselves, both physically and emotionally. They need to stay strong and reliable, not only for the person they’re looking after, but also for themselves. However, the constant, sometimes overwhelming, nature of being a carer can put a person at greater risk of developing depression. The beyondblue Guide for Carers — Caring for others, caring for yourself is a booklet developed by carers, for carers. Based on personal stories and experiences, the guide offers helpful advice and tips about caring for others and caring for yourself too. It also looks at understanding your feelings and the impact a mental health problem can have on you, your family and friends.

The guide covers: • How to get through the tough times • What worked (and what didn’t) • How to overcome a range of difficulties • How to support the person with the illness • How to access support for carers. In addition, the beyondblue DVD Carers’ Stories of Hope and Recovery features interviews with people who care for, or support, a friend or relative with depression, anxiety or a related disorder. You can order the free DVD or watch the interviews here www.beyondblue.org.au/resources/orderprinted-information-resources

• Ask how their appointment went • Talk openly about depression and anxiety and assist them to find information • Refer to resources at work, such as Employee Assistance Programs • Encourage them to exercise, eat well and become involved in social activities.

DON'T • Pressure them to ‘snap out of it’, ‘get their act together’ or ‘cheer up’ • Stay away or avoid them • Tell them they just need to stay busy or get out more • Assume the problem will just go away. Look after yourself by exercising, eating well and becoming involved in a social activity.

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situation or seek out services that provide education and support for carers of people with mental health conditions. Useful organisations for carers

• Carers Australia is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of carers through important services like carer counselling, advice, advocacy, education and training.

Make sure you spend time to unwind and do things you enjoy.

• Mental Health Carers Arafmi Australia (MHCAA) provide specialist mental health support to families, carers and their friends. Support includes: linking people to other carers who can offer face-to-face peer support, education services with other carers, and advocacy services which help carers to identify and find solutions to their challenges.

Helpful tips

• Carer Advisory and Counselling Service provide family carer support and counselling. Contact your state or territory branch of Carers Association on 1800 242 636 (free call from landlines).

Learn about depression and anxiety

Talk it through with us

This may help you to understand why a person with the illness behaves in a certain way. It may also help you to separate the illness from the person and to realise that the person’s mood or behaviour is not necessarily directed at you. You can explore the pages of the website through www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts. You can also contact our www.beyondblue.org.au/ get-support/get-immediate-support for information and advice. Take time out

As a family member or friend of a person who is experiencing depression and/or anxiety, it’s important to look after yourself too. Make sure you spend time to unwind and do things you enjoy. Talk to someone

It may be helpful to talk to your friends or family members about how you’re feeling in your role as a carer. If you’re having trouble coping and don’t feel comfortable talking with the people you know, talk to a counsellor. Support for carers If you’re living with, or caring for, someone who is experiencing depression or anxiety, you may feel isolated sometimes and friends or other family members may not understand the position you’re in. Try talking to people who are in a similar

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We all have good days and bad days. Then there are those days when something isn’t quite right, you’ve got something on your mind, or things just seem too much. Whatever it may be, sharing the load with someone else can really help. So no matter who you are, or how you’re feeling, you can talk it through with us.

Last year over 70,000 Australians contacted us about their concerns — both big and small — and you can too. All calls and chats are one-on-one with a trained mental health professional, and completely confidential. Although we may ask for your first name and some general details, you can let us know if you’d like to remain anonymous.

Call 1300 22 4636 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Give us a call any time of the day or night, and we’ll be there to listen, offer advice and point you in the right direction (for the cost a local call, could be more from mobiles). Or visit www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/ get-immediate-support to chat online or email beyondblue. More information This information has been taken from the beyondblue website. For more information please visit www.beyondblue.org.au

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Are you gambling with your future? Responsible gambling What is responsible gambling? Responsible gambling occurs in an environment where the potential for harm associated with gambling is minimised and people make informed decisions about their gambling habits. The responsible gambler A responsible gambler is a person who: • Is in control of their gambling • Sees gambling as entertainment, not as a hobby or way to make a living • Doesn’t take gambling too seriously • Only gambles with money set aside for entertainment • Never borrows money from family or friends to gamble • Sets limits on the amount and money they will spend and sticks to these limits • Recognises that gamblers can’t win in the long run and doesn’t try to chase a win • Is happy to take frequent breaks when gambling. Problem gambling refers to a situation where: • The safety and well being of gambling customers and/or their loved ones is placed at risk • Negative impacts from gambling extend to the community. Problem gambling occurs when gambling behaviour causes disruption in any or all major areas of life including; psychological, physical, social, emotional, financial or vocational. Problem gambling The three phases of problem gambling

There are many pathways to problem gambling and each problem gambler may have a different experience. Research suggests that there are three distinct phases to problem gambling:

1. The winning phase: Gamblers experience a big win, or a series of wins that leave them believing, unrealistically, that their winning will continue. This leads to excitement when gambling and may lead to increases in bets and money spent. 2. The losing phase: Gamblers are more likely to gamble alone, think more about gambling and borrow money to gamble. They may start lying to family and friends and become irritable, restless and withdrawn. Gamblers begin to chase their losses, believing that they will be able to win back their losses. 3. The desperation phase: During this final phase there is a significant increase in the time spent gambling, often accompanied by remorse, blaming others and alienating family and friends. Individuals who have developed a problem with their gambling may experience hopelessness, mental health issues, relationship issues and substance abuse issues. Warning signs of problem gambling Gambling should be an enjoyable experience. Borrowing money to gamble, exceeding spending limits, using money allocated for other purposes or spending increased time at the Casino can lead to significant problems. Individuals who have developed a problem with their gambling frequently don’t realise they have a problem, or they are in denial and try to hide the extent of their gambling habits. Warning signs of a problem with gambling can include:

• Lying to family members, friends or employers to conceal involvement with gambling • Feeling irritable or restless when attempting to stop or cut down time spent gambling • Failing to reduce or stop gambling after repeated attempts • Placing gambling as a priority above other previously important relationships and activities • Risking significant relationships, family, job, educational or career opportunities because of gambling • Relying on others to provide money to relieve financial pressure caused by gambling • Committing illegal acts, such as fraud or theft, to finance gambling activities. If you identify with one or two of these behaviours you may be ‘at risk’ of developing a problem with your gambling. Identifying with more than two of the above indicators suggests your gambling may have become a problem.

Be in control For most people gambling is a way to socialise and have fun. In order to gamble responsibly, consider the following strategies: • Pay your bills and buy food before deciding to gamble • Only gamble with your own money • Plan your gambling — set limits on the time and money you will spend before leaving the house • Keep a record of your wins and losses

• A preoccupation with gambling. A strong, seemingly uncontrollable urge to gamble

• Do not take an EFTPOS or credit card to access extra money

• Spending more money and time on gambling activities than originally intended

• Don’t drink or use drugs when gambling

• Continuing to gamble to recoup losses

• Take time to learn how the game operates before you play

• Gambling whenever money is available

• Don’t gamble when you’re feeling emotional

WA Grower winter 2013

Your self

Manage your gambling Crown Perth appreciates and understands the problems associated with excessive gambling and offers Player Activity Statements, Play Safe Limits and a Self-Exclusion Programme. Player activity statements Crown offer play history activity statements to help you manage your gambling. Player Activity Statements can be accessed on all VIK machines to show you how much you have been spending during your visit to the Casino. Simply insert your Crown Club card into a VIK machine, enter your pin and press: Player Activity Statement. Play safe limits Stay in control and still have fun while playing the games at Crown Perth. To help you maintain control you now have the option to: • Set an amount you want to spend on any given day • Set a time limit for your visit • Be notified when you have reached your limit. • Remember, the house always has the advantage • Do not chase losses • Balance gambling with your other leisure choices • Know the warning signs of problem gambling

Visit the Crown Club desk and speak to one of our friendly staff to set your own private and confidential limits today. Self-exclusion may be an option What is self-exclusion?

• Tell someone if you are feeling particularly stressed, unhappy or upset.

Self-exclusion is exactly as the name suggests, you may personally request to be excluded from entering the Casino. Self-exclusion is a simple and highly confidential process.

What else can you do?

How to exclude yourself

It is important to remember that help is available. If you feel your gambling is becoming a problem the following measures may help you:

Once you have decided that you wish to exclude yourself from entering the Casino, you may:

• Access professional counselling to help understand the reasons why you gamble • Access a financial counsellor to assist with a budgeting plan to repay debts • Make a gambling diary (record all casino visits and the outcomes)

• Approach a staff member at the Security Podium in the Casino or at the front entry to the Casino • Visit the RSG Centre at Riverside Entry at the base of the escalators • Contact the Responsible Gambling Team on (08) 9362 7500 or email rsg@crownperth.com.au

• Identify the future risks (financial, personal, family) of any further problematic gambling and devise strategies to avoid such risks

• Contact the Gaming Shift Manager (GSM) in person, or by telephone on (08) 9362 7622.

• Set Play Safe Limits on our VIK machines to cap your spending

Getting help

• Establish goals to abstain from gambling • Make an application for voluntary selfexclusion.

WA Grower winter 2013

Help is available It can be difficult to overcome problem gambling on your own. If you need support

and would like to talk to someone about your gambling habits or the habits of somebody you care about, Crown Perth provides private and confidential counselling services to all Casino patrons. Crown Perth’s Responsible Service of Gambling Team If you would like to speak to the team about Crown Perth’s RSG programmes, including Self-Exclusion and Third Party Exclusion programmes, visit the RSG Centre at Riverside Entry at the base of the escalators. Alternatively, you can call an RSG team member on (08) 9362 7500 or email rsg@crownperth.com.au. The RSG Centre operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Free and confidential advice is available

Gambling Help Online Gambling Help Online is operated by Turning Point Alcohol & Drug Centre, they have been a treatment service for problem gambling since 2,000 across many states of Australia. For further information please visit Online Gambling at www.gamblinghelponline.org.au. Gambling Help WA is a division of Centrecare. It is a not-for-profit organisation delivering a wide range of counselling services across Western Australia. All counselling staff are experienced professionals with qualifications in psychology, social work or other social science disciplines. Centrecare’s Gambling Help WA is a free service for people affected by problem gambling, their partners and families. It offers a supportive environment to talk about the impact that gambling has on their lives as well as the opportunity to learn new ways to manage the behaviour. Individual and couples counselling

Regular counselling sessions are offered to individuals, their partners or family members to discuss their concerns about the gambling behaviour. Groups

People wishing to gain skills and confidence to control gambling behaviour in a supportive group environment may access this program. The group program is run over 10 weeks and provides participants with the opportunity for personal development, insight and learning through structured exercises.

Your self

How long is a counselling session?

Generally, counselling sessions last 50 minutes. This service is funded by the Problem Gambling Support Services Committee.

Farmsafe WA Farm Safety Training Course

Contact: Gambling Help WA, (08) 9325 5133 (during business hours)

The Problem Gambling Helpline This is a 24-hour confidential telephone counselling and referral service for anyone who would like to know about gambling related problems and how to deal with them. The Problem Gambling Helpline can also help arrange free professional face to face counselling. Contact: Problem Gambling Helpline, 1800 858 858 (24-hour service) It is important to remember that these services will not judge you or discriminate against you. Their role is to support you and to provide helpful, practical advice to address your gambling concerns.

What to expect from counselling It can be useful to talk to a counsellor who is aware of problem gambling issues and who is committed to supporting you with your decision to alter your gambling behaviour. A counsellor will work with you to put strategies in place that will help you reach your goal and reduce the risk of returning to gambling. A financial counsellor can also help you sort out your money management and help you devise a plan to repay your debts. Contact Crown Perth Crown Perth’s Responsible Gambling Information Centre is located at the Riverside Entrance near the base of the escalators. The Centre is currently open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. The RSG Centre operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Alternatively, you can call on (08) 9362 7500 or email rsg@crownperth.com.au. The team is here to offer you, your friend or family member advice on all aspects of gambling as well as information on a range of available support services. More information Should you have any questions about our RSG practices, or how we can help, contact a member of our Responsible Service of Gambling Team on (08) 9362 7500 or email rsg@crownperth.com.au.

The objectives of the program are to increase productivity through the development of skills in managing risks of injury and illness associated with life and work on farms.

Farmsafe WA recently delivered their one day Managing Farm Safety Course to employees at Loose Leaf Lettuce Company in Gingin. Processing supervisors Bianca and Justine Jacques, Farm Manager Jonathon Goble and Farmhand Nicholas Passmore successfully achieved their Certificates of Achievements following an intensive day of theory and practical modules. Ned Taddei from Taddei Orchards joined the group to revisit this course training and also achieved a credit pass grade.

The Managing Farm Safety program has benefited from the input of farmers in a variety of agricultural industries. The training program has been developed by the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety and FarmSafe Australia. The objectives of the program are to increase productivity through the development of skills in managing risks of injury and illness associated with life and work on farms. The day course is a combination of theory and practical activities, conducted in on-farm environments and is suitable for all farm workers and farm owners.

All business owners have certain rights and responsibilities regarding health and safety in the workplace. Even if you don’t have any employees, you must ensure that your business does not create health and safety problems for anyone coming onto your property. Under OHS legislation you are obliged to provide: • A suitable working environment and facilities • Safe premises and systems of work • Safe machinery and substances • Information, instruction, training and supervision. Understanding the OHS laws will avoid the unnecessary costs and damage to the business caused by workplace injury and illness. Employees also have certain responsibilities and must take reasonable care to protect their own health and safety and that of others whilst at work. This includes following safety instructions and being cooperative and working with the employer to ensure all OHS requirements within the workplace are met. More information For further information on the Managing Farm Safety Course, please visit: www.farmsafewa.org or contact the Farmsafe office on: (08) 9359 4118.

It costs more to have an accident than to prevent it! WA Grower winter 2013

Your industry

Grower profile Le Quoc Su — Vietnamese translation

Nông dân trồng cà người Việt vượt qua rào cản ngôn ngữ trên đất Úc để tiến bộ Võ Thế Truyền Nhân viên khuyến nông Việt Nam, VegetablesWA.

Giới thiệu tóm tắt: Tên nông dân: Trần Quốc Sự Dân tộc: Việt Nam Perth

Anh Lê Quốc Sự trồng cà với qui mô hạn chế nhưng rất ấn tượng về hiệu quả ở Carnarvon. Sự khác biệt ở anh là tính ham học hỏi và tinh thần cần mẩn, sáng tạo vượt qua trở ngại về ngôn ngữ để liên tục cập nhật tin tức và biện pháp kỹ tuật mới để nâng cao hiệu quả sản xuất. Quê quán của anh Sự ở vùng đất hẻo lánh phía nam Việt Nam được bao bọc bởi rừng ngập nước, vùng đất giàu truyền thống văn hóa nhưng nghèo nàn và lạc hậu về kinh tế giáo dục. Chuyện học hành của con em trên vùng đất này trước đây là điều xa xĩ. Sang Úc định cư khoảng năm 2005 tại Carnarvon, anh rời bỏ gia đình, ruộng vườn và vùng đất nghèo khó với hy vọng gầy dựng được tương lai trên xứ sở này. Như nhiều người mới nhập cư truớc đây anh Sự bắt đấu kiếm sống bằng nghề làm thuê cho chủ trồng cà. Tuy nhiên ngay từ đầu anh đã xác định mục tiêu là phải có sự thay đổi, phải làm sao khá hơn, có cuộc sống dể dàng hơn cho bản thân và cho gia đình. Sau một thời gian làm thuê anh tích lũy ít vốn liếng ra làm hùn từng phần với chủ rồi dần dần mướn đất canh tác độc lập. Hiện nay anh Sự trồng cà trên 6 hec ta đất thuê. Anh luôn chú tâm học hỏi, tìm cách làm cho tranh trại của mình ngày càng tốt hơn. Tuy nhiên có một vấn đề chính ảnh hưởng đến quá trình hoàn thiện của anh – đó là trở ngại ngôn ngữ. Anh tâm sự “Là nông dân chỉ biết làm theo kinh nghiệm, nếu không chú ý học hỏi cái mới thì làm sao khá được. Nhưng với vốn

WA Grower winter 2013

tiếng Anh hạn chế thì tiếp thu thông tin, tài liệu không dễ dàng chút nào”. Xác định rỏ điểm yếu về khả năng ngôn ngữ của mình, ngay từ những năm mới qua (khi còn phải tranh thủ làm để tích lủy vồn liếng) anh Sự vẫn cố gắng thu xếp theo hoc tiếng Anh vời thầy cô dạy tình nguyện tại địa phương. Lớp mở chủ yếu vào giờ nghỉ trưa trong vài ba ngày của tuần. Dù cho người học thưa thớt dần do nhiều lý do khác nhau nhưng anh vẫn đeo đuổi suốt 3 năm cho đến khi thầy cô đổi đi nơi khác. Tiếp tục theo đuổi quyêt tâm học tiếng Anh để được thoải mái và tự tin trong giao tiếp như nhiều anh em ở địa phương, anh Sự hoàn tất chương trình hổ trở ngôn ngữ cho người nhập cư do chính phủ tài trợ. Kết thúc khóa học anh được ghi nhận là một trong những học sinh quyết tâm và cần cù nhất của chương trình, anh được phỏng vấn và nghi hình như là tấm gương cho học viên khác. Thật ra các lớp tiếng Anh kể trên giúp anh có thể trao đổi và hiểu các vấn để phổ thông, nhưng không đủ để anh tự tin giao tiếp, trao đổi về những vấn đề kỹ thuật trông trồng trọt. Anh luôn cảm ơn sự gần gủi và hổ hợ của anh em bạn bè địa phương khi tham gia hội họp, tập huấn. Anh Sự hay nhắc về người bạn tên Đức – một người Việt trưởng thành tại Úc – là một trong những người thường hổ trợ anh về vấn đề ngôn ngữ. Có một điều thú vị là anh Đức cũng là nông dân trồng cà và cũng rất quan tâm đến vấn đề cải tiến kỹ thuật. Anh Sự luôn tranh thủ tham gia các buổi hội họp và tập huấn. Trong và sau các

Nông dân trồng cà: Carnarvon Diện tích canh tác: 6ha

cuộc họp anh tranh thủ trao đổi với anh em địa phương để nắm bắt nội dung và các vấn dề quan trọng. Có điều gì thắc mắc anh cũng nhờ anh em giúp hỏi lại cho rỏ ràng. Với sự giúp đở về phiên dịch của anh Đức anh Sự không ngại mời chuyên gia và các cán bộ kỹ thuật nói tiếng Anh đến trang trại của mình để tham vấn kỹ thuật và tranh thủ học hỏi kinh nghiệm.

Được sự giúp đở nhưng anh Sự cũng ý thức được rằng bản thân cũng phải tìm cách làm thế nào để hiểu được các vấn đề kỹ thuật và các giao tiếp phát sinh hằng ngày. Anh thủ sẳn tự điển trong điện thoại để tiện tham khảo khi cần thiết. Phương tiện này cũng giúp anh tìm hiểu thêm về các hướng dẫn sử dụng phân bón thí dụ như công cụ trực tuyến Tankmix IT của Yara. Cuộc sống đòi hỏi phải luôn tìm tòi và phấn đấu. Anh Sự cảm thấy hài lòng với hoàn cảnh và công việc làm ăn hiện tại. Nhưng điều đó không có nghĩa là anh đã thỏa mãn. Thĩnh thoãng trong cuộc trao đổi anh hay nhắc về nhiều trường hợp thành công của anh em người Việt tại địa phương, anh cũng hy vọng về viễn cảnh may mắn để được canh tác ngay trên mảnh đất của chính mình. Anh ngại người khác cho rằng mình tự cao tự đại, nhưng tôi cho rằng nếu ai không có mong ước được làm chủ như vậy thì người đó không phải là nông dân thứ thiệt. Như vậy cũng đã là một chặng đường dài đối vói anh Sự từ khi rời Việt Nam, nhưng với anh thì nó chưa đủ dài cho đến khi anh “xài” được tiếng Anh thoải mái.

Your industry

Stable fly regulations update — Vietnamese translation

Cập nhật những qui định phòng trừ ruồi trâu IAN MCPHARLIN Bộ Nông Nghiệp và Lương thực Điều luật mới về phòng trừ ruồi trâu trong nghành trồng trọt và chăn nuôi (thâm canh tập trung) đang hoàn thiện và sẽ được đưa vào thực hiện từ ngày 1 tháng 9 năm 2013. Điều luật phòng trừ ruồi trâu nằm trong đạo luật về An toàn sinh học và quản lý nông nghiệp (BAMA) 2007. Đạo luật này bao hàm một số đạo luật có lien quan đến nông nghiệp trước đây.

Có nhiều nông dân như Maureen Dobra, Roy Humphries và Tony Colloti cùng với thành phần đại diện cho nông dân như John Shannon và Jim Turley ở Hiệp Hội Rau Tây Úc tham gia ý kiến cùng với nhóm soạn thảo luật.

Các bước hoàn thiện tiếp theo của dự luật sẽ do Tiểu ban Thực thi trong nhóm soạn thảo luật đảm trách. Trong quá trình này các đại diện của nghành trồng rau sẽ được tiếp tục mời tham gia để chuyển điều luật về sức khỏe (có liên quan đến vấn đề ruồi trâu) — Health Act vào trong BAM Act. Điều cốt lõi là Tiểu ban này sẽ quyết định các điều khoản cụ thể về các biện pháp bắt buộc phải thực thi trong trang trai sản xuất để phòng trừ ruồi trâu. Quà trình hoàn thiện này phải kết thúc trước

Cận cảnh vòi ruồi trâu trong rau quả thối.

ngày 01/9/2013 khi điều luật về sức khỏe (có liên quan đến vấn đề bón phân gà) — Health Act 2001 hết hiệu lực.

Ruồi trâu sinh sản rất dữ dội trong tàn dư rau trái thối ngoài đồng.

Kể từ 01/9/2013 đạo luật về phòng trừ ruồi trâu yêu cầu nông dân trồng rau thực hiện các biện pháp hạn chế tối đa ruồi sinh sản trong trang trại. Đạo luật này bao gồm yêu cầu chỉ được sữ dụng phân gà đã qua xử lý như hiện đang áp dụng trong điều luật về sức khỏe (có liên quan đến vấn đề bón phân gà) — Health Act 2001.

Các biện pháp canh tác khác chú trọng vào vấn đề làm thế nào nông dân xử lý phần rau quả loại thải trong trang trại đúng phương pháp và kịp thời để hạn chế ruồi trâu. Chẳng hạn như rau quả loại thải phải được băm nhỏ trong vòng 3 ngày sau khi thu hoạch, hạn chế tưới nước, phun thuốc và chôn lắp hoăc cày vùi xuống đất. Ngoải ra ccòn có các điều khoan lien quan đến các loại hoa màu phải thu hoạch kéo dài nhiều ngày hay là phần loại thải sau qua trình xử lý sau thu hoạch và đóng thùng. Đạo luật chi tiết sẻ được phân phát đến nông dân sau khi hoàn thành.

WA Grower winter 2013

Your production

More Dollars per drop — Vietnamese translation

Gia tăng tỉ suất lợi tức trên chi phí tưới tiêu cho cây trồng ROHAN PRINCE và TILWIN WESTRUP Bộ Nông nghiệp và Lương Thực

Chuyển hướng xây dựng các mô hình thử nghiệm tưới tiêu lên phía Bắc Các mô hình thử nghiệm tưới nhỏ giọt trong mùa hè ở Manjimup đã kết thúc, giớ là lúc chuyển trọng tâm hoạt động của dự án lên các vùng trồng trot phía bắc tiểu bang. Sắp tới đây 2 điểm thử nghiệm sẽ được thiết lập trên đất trồng cà của nông dân tại Carnarvon để đánh giá hiệu quả sữ dụng nước tưới, đồng thời đối chiếu sự khác biệt về cách tưới và phương thức canh tác giữa vùng vày với khu vực đồng bằng ven sông Swan.

Những khuyến cáo mới được xây dựng cho vùng đất cát sẽ phải được gia giảm sao cho phù hợp với điều kiện khác biệt của vùng Gascoyne. Mặc dù có sự khác biệt về nhu cầu tuới nước cho cây trồng giửa 2 vùng, các nguyên lý căn bản về xác định lịch tưới nước, các phương pháp theo dõi và hiệu chỉnh cách tưới vẫn được áp dụng đễ đưa ra khuyến cáo tưới tiêu cho khu vực Carnarvon.

Trong mùa vụ đầu, chúng tôi sẽ tập trung theo dõi và phân tích tập quán canh tác của người dân bằng cách lắp đặt các thiệt bị theo dõi sự biến động của ẩm độ đất, ghi nhận lượng nước bốc hơi để so sánh với luợng nước thực sự cần thiết phải tưới cho cây trồng. Năng suất cây trồng cũng được theo dõi lien tục để so sánh giửa các mùa vụ nhằm chứng minh rằng năng suất được duy hoặc gia tăng cùng với nổ lực tăng cường hiệu quả sữ dụng nước tưới. Những thử nghiệm trước đây cho thấy rằng sự xác định khả năng lưu giử nước của đất là biện pháp rất hưu hiệu để không tưới thừa hoặc thiếu nước và tăng năng xuất.

Bằng việc phân tích, đánh giá và hiệu chỉnh các biện pháp tưới nước trên các giống cây trồng có năng suất cao sau đó áp dụng vào các mô hình thử nghiệm ngay trên ruộng của nông dân chúng tôi hy vọng rằng dựa án sẽ đóng góp những khuyến cáo hợp lý nhằm gia tăng hiệu quả sữ dụng nước cho hoa màu.

WA Grower winter 2013

Công tác kiểm tra đánh giá hệ thống tưới của nông dân tham gia dự án. Đội ngũ kỹ thuật viên của dự án vừa hoàn tất chuyến đi thực địa d9ể đánh giá kinh nghiệm tưới và hệ thống tưới của gần 40 nông hộ tham gia dự án ở Carnarvon.

Kết quả điều tra gần đây tại phía Nam đã chỉ ra nhiều điểm đáng quan tâm. Nhiều nông dân cho rằng hệ thống tưới là ưu tiên và quan trong nhưng kết qua đo đạt cho thấy điều ngược lại là áp lực đường ống và lượng nước phân bổ thì không đồng đều trong khi người dân không biết cách khắc phục, sửa đổi. Nhiều hệ thống tưới mới được thiết kế chuyên nghiệp nhưng cũng còn nhiều hệ thống rất kém hiệu quả. Nhiều nông dân than rằng thiếu kinh phí là trở ngại chính khiến họ không thể nâng cấp hệ thống. Tuy nhiên có nhiều trường hợp cho thấy chỉ cần cải tiến phương pháp tưới mà không tác động đến hệ thống vẫn mang lại sự gia tăng hiệu quả tiết kiệm nước, gia tăng năng xuất, và đôi khi cả hai. Tăng cường sự hiểu biết của nông dân về khả năng cầm giữ nước trong phạm vi rể cây hoạt động và diều chỉnh lịch tưới theo nhu cầu của cây trồng là một trong những hoạt động của dự án. Nhiều nông dân tham gia dự án cho biết họ đã điều chỉnh

tần suất và độ sâu cấp nước cho phù hợp với điếu kiện đất đai và thời tiết.

Công tác khảo sát hệ thống tưới cũng tạo điều kiện cho nông dân so sánh hiệu quả sản xuất và hiệu quả sử dụng nước trên các loại cây trồng và hạng chất lượng khác nhau. Nhiều trường hợp khác thì sử dụng nước lẩn lộn cho nhiều loại hoa màu trong khi sổ sách ghi chép không đầy đủ làm cho việc tính toán hiệu quả sử dụng nước tưới khó chính xác. Càng cung cấp đầy đủ thông tin về sản lượng, phân loại sản phẩm thu hoạch cho từng lô đất cho cán bộ của dự án thì quí vị càng nhận được kết quả đánh giá chích xác để làm cơ sở đưa ra các khuyến cáo xác đáng nhắm tăng cường hiệu quả sử dụng nuớc trong trang trại. Để biết thêm thông tin và đăng ký tham gia dự án quí vị vui lòng gới về số fax: (08) 9780 6163, Hoặc email: tilwin.westrup@agric.wa.gov.au hoặc sarah.houston@vegetablesWA.com.au

Để biết thêm chi tiết về các mô hình thử nghiệm xui vui lòng email: rohan.prince@agric.wa.gov.au hoặc liên lạc số điện thoại: 0429 680 069.

Your production

Recommendations for irrigating tomatoes using drip on sand — Vietnamese translation

Khuyến cáo đối với cà chua trồng trên đất cát được tưới bằng hệ thống tưới nhỏ giọt Rohan Prince Cán bộ nghiên cứu phát triển, Bộ Nông nghiệp và Lương thực Tưới nhỏ giọt là phương pháp rất hửu hiệu để cung cấp nước và dinh dưỡng cho hoa màu trên đất cát. Tuy nhiên, cho dù áp dụng phương pháp tốt nhất đi nữa thì hiệu quả vẫn phụ thuộc vào cách vận hành và giám sát biện pháp tưới này. Tưới nước theo lịch đạt hiệu quả cao trên đất cát là công việc phức tạp đòi hỏi phải triển khai một cách đồng bộ và dựa trên số liệu bốc thoát hơi nước để hiệu chỉnh độ chính xác sao cho nước được phân phối đủ và đều. Nhu cầu nước tưới cho cây trồng được xác định tùy thuộc vào yếu tố môi trường và đặc tính riêng của hoa màu. Yếu tố môi trường liên quan đến sự thay đổi thời tiết khí hậu còn đặc tính của hoa màu thay đổi theo loại cây trồng và các giai đoạn sinh trưởng phát triển khác nhau. Nhiệt độ, tốc độ gió, lượng bức xạ mặt trời, ẩm độ không khí tương đối là các thông số thời tiết xác định lượng nước cần phải tưới cho hoa màu sinh trưởng tốt. Các thông số này được đo đạt trực tiếp bằng cách sữ dụng các dụng cụ như chậu đo lượng bốc hơi, hoặc là được thu thập từ các trạm thời thiết. Quí vị có thể thu thập số liệu bốc hơi từ Bộ Nông Nghiệp và Lương thực hoặc là dịch vụ nhắn tin thời tiết mà Hiệp hội rau (VegetablesWA) đang thực hiện.

Khi cây trưởng thành và ra hoa kết trái thì tỉ số bốc thoát hơi nước phải được tính toán lại và phải thay đổi lịch tưới. Sự khác biệt về nhu cầu nước của hoa màu trong giai đoạn này so với lượng nước

bốc hơi được gọi là hệ số hoa màu (ký hiệu là CF).

Các khuyến cáo cho tưới tiêu trên cây cà chua đã được nghiên cứu trong các dự án do HAL và APC/VPC tài trợ và đã được ứng dụng cho hiệu quả cao tại nhiều trang trại ở Carabooda. Các khuyến cáo này dựa trên nghiên cứu được tiến hành trong điều kiện canh tác của vùng đồng bằng sông Swan xung quanh Perth. Cà chua ở đây dược trồng theo hàng đôi, hàng cách hàng và cây cách cây đều khoảng 50cm, bấm vào cây sì-tích và hệ thống dây chì căng cao khoảng 1,8m. Khoảng cách giửa 2 hàng đôi là 2m với mật độ 20.000 cây/ha. Mỗi hàng cà một dây T-tape.

Bảng 1 trình bày khuyến cáo cho cách tưới cà trên đất cát bao gồm các yếu tố liên quan như giai đoạn sinh trưởng, hệ số hoa màu (CF), độ sâu bộ rể. Lượng nước bốc hơi, lượng mưa đo bằng mi-li-met, vì vậy khuyến cáo lượng nước tưới cũng sữ dụng đơn vị mi-li-met. Lượng nước tưới cho hệ thống tưới nhỏ giọt trên mô hình được tính toán bằng cách nhân lượng nước của một lổ với số lổ trên 1m. Nếu lượng nước chảy là 1l/ lổ/giờ và khoảng cách giửa 2 lổ là 25cm thì lượng nước tưới là 4l/m T-tape/giờ.

Tính toán lượng nước tưới bằng cách nhân lượng nước bốc hơi với hệ số hoa màu theo từng giai đoạn sinh trưởng. Sau đây là ví dụ về cách tính lượng nước tưới: — Khi cây cà mới bấm nuột 1 thí công thức tính toán là: Lượng nước yêu cầu = lượng nước bốc hơi x hệ số hoa màu

= 8 .3 (thu thập từ số liệu khí tượng) x 0.6 (xem bảng 1) = 5mm

Bảng 1 Hệ số hoa màu khuyến cáo cho cà chua trồng trên đất cát khu vực đồng bằng sông Swan Giai đoạn sinh trưởng

Hệ số hoa màu

Từ khi trồng đến bén rể

0.5

Bấm nuột 2

0.9

Bấm nuột 1 Bấm nuột 3 Bấm nuột 4

Bấm nuột 5 đến khi bắt đầu thu hoạch

Suốt thới kỳ thu hoạch đến cuối mùa vụ

Độ sâu bộ rể (mm) 75

0.6

100

1.1

250

1.3 1.4

1.2

200 300 300

300

Tính toán thời gian cần tưới thí áp dụng công thức:

Thời gian tưới (tính theo giờ) = lượng nước yêu cầu/lượng nước ra của 1m T tape.

= 5/4 = 1 giờ 15phút

Thời gian tưới (tính theo phút) = lượng nước yêu cầu/lượng nước ra của 1m T tape x 60.

= 5/4 x 60 = 75 phút

Sau khi tính toán được lựơng nước yêu cầu thì tưới như thế nào còn tùy thuộc vào đặc tính đất đai của từng trang trại như khả năng cầm giử nước của đất, chất lượng nước, và giai đoạn sinh trưởng của cây trồng để đảm bảo cung cấp nước vừa đủ khả năng cầm giử của đất và trong phạm vi rể cây. Nếu tưới nước quá nhiều một lần thì lượng nước vượt quá khả năng cầm giử của đất sẽ thấm sâu xuống khỏi vùng rể có thể hấp thu, gây tổn hao nước và phân bón. Thông thường thì đa số bộ rể cà không ăn sâu quá độ sâu của đường cày. Một vài rể cái có thể sâu hơn 30cm nhưng đa số rể tơ (loại rể hút nước và dinh dưỡng chính của cây) năm trong phạm vi độ sâu từ 0-25cm. Vì vây, đối với cây cà đang thu hoạch thì chỉ nên tưới sao cho nước không thấm xuống quá 30cm độ sâu để hạn chế thất thoát và gia tăng hiệu quả sữ dụng nước và phân bón. Nên lưu ý rằng hệ số hoa màu trên đất cát thường cao hơn trên đất thịt và sét vì bị ảnh hưởng do đất cát có khả năng cầm giữ nước kém hơn. Nông dân nên sữ dụng các dụng cụ theo dõi ẩm độ đất kiểm tra hiệu quả tưới. Ngoài ra quí vị cũng nên đảm bảo cung cấp nước vừa đủ và đồng đều giửa các lần tưới.

Áp dụng biện pháp kiểm tra độ thấm sâu của nước tưới bằng cách nhuộm màu có thể xác định thời gian tưới phù hợp cho từng loại đất và từng giai đoạn phát triển của hoa màu. Một khi lịch tưới nước được xác định cẩn thận thông qua hệ số hoa màu, số liệu lượng nước bốc hơi, và đặc tính đất đai thì chắc chắn sẽ gia tăng hiệu quả sữ dụng nước và phân bón. Muốn biết thêm thông tin về vấn đề nêu trên, quí vị vui lòng liên lạc với Rohan Prince qua địa chỉ email rohan.prince@agric. wa.gov.au hoặc điện thoại 0429 680 069. Các tài liệu kỹ thuật về vấn đề này cũng sẽ sớm được phát hành.

WA Grower winter 2013

Your production

Nut grass control: a review — Vietnamese translation

Lượt khảo tài liệu về vấn đề phòng trừ cỏ cú (củ gấu) Võ Thế Truyền Nhân viên khuyến nông Việt Nam, VegetablesWA. Cỏ cú có tên khoa hoc dùng trong các tài liệu là Cyperus rotundus L., trong tiếng việt còn gọi là củ gấu, còn trong các tài liệu kỹ thuật tiếng Anh gọi phổ biến là nutgrass, purple nut sedge, coco-grass. Cỏ cú được liệt vào loại đáng ngại và khó trị nhất trong nông nghiệp, đặc biệt là trong lảnh vực trồng các loại rau, hoa, quả. Không chỉ cạnh tranh nước và phân bón mà rế của chúng còn tiết ra hoá chất ảnh hưởng đến sinh trưởng của cây trồng chung quanh. Nhiều tài liệu cũng ghi nhận cỏ cú là ký chủ của truyến trùng gây bệnh rể chùm và các loại sâu bọ khác . Cỏ cú mọc trên tất cả các bang của Úc, riêng ở Tây Úc thì loại cỏ nầy được ghi nhận gây hại trong nông nghiệp tại nhiều

địa phương như Ashburton, Broome, Carnarvon, Chittering, Derby-West Kimberley, Gingin, Greater Geraldton, Roebourne, Stirling, Wanneroo, Wiluna, Wyndham-East Kimberley .

Thế giới đã nghiên cứu về cỏ cú và cách phòng tri tử rất lâu. Mỹ đã nghiên cứu vấn đề này từ năm 1946 còn ở Úc thì khoảng từ năm 1965 . Bài lượt khảo tài liệu này nhằm tóm tắt một số điểm chính liên quan đến đặc tính của loại cỏ này và tổng hợp các khuyến cáo phòng trừ dựa trên các kết quả nghiên cứu. Hy vọng rằng tài liệu này sẽ cung cấp cho bà con nông dân thông tin bổ ích để tìm ra cách phòng trừ cỏ cứu hiệu quả trong trang trại của mình.

Đặc tính sinh học của cỏ cú Cỏ cú là loại cỏ đa niên có thân hình tam giác (như cỏ chác, cỏ lác), sinh sản chủ yếu bằng rể củ và đôi khi bằng hạt. Loại cỏ này có thể phát tán theo đất đổ từ nơi khác đến, theo máy móc cơ giới, nước lủ, gió, và theo cây giống nhập về. Mặc dù hạt cỏ thường kém nẩy mầm nhưng

Cỏ cú mọc xuyên qua lớp nhụa phủ trên luống cà ở Carnarvon.

WA Grower winter 2013

củ cỏ cú có thể sống tiềm ẩn lâu đến 10 năm và sâu trong đất . Mổi cây cỏ có thể sinh ra hàng tram củ hàng năm. Củ cỏ cú cần trãi qua mùa đông lạnh trước khi nẩy mầm và mọc rất mạnh khi đất dược cày xới. Tuy nhiên củ có cú cũng dể bị khô và chết nếu gặp hạn.

Trong diệu kiện khí hậu đất đai ở Perth, cỏ cú phát triển nhanh và sinh sôi nhiều củ vào mùa hè rới ra hoa hết hạt vào mùa đông. Cù cỏ mọc thành cây vào mùa xuân năm sau rồi lại tiếp tục nẩy ra củ mới vào mùa hè .

Tài liệu nghiên cứu cho biết củ cỏ ít phát triển khi nhiệt độ thấp hơn 20 độ C. Khi một củ cỏ 9âm chối thì nó ức chế sự nẩy mầm của các củ cỏ khác dính liền nhau trong cùng một cây mẹ. Vì vậy nếu hệ tống sợi rể lien hệ giửa các củ cỏ bị cắt đứt do cày xới thì nhiều củ có thể nẩy mầm cùng một lúc. Củ càng nằm sâu dưới đất thì càng sống lâu dưới dạng tiềm ẩn. Trong điều kiện phù hợp cỏ mọc rất mạnh xuyên qua lớp nhụa phủ trên luống trồng.

Your production

References 1. www.herbiguide.com.au/Descriptions/ hg_Nutgrass.htm. Retrieved 27/5/2013. 2. http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/ profile/810. 3. Justice, 0L. and Whitehead. MD. 1946. Seed production, viability and dormancy in the nutgrasses Cyperus rotundus and C. esculentus. Jour. Agr. Res. 73: 303-318. 4. Meadly, G.R.W. 1965. Weeds of Western Australia. Department of Agriculture and Food, WA. p42-45. 5. http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/ profile/810 (Kate Brown and Karen Bettink, Monday 18 February 2013). 6. www.herbiguide.com.au/Descriptions/ hg_Nutgrass.htm. Retrieved 27/5/2013. 7. Charles GW. 1995. Nutgrass (Cyperus rotundus L.) control in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 35, 633–639 http://books.google.com.au/books/about/ Life_history_studies_as_related_to_weed. html?id=fQUnAQAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y. Retrieved 26/5/2013.

Cỏ cú trong vườn trồng cà ở Carabooda.

8. www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1073/ ANR-1073.pdf. Retrieved by 19/5/2013.

Phòng trừ cỏ cú Rất nhiều nghiên cứu đã được tiến hành trên thề giới để tìm hiểu và tìm cách diệt cỏ cú. Các biệt pháp chính được xem là có hiệu quả trong các điều kiện canh tác khác nhau gồm có biện pháp canh tác, biện pháp cơ giới, và biện pháp dùng thuốc diệt cỏ. Quan điểm được nhiều nhà nghiên cứu đồng ý là để diệt cỏ cú triệt để thì phải có chương trình áp dụng đồng bộ nhiều biện pháp . Hạn chế cỏ cú bằng biện pháp canh tác :

• Trồng dày (tùy theo tình hình đất đai, giống): do cỏ cú không thích bóng râm nên trồng dày để che cỏ cũng có hiệu quả nhất định .

• Bón phân trong phạm vi luống trồng: Nhằm hạn chế phần phân bón bên ngoài “nuôi” cỏ cú. • Diệt cỏ sau khi hết vụ: Cần phải cày xới nhiều lần trong mùa khô để phơi củ cỏ. Lưu ý rằng nếu cày xới khi đất còn ẩm và thời tiết nóng sẻ kích thích củ cỏ nẩy mầm nhiều, nhanh tạo điều kiện cho thuốc diệt cỏ hậu nẩy mầm phát huy tác dụng.

• Diệt cỏ thủ công: cách này rất hiệu quả khi mới phát hiện cỏ cú trong vườn. Đào sâu tối thiểu 25cm và rộng 20 cm xung quanh cây cỏ để thu gom hết củ. Ảnh: Võ Thế Truyền – VegetablesWA Hạn chế cỏ cú bằng thuốc diệt cỏ:

Rất nhiều loại thuốc diệt cỏ đã được thử nghiệm để điệt cỏ cú như butylate, pebulate, EPTC, halosulfuron, 2,4-D, metolachlor, bentazon, Glyphosate, Methyl bromide, sodium methlydithio-carbamate,

Penoxsulam, Sulfentrazone etc. were tried either alone or in combinations to control nut grass in commercial vegetables . Lưu ý đây là tên hoạt chất hóa học của thuốc. Tên thương phẩm của thuốc bán trên thị trường có thể thay đổi tùy theo quốc gia.

Mỗi loại thuốc có công dụng trong một số điều kiện đất đai, mùa vụ, và phu hợp cho một số loại cây trồng nhất định. Vì vậy nên tham khảo ý kiến của nhà cung cấp thuốc hay cán bộ kỹ thuật để lựa chon thuốc hợp lý. Tuy nhiên tất cả các nnghiên cứu điều khuyến cáo rằng diệt cỏ cú bằng thuốc cỏ hậu nẩy mầm chẳng hạn như halosulfuron cho kết quả cao nhất. Để đảm bảo hiệu quả cao thì cần tuân thủ các biện pháp sau đây: • Lên chương trình diệt cỏ trong 2 năm liên tiếp.

9. www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/pests/ weeds/hgic2312.html. Retrieved 19/5/2013. 10. www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1073/ ANR-1073.pdf. Retrieved by 19/5/2013. 11. www.hort.cornell.edu/expo/ proceedings/2012/Tomato,%20Pepper%20 and%20Eggplant/Tomato%20Majek.pdf Retrieved by 19/5/2013.

Tóm lại một qui trình diệt cỏ cú hiệu quả phải đảm bảo hạn chế tối đa khả năng cỏ sinh sôi củ trong mùa thu và đầu mùa xuân. Vì củ cỏ cú nằm sâu và có khả năng nẩy mầm dưới 15-20 cm trong đất nên phải áp dụng qui trình diệt cỏ qua suốt 2 mùa để đảo bảo trừ được đến 90% củ trong đất. Sau đó tiếp tục theo dõi và diệt ngay những khoảng cỏ còn xót để phòng ngừa sự tái diễn trên diện rộng.

• Khi hết vụ thì kích thích củ cỏ nẩy mầm bằng cách cày xới và tưới ướt đất.

• Phun thuốc cỏ hậu nẩy mầm (chẳng hạn như halosulfuron) khi cỏ mọc xanh tốt có 3-5 lá (lưu ý khi cỏ cú già thì khả năng hấp thụ và dẫn thuốc xuống bộ rể giảm) • Trong vòng 4 gio sau phun thuốc tránh tưới phun, nếu gặp mưa thi phun thuốc lặp lại sau đó.

• Không áp dụng thuốc khi cỏ ít phát triển dưới điều kiện hạn, bị sâu bọ ăn lá… • Phun thuốc lặp lại khi cỏ đợt sau lên được 3-5 lá.

• Tiếp tục theo dõi và phun thuốc trên nhưng mảng cỏ rải rác trong vườn sau các đợt diệt cỏ chính.

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

Permits Permit ID

Minor Use Permits can also be searched by specific crop or pest types at www.apvma.gov.au/permits/search.php

Pesticide

Target

Expiry Date

PER13293

Abamectin

Two-spotted mite and onion thrips

PER13223

Imazamox

Control of grass and broadleaf weeds

31-Dec-13

PER11405

Haloxyfop

Grass weeds

30-May-14

PER13384

Abamectin

Two-spotted mite and brown almond mite

31-Mar-14

PER13266

Azoxystrobin

Anthracnose

30-Jun-13

PER13553

Methoxyfenozide (Prodigy Insecticide)

Carob moth

30-Sep-15

PER13199

Phos acid

Phytopthora

31-Mar-15

PER13387

Pirimicarb

Aphids

31-Mar-17

PER12989

Propiconazole

Blossom blight, anthracnose

31-Aug-16

PER13383

Pymetrozine (Chess)

Green peach aphid

31-Mar-17

PER11121

Simazine

Broadleaf weeds and grasses

31-Dec-14

PER13233

Altacor (chlorantraniliprole)

Carob moth

30-Jun-13

Avatar (indoxacarb)

Garden weevil

30-Sep-16

PER13123

Amistar 250SC Fungicide

Specified fungal diseases

30-Sep-13

PER13897

Filan Fungicide (boscalid)

Sclertonia rot

30-Jun-14

PER12947

Talstar 100 EC Insecticide Miticide

Specified whitefly and mite species

30-Apr-15

PER13009

Propiconazole

Cercospora, leaf spot, blossom blight and anthracnose

31-Oct-13

PER13034

Score Foliar Fungicide

Leaf spot

31-Aug-13

PER11919

Flint 500 WG Fungicide (trifloxystrobin)

Alternaria leaf spot and cercospora leaf spot

30-Sep-13

PER11853

Imidacloprid

Aphids and thrips

30-Sep-15

PER11450

Ethofumesate (Tramat)

Grass weeds

30-Jun-15

PER11949

Lambda-Cyhalothrin

Various insects

31-Mar-15

PER12052

Phosphorous (phosphonic) acid

Damping off and downy mildew

30-Jun-13

PER10908

Tebuconazole

Sclerotonia rot

30-Jun-13

PER13090

Alpha-cypermethrin

Various insect pests

31-May-15

PER12763

Permethrin dust

European wasps

30-Apr-17

Methomyl

Bean pod borer and budworm

31-Oct-16

Adzuki beans 30-Apr-15

Almonds

Asparagus PER12777 Beans

Beetroot

Borlotti beans PER9509

Brassica leafy vegetables

PER12008

Ramrod Herbicide (propachlor)

Annual grasses and broadleaf weeds

30-Sep-15

PER13032

Pirimicarb

Aphids

30-Sep-13

PER13897

Filan Fungicide (boscalid)

Sclertonia rot

30-Jun-14

PER12052

Phosphorous (phosphonic) acid

Damping off and downy mildew

30-Jun-13

PER13291

Acrobat Fungicide

White blister

30-Sep-13

PER10845

Barmac Zineb Fungicide

Cercospora leaf spot and downy mildew

31-Mar-15

PER13154

Dual Gold Herbicide

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

31-Mar-17

PER10497

Imidacloprid

Aphids, whitefly and thrips

31-Mar-14

PER13585

Iprodione

Sclerotinia, grey mould, alternaria leaf spot

30-Jun-13

PER11994

Proclaim Insecticide

Diamondback moth, heliothis and vegetable looper

31-May-14

PER11848

Clethodim

Grass weeds

30-Sep-15

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

Permit ID

Pesticide

Target

Expiry Date

PER13123

Amistar 250SC Fungicide

Specified fungal diseases

30-Sep-13

PER12054

Propiconazole

Cercospora leaf spot, rust, septoria leaf spot

31-Aug-14

PER13090

Alpha-cypermethrin

Various insect pests

31-May-15

PER12016

Mancozeb

Anthracnose and septoria

31-Mar-15

PER12947

Talstar 100 EC Insecticide Miticide

Specified whitefly and mite species

30-Apr-15

PER13672

Chlorpyrifos

Vegetable beetle adults

30-Sep-14

PER13897

Filan Fungicide (boscalid)

Sclertonia rot

30-Jun-14

Tebuconazole

Cercospora leaf spot

31-Mar-14

PER13123

Amistar 250SC Fungicide

Specified fungal diseases

30-Sep-13

PER11951

Phosphorous acid

Downy mildew

31-Mar-15

PER14051

Iprodione

Rhizoctinia

31-Mar-18

PER11951

Phosphorous acid

Downy mildew

31-Mar-15

PER10090

Iprodione

Grey mould

1-Aug-15

PER13123

Amistar 250SC Fungicide

Specified fungal diseases

30-Sep-13

PER11564

Switch Fungicide

Botrytis and sclerotinia

30-Nov-14

PER12565

Scala Fungicide

Botrytis rots

30-Sep-17

PER11778

Agri-fos 600 Systemic Fungicide (phosphorous acid)

Phytophthora soil fungus

30-Nov-15

PER13031

Maldison

Fruit fly

31-May-14

PER13047

Acramite Miticide

Two-spotted mite

30-Sep-13

PER14050

Flint 500 WG Fungicide

Powdery mildew

30-Jun-23

PER14050

Flint 500 WG Fungicide

Powdery mildew

30-Jun-23

PER12052

Phosphorous (phosphonic) acid

Damping off and downy mildew

30-Jun-13

PER10914

Azoxystrobin

Powdery mildew, downy mildew and white blister rust

31-May-14

PER12050

Boscalid

Sclerotinia rot

30-Jun-15

PER13013

Clethodim

Grass weed control

31-Mar-14

PER13305

Glyphosate (shielded sprayer)

Certain broadleaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-15

PER13656

Rovral Aquaflo Fungicide

Various diseases

30-Sep-14

PER11747

2,2-Dichloropropionic Acid

Promotion of bolting and grass weed control

30-Nov-14

PER13123

Amistar 250SC Fungicide

Specified fungal diseases

30-Sep-13

PER11951

Phosphorous acid

Downy mildew

31-Mar-15

PER13147

Lontrel

Capeweed and clover

30-Sep-16

PER14037

Alpha-Cypermethrin

Staphylinid beetle

31-Mar-23

PER10875

Pirimor WG Aphicide (pirimicarb)

Aphids

30-Sep-15

PER13114

Prometryn

Grass weeds listed on label

31-Mar-17

PER13573

Rovral Aquaflo Fungicide (Iprodione)

Sclerotinia rot

30-Jun-14

PER13323

Score Foliar Fungicide (difenoconazole)

Cercospora leaf spot and septoria leaf blight

31-Mar-15

PER13088

Success Neo Insecticide (spinetoram)

Various insect pests

31-Mar-17

PER13090

Alpha-cypermethrin

Various insect pests

31-May-15

PER13658

Flint 500 WG (trifloxystrobin)

Various diseases

30-Sep-14

Broad beans PER12657 Broccoli

Capsicum

Carrots

Cauliflower

Celeriac

Celery

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

Permits (cont.) Permit ID

Pesticide

Target

Expiry Date

PER13936

Applaud Insecticide (buprofezin)

Greenhouse whitefly

30-Jun-14

PER13654

Avatar Insecticide (indoxacarb)

Heliothis, lightbrown apple moth, lucerne leaf roller and vegetable weevil

30-Sep-14

PER13496

Linuron

Range of weeds

30-Apr-17

PER14049

Permethrin (Ambush )

Helicoverpa and looper

31-Mar-23

PER13627

Score Foliar Fungicide (difenoconazole)

Cercospora leaf spot and septoria spots

31-Dec-15

PER13673

Ridomil Gold MZ WG

Late blight, septoria leaf blight and downy mildew

30-Sep-16

PER13009

Propiconazole

Cercospora, leaf spot, blossom blight and anthracnose

31-Oct-13

PER12179

Hotshot

Three-horned bedstraw

30-Nov-15

PER11255

Phosphine

In-transit fumigation

30-Sep-13

PER11256

Phosphine

In-transit fumigation

30-Sep-13

PER12647

Phosphine

In-transit fumigation

30-Sep-13

PER12388

Phosphine

In-transit fumigation

30-Sep-13

PER12515

Phosphine

In-transit fumigation

30-Sep-13

PER11855

Betanal (phenmedipham)

Broadleaf weeds

30-Jun-14

PER12397

Alpha-cypermethrin

Red-legged earth mite, onion thrips

30-Nov-14

PER12016

Mancozeb

Anthracnose and septoria

31-Mar-15

PER13032

Pirimicarb

Aphids

30-Sep-13

PER10908

Tebuconazole

Sclerotonia rot

30-Jun-13

PER11848

Clethodim

Grass weeds

30-Sep-15

PER12054

Propiconazole

Cercospora leaf spot, rust, septoria leaf spot

31-Aug-14

PER11951

Phosphorous acid

Downy mildew

31-Mar-15

PER13658

Flint 500 WG (trifloxystrobin)

Various diseases

30-Sep-14

PER10677

Propyzamide

Grass and broadleef weeds

30-Apr-18

PER11352

Walabi Fungicide

Botrytis and alternaria

30-Sep-14

PER13254

Dimethoate

Queensland and Mediterranean fruit fly

5-Oct-13

PER13860

Lebaycid (fenthion)

Fruit fly

30-Oct-13

PER13657

Abamectin

Two-spotted mite

31-Mar-14

PER13656

Rovral Aquaflo Fungicide

Various diseases

30-Sep-14

PER10800

Bayfidan 250 EC Fungicide

Powdery mildew

30-Jun-13

PER12823

Trifluralin

Various broad leaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-21

PER11850

Lambda-cyhalothrin

Red-legged earth mite, Rutherglen bug, grey cluster bug, looper, plague thrips

31-Aug-15

PER13303

Coragen Insecticide

Heliothis, cluster caterpillar

31-Mar-15

PER13499

Diazinon

Onion maggot

31-Mar-17

PER13396

Methomyl

Thrips and western flower thrips

30-Jun-15

PER13032

Pirimicarb

Aphids

30-Sep-13

PER10632

Paclobutrazol (CULTAR)

Promote flowering

31-May-18

PER10311

Eco-Oil (Botanical Oil)

Greenhouse whitefly and silverleaf whitefly

30-Sep-13

PER13090

Alpha-cypermethrin

Various insect pests

31-May-15

PER7909

Scala 400 SC Fungicide

Botrytis rot

30-Sep-17

PER12947

Talstar 100 EC Insecticide Miticide

Specified whitefly and mite species

30-Apr-15

Cereals

Chicory

Chillies

Coriander

Cucumber

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

Permit ID

Pesticide

Target

Expiry Date

PER12998

Amistar Fungicide

Alternaria leaf spot (Alternaria cucumerina)

30-Sep-14

PER10818

Bravo Weather Stik Fungicide (chlorothalonil)

Botrytis rot

30-Sep-13

PER14046

Mancozeb

Grey mould

31-Mar-18

PER13349

Pyranica

Two-spotted mite

31-Mar-15

PER12504

Permethrin

Cucumber moth larvae (Phakelura indica)

31-Dec-13

PER13047

Acramite Miticide

Two-spotted mite

30-Sep-13

PER13031

Maldison

Fruit fly

31-May-14

PER10279

Abamectin

Two-spotted mite

30-Sep-13

PER10903

Flint 500 WG Fungicide

Powdery mildew

31-May-13

PER10903

Flint 500 WG Fungicide

Powdery mildew

31-May-13

PER10979

Bupirimate

Powdery mildew

30-Sep-14

Metolachlor

Weeds

30-Jun-23

PER12823

Trifluralin

Various broad leaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-21

PER12947

Talstar 100 EC Insecticide Miticide

Specified whitefly and mite species

30-Apr-15

PER10948

Abamectin

Two-spotted mite

30-Oct-13

PER14036

Bupirimate

Powdery mildew

31-Mar-18

PER12506

Dimethoate

Queensland fruit fly and Mediterranean fruit fly

PER13517

Rovral (iprodione)

Grey mould

30-Sep-15

PER5815

Spinosad

Melon thrips

31-Jul-13

PER8930

Phorate

Aphids, jassids, mites, thrips and onion maggot

31-Jul-16

PER13394

Fluazifop

Grass weeds

30-Sep-15

Culinary herbs PER14158 Eggplant

5-Oct-13

PER12862

Zineb

Anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.)

31-Jul-14

PER12442

Trichlorfon

Fruit fly

31-May-14

PER9893

Methidathion

Rutherglen bug

31-May-13

PER14047

Methidathion

Rutherglen bug

30-Jun-18

PER11778

Agri-fos 600 Systemic Fungicide (phosphorous acid)

Phytophthora soil fungus

30-Nov-15

PER11855

Betanal (phenmedipham)

Broadleaf weeds

30-Jun-14

PER10908

Tebuconazole

Sclerotonia rot

30-Jun-13

PER11848

Clethodim

Grass weeds

30-Sep-15

PER12054

Propiconazole

Cercospora leaf spot, rust, septoria leaf spot

31-Aug-14

PER11951

Phosphorous acid

Downy mildew

31-Mar-15

PER13658

Flint 500 WG (trifloxystrobin)

Various diseases

30-Sep-14

PER10677

Propyzamide

Grass and broadleef weeds

30-Apr-18

PER11352

Walabi Fungicide

Botrytis and alternaria

30-Sep-14

Endive

Export PER12585

Ally 77 WP

31-Dec-13

PER12860

Almix 20WP, Londax 10WP, Weinong, Londax 30WP, Sindax 10WP

31-Dec-13

PER12976

AUSOIL 23 EC

30-Aug-15

PER12138

Bushmans Export Water Resistant Insect Repellent (30% DEET)

31-Dec-13

PER12630

Deodorant Spray for Dogs and Cats

31-Jan-15

PER12529

MeiMei Botanical Children Insect Repellent

30-Sep-13

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

Permits (cont.) Permit ID

Pesticide

Target

Expiry Date

PER12775

Mortein Automatic Indoor Insect Control System

30-Aug-15

PER11115

Mortein Cockroach Bait

31-Dec-13

PER12578

Perfect Potion Products Pty Ltd

31-Dec-13

PER13823

Pif Paf Powergard Barrier Outdoor Surface Spray

31-Mar-15

PER10644

Propiconazole tech 95%

30-Jun-13

PER13589

QuickPhos Fumigant Insecticide

30-Jun-17

PER11665

Target Mortein Naturgard Control System

31-Dec-13

PER13650

Various

30-Jun-16

PER11103

Various Mortein Products

31-Dec-13

PER13109

Various Products

30-Sep-16

PER11740

Unregistered products

31-Dec-13

PER12223

DuPont Arilon insecticide (indoxacarb)

30-Jun-13

PER13165

Klerat Rat and Mouse Killer Wax Blocks and pellets, Klerat rat and mouse killer pellets, Klerat pellets

31-Dec-13

PER13757

Mortein Barrier Outdoor Surface Spray

31-Dec-14

Faba beans PER12657

Tebuconazole

Cercospora leaf spot

31-Mar-14

PER13223

Imazamox

Control of grass and broadleaf weeds

31-Dec-13

PER13698

Phosphorous

Downy mildew

30-Sep-17

PER13036

Bravo 720 SC

Downy mildew, purple blotch

31-Jul-16

PER13394

Fluazifop

Grass weeds

30-Sep-15

PER11170

Fluazifop

Grass weeds

30-Sep-14

Mancozeb

Various diseases

30-Jun-18

Metolachlor

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-17

Fennel

Garlic

Ginger PER13790 Grean beans PER13626

Greenhouse tomatoes PER11120

Natrasoap and Neemtech

Greenhouse whitefly

30-Sep-13

PER12690

Trichlorfon

Mediterranean fruit fly

31-May-14

PER13793

Potassium Bicarbonate

Various diseases

31-Mar-18

PER13791

Mono-Di Potassium Phosphite

Various diseases

30-Jun-16

PER13038

Phosphorous acid

Phytophthora

31-Oct-14

PER13790

Mancozeb

Various diseases

30-Jun-18

PER8628

Pendimethalin

Grass and broadleaf weeds

30-Sep-14

PER11815

Petroleum oil

Insect pests

31-Dec-14

PER13319

Trifluralin

Various weeds

30-Sep-14

PER8621

Quinoxyfen

Powdery mildew

30-Jul-13

Permethrin

Quarantine usage

31-Mar-17

PER10914

Azoxystrobin

Powdery mildew, downy mildew and white blister rust

31-May-14

PER13394

Fluazifop

Grass weeds

30-Sep-15

Herbs

Leafy vegetables PER10044 Leeks

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

Permit ID

Pesticide

Target

Expiry Date

PER12397

Alpha-cypermethrin

Red-legged earth mite, onion thrips

30-Nov-14

PER13257

Select Herbicide (clethodim)

Grass weeds as per label including winter grass (Poa annua)

31-Mar-17

PER10902

Dimethomorph

Downy mildew

30-Sep-13

PER13466

Various Actives

Specified grass and broadleaf weeds

30-Sep-15

PER13203

Dimethomorph and Mancozeb

Downy mildew, purple blotch and botrytis rots

31-Mar-17

PER13653

Maldison

Onion thrips

30-Sep-14

PER13584

Tribunil Herbicide

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-14

PER11855

Betanal (phenmedipham)

Broadleaf weeds

30-Jun-14

PER12008

Ramrod Herbicide (propachlor)

Annual grasses and broadleaf weeds

30-Sep-15

PER13897

Filan Fungicide (boscalid)

Sclertonia rot

30-Jun-14

PER10311

Eco-Oil (Botanical Oil)

Greenhouse whitefly and silverleaf whitefly

30-Sep-13

PER13301

Alpha-cypermethrin

Red-legged earth mite and vegetable weevil

31-May-15

PER12386

Dacthal (chlorthal-dimethyl)

Stinging nettle

31-Aug-16

PER13002

Metalaxyl-M

Damping off

30-Sep-13

PER12947

Talstar 100 EC Insecticide Miticide

Specified whitefly and mite species

30-Apr-15

PER11564

Switch Fungicide

Botrytis and sclerotinia

30-Nov-14

PER13698

Phosphorous

Downy mildew

30-Sep-17

PER12565

Scala Fungicide

Botrytis rots

30-Sep-17

PER13332

BALAN (benfluralin)

Grass and broadleaf weed control

31-Mar-22

PER13604

Cabrio Fungicide (pyraclostrobin)

Powdery mildew

30-Jun-15

PER13293

Abamectin

Two-spotted mite and onion thrips

30-Apr-15

PER12848

Carbendazim

Dry bubble, wet bubble and green mould

30-Sep-14

PER12965

Imazalil

Green mould

31-Jul-17

PER12172

Pestigas

Mushroom flies

30-Jun-15

PER12645

Prochloraz

Cobweb disease

31-Mar-17

PER13293

Abamectin

Two-spotted mite and onion thrips

30-Apr-15

PER13626

Metolachlor

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-17

PER13316

Various herbicides

Various weeds

30-Sep-17

PER13790

Mancozeb

Various diseases

30-Jun-18

PER12853

Avatar (indoxacarb)

Apple weevil

31-Mar-14

PER11360

Copper

Fungal leaf spot and fruit rot

31-Mar-17

PER13999

Dimethoate

Various insect pests

PER12228

Ethephon

Fruit loosening

30-Nov-13

PER13868

Fenthion

Olive lace bug and Rutherglen bug

30-Oct-13

PER13267

Insegar 250 W Insect Growth Regulator (fenoxycarb)

Black olive scale

31-Mar-14

PER11152

Natrasoap insecticidal soap spray

Lace bug

30-Sep-13

PER11851

Basagran (bentazone-sodium)

Broadleaf weeds

31-Mar-14

PER11854

Switch Fungicide

White rot, black mould, botrytis

30-Jun-13

PER12397

Alpha-cypermethrin

Red-legged earth mite, onion thrips

30-Nov-14

Lettuce

Mung beans

Mushrooms

Navy beans

Olives

5-Oct-13

Onions

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

Permits (cont.) Permit ID

Pesticide

Target

Expiry Date

PER13579

Tramat 500 SC Selective Herbicide (ethofumesate)

Various weeds

31-Jul-13

PER11450

Ethofumesate (Tramat)

Grass weeds

30-Jun-15

PER13657

Abamectin

Two-spotted mite

31-Mar-14

PER13656

Rovral Aquaflo Fungicide

Various diseases

30-Sep-14

PER10800

Bayfidan 250 EC Fungicide

Powdery mildew

30-Jun-13

PER12823

Trifluralin

Various broad leaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-21

PER11850

Lambda-cyhalothrin

Red-legged earth mite (RLEM), Rutherglen bug (RGB), grey cluster bug (GCB), looper, plague thrips

31-Aug-15

PER13303

Coragen Insecticide

Heliothis, cluster caterpillar

31-Mar-15

PER14032

Chlorthal-dimethyl

Various broadleaf weeds and grasses

31-Mar-23

PER13121

Ridomil Gold 25G (metalaxyl-M)

Pythium and phytophthora

30-Nov-16

PER10089

Chlorpyrifos

Vegetable weevil and black beetle

30-Sep-13

PER13499

Diazinon

Onion maggot

31-Mar-17

PER13396

Methomyl

Thrips and western flower thrips

30-Jun-15

PER12016

Mancozeb

Anthracnose and septoria

31-Mar-15

PER12052

Phosphorous (phosphonic) acid

Damping off and downy mildew

30-Jun-13

PER11348

Clethodim

Grass weeds

31-Mar-22

PER10758

Pendimethalin

Grasses and broadleaf weeds

31-Jan-14

PER12048

Prometryn

Weeds

30-Sep-15

PER12357

Linuron

Grass and broadleaf weeds

30-Sep-15

PER12354

Ridomil Gold 25G (metalaxyl-M)

Pythium spp. and Phytophthora spp.

30-Apr-14

PER13696

Trifluralin

Wintergrass

31-Mar-14

PER11935

Triadimenol

Powdery mildew

30-Jun-17

PER13394

Fluazifop

Grass weeds

30-Sep-15

PER14035

Diflufenican

Broadleaf weeds

31-Mar-23

PER12947

Talstar 100 EC Insecticide Miticide

Specified whitefly and mite species

30-Apr-15

PER8930

Phorate

Aphids, jassids, mites, thrips and onion maggot

31-Jul-16

PER9893

Methidathion

Rutherglen bug

31-May-13

PER14047

Methidathion

Rutherglen bug

30-Jun-18

PER12947

Talstar 100 EC Insecticide Miticide

Specified whitefly and mite species

30-Apr-15

PER12378

Acephate

Western flower thrips

31-Oct-15

PER11440

Sumiclex 500 (procymidone)

Sclerotinia rot

31-Jan-15

PER10979

Bupirimate

Powdery mildew

30-Sep-14

PER10878

Trifluralin

Broadleaf and annual grass weeds

30-Sep-13

PER10089

Chlorpyrifos

Vegetable weevil and black beetle

30-Sep-13

PER10283

Chlorpyrifos

Black beetle, wingless grasshopper, red-legged earth mite

30-Sep-14

PER12612

Alpha-cypermethrin

Garden weevil

30-Apr-16

PER10822

Sodium hypochlorite

Various insect and fungal pests

1-Feb-14

Permethrin

Cucumber moth larvae (Phakelura indica)

31-Dec-13

Paprika

Parsely

Parsnip

Peas

Peppers

Potato

Pumpkin PER12504

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

Permit ID

Pesticide

Target

Expiry Date

PER11352

Walabi Fungicide

Botrytis and alternaria

30-Sep-14

PER11855

Betanal (phenmedipham)

Broadleaf weeds

30-Jun-14

PER11848

Clethodim

Grass weeds

30-Sep-15

PER12054

Propiconazole

Cercospora leaf spot, rust, septoria leaf spot

31-Aug-14

PER11951

Phosphorous acid

Downy mildew

31-Mar-15

PER13303

Coragen Insecticide

Heliothis, cluster caterpillar

31-Mar-15

PER11935

Triadimenol

Powdery mildew

30-Jun-17

PER12863

Chlorothalonil

White blister (Candida albugo)

30-Jun-16

PER10908

Tebuconazole

Sclerotonia rot

30-Jun-13

PER13035

Clethodim

Control of grasses

30-Sep-16

PER10914

Azoxystrobin

Powdery mildew, downy mildew and white blister rust

31-May-14

PER11350

Mancozeb

Alternaria, cercospora leaf spot, white blister

31-Mar-15

PER11441

Propachlor

Grass and broadleaf weeds

31-Dec-19

PER13444

Propiconazole

Cercospora

31-Mar-17

PER14048

Pendimethalin

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

31-Mar-23

PER11949

Lambda-Cyhalothrin

Various insects

31-Mar-15

PER13090

Alpha-cypermethrin

Various insect pests

31-May-15

PER13441

Ambush Emulsifiable Concentrate Insecticide

Green peach aphid, green looper, light brown apple moth and budworms

31-Mar-17

PER11358

Clethodim

Grass weeds listed on label

30-Jun-14

PER12384

Dual Gold Herbicide (S-metolachlor)

Various weeds

31-Aug-15

PER13152

MCPA 250 Selective Herbicide

Broadleaf weeds

30-Sep-16

PER13586

Phos acid

Downy mildew

30-Jun-14

PER12008

Ramrod Herbicide (propachlor)

Annual grasses and broadleaf weeds

30-Sep-15

PER13090

Alpha-cypermethrin

Various insect pests

31-May-15

Permethrin

Cucumber moth larvae (Phakelura indica)

31-Dec-13

Fluazifop

Grass weeds

30-Sep-14

PER13005

Acramite Miticide (bifenazate)

Two-spotted mite and European red-spider mite

31-Mar-15

PER13006

Switch Fungicide (cyprodinil + fludioxonil)

Grey mould

31-Mar-15

PER13004

Teldor 500SC Fungicide (fenhexamid)

Grey mould

31-Mar-15

PER13958

Various products

Various fungal blights

31-Mar-18

PER12927

Dow AgroSciences Success Neo (spinetoram)

Fruit fly (suppression only)

31-May-14

PER13334

Dimethoate

Rutherglen bug and wingless grasshoppers

PER12046

Metosulam, pendimethlain, sulfometuron, gibberellic acid, 6-benzyladenine and paclobutrazol

PER12109

Bifenthrin

Red-legged earth mite and bryobia mite

PER12301

Shield Systemic Insecticide (clothianidin)

Various insects

30-Jun-16

PER10280

Various active constituents

Various weeds

30-Sep-13

Radicchino

Radish

Rhubarb

Rocket

Rockmelons PER12504 Rosemary PER11170 Rubus

Sandalwood 5-Oct-13 30-Jun-15

31-Mar-15

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

Permits (cont.) Permit ID

Pesticide

Target

Expiry Date

PER12704

Flumetsulam

Broadleaved weeds

31-Mar-15

PER12111

Alpha-cypermethrin and maldison

Various pests

31-Mar-15

PER11041

Atrazine

Broadleaf and annual grass weeds

30-Sep-14

PER12418

Basta

Weeds

31-Dec-15

PER13626

Metolachlor

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-17

PER8930

Phorate

Aphids, jassids, mites, thrips and onion maggot

31-Jul-16

PER13394

Fluazifop

Grass weeds

30-Sep-15

PER13203

Dimethomorph and Mancozeb

Downy mildew, purple blotch and botrytis rots

31-Mar-17

PER13653

Maldison

Onion thrips

30-Sep-14

PER13584

Tribunil Herbicide

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-14

PER12008

Ramrod Herbicide (propachlor)

Annual grasses and broadleaf weeds

30-Sep-15

PER10824

Copper Oxychloride, Cuprous Oxide or Cupric Hydroxide

Downy mildew

30-Sep-14

PER10882

Diazinon

Thrips (excluding WFT) and onion seedling maggot

30-Jun-13

PER14073

Diazinon

Thrips (excluding WFT) and onion seedling maggot

30-Jun-18

PER14080

Lannate L (methomyl)

Western Flower thrips

30-Sep-14

PER13205

Secure 360 SC (chlorfenapyr)

Western flower thrips

30-Jun-17

PER13257

Select Herbicide (clethodim)

Grass weeds as per label including winter grass (Poa annua)

31-Mar-17

PER14048

Pendimethalin

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

31-Mar-23

PER11352

Walabi Fungicide

Botrytis and alternaria

30-Sep-14

PER12862

Zineb

Anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.)

31-Jul-14

PER12008

Ramrod Herbicide (propachlor)

Annual grasses and broadleaf weeds

30-Sep-15

PER13626

Metolachlor

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-17

PER11951

Phosphorous acid

Downy mildew

31-Mar-15

PER13673

Ridomil Gold MZ WG

Late blight, septoria leaf blight and downy mildew

30-Sep-16

PER11991

Legend Fungicide (quinoxyfen)

Powdery mildew

31-Mar-16

PER13655

Propiconazole

Various fungi

30-Jun-14

PER14081

Tramat 500 SC Selective Herbicide (ethofumesate)

Various weeds

31-Jul-14

PER13579

Tramat 500 SC Selective Herbicide (ethofumesate)

Various weeds

31-Jul-13

PER10908

Tebuconazole

Sclerotonia rot

30-Jun-13

PER13090

Alpha-cypermethrin

Various insect pests

31-May-15

PER13899

Etoxazole

Two-spotted mite

31-Mar-15

PER13497

Acrobat

Downy mildew

30-Apr-14

PER11964

Chlorothalonil (Bravo)

Downy mildew and chocolate spot

31-Mar-18

PER12822

Chess Insecticide

Aphids

30-Jun-13

PER10976

Bentazone

Broadleaf weeds

31-Mar-15

PER10988

Bladex 900 WG (cyanazine)

Broadleaf weeds

31-Mar-15

PER14185

Chess Insecticide

Aphids

30-Jun-15

PER7419

Lambda-cyhalothrin

Pasture webworm, cutworm, Rutherglen bug and thrips

31-May-13

PER14033

Lambda-cyhalothrin

Pasture webworm, cutworm, Rutherglen bug and thrips

31-May-18

PER13633

Pyrimethanil

Botrytis

30-Jun-14

Various insects

30-Jul-13

Shallots

Silverbeet

Snow peas

Specified leafy vegetables PER8633

100

Chlorfenapyr

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

Permit ID

Pesticide

Target

Expiry Date

PER8577

Etoxazole

Two-spotted mite

30-Jul-13

PER8591

Myclobutanil

Powdery mildew

30-Jul-13

PER13322

Success Neo (spinetoram)

Potato moth

31-May-17

PER13088

Success Neo Insecticide (spinetoram)

Various insect pests

31-Mar-17

PER12221

Petroleum oil

Specified insect pests

30-Nov-17

PER12017

Fluazifop-p-butyl

Annual grass weeds

30-Jun-16

PER11438

Glyphosate (shielded sprayer)

Grass and broadleaf weeds

30-Jun-19

Specified woody herbs PER8633

Chlorfenapyr

Various insects

30-Jul-13

PER8577

Etoxazole

Two-spotted mite

30-Jul-13

PER8591

Myclobutanil

Powdery mildew

30-Jul-13

Trifluralin

Various weeds

30-Sep-14

PER12862

Zineb

Anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.)

31-Jul-14

PER12008

Ramrod Herbicide (propachlor)

Annual grasses and broadleaf weeds

30-Sep-15

PER13009

Propiconazole

Cercospora, leaf spot, blossom blight and anthracnose

31-Oct-13

PER13626

Metolachlor

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-17

PER13090

Alpha-cypermethrin

Various insect pests

31-May-15

PER11951

Phosphorous acid

Downy mildew

31-Mar-15

PER13658

Flint 500 WG (trifloxystrobin)

Various diseases

30-Sep-14

PER11855

Betanal (phenmedipham)

Broadleaf weeds

30-Jun-14

PER10908

Tebuconazole

Sclerotonia rot

30-Jun-13

PER13673

Ridomil Gold MZ WG

Late Blight, septoria leaf blight and downy mildew

30-Sep-16

PER13658

Flint 500 WG (trifloxystrobin)

Various diseases

30-Sep-14

PER11352

Walabi Fungicide

Botrytis and alternaria

30-Sep-14

PER14081

Tramat 500 SC Selective Herbicide (ethofumesate)

Various weeds

31-Jul-14

PER13579

Tramat 500 SC Selective Herbicide (ethofumesate)

Various weeds

31-Jul-13

PER13203

Dimethomorph and Mancozeb

Downy mildew, purple blotch and botrytis rots

31-Mar-17

PER13653

Maldison

Onion thrips

30-Sep-14

PER13584

Tribunil Herbicide

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-14

PER12008

Ramrod Herbicide (propachlor)

Annual grasses and broadleaf weeds

30-Sep-15

PER13626

Metolachlor

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

30-Jun-17

PER8930

Phorate

Aphids, jassids, mites, thrips and onion maggot

31-Jul-16

PER13394

Fluazifop

Grass weeds

30-Sep-15

PER12397

Alpha-cypermethrin

Red-egged earth mite, onion thrips

30-Nov-14

PER13900

Pirimicarb

Aphids

31-Mar-14

PER10824

Copper Oxychloride, Cuprous Oxide or Cupric Hydroxide

Downy mildew

30-Sep-14

PER10882

Diazinon

Thrips (excluding WFT) and onion seedling maggot

30-Jun-13

PER14073

Diazinon

Thrips (excluding WFT) and onion seedling maggot

30-Jun-18

PER14080

Lannate L (methomyl)

Western flower thrips

30-Sep-14

PER13205

Secure 360 SC (chlorfenapyr)

Western flower thrips

30-Jun-17

PER13257

Select Herbicide (clethodim)

Grass weeds as per label including winter grass (Poa annua)

31-Mar-17

Spices PER13319 Spinach

Spring onions

WA Grower winter 2013

101

Your Production

Permits (cont.) Permit ID

Pesticide

Target

Expiry Date

PER14048

Pendimethalin

Various broadleaf and grass weeds

31-Mar-23

PER12504

Permethrin

Cucumber moth larvae (Phakelura indica)

31-Dec-13

PER10279

Abamectin

Two-spotted mite

30-Sep-13

PER12690

Trichlorfon

Mediterranean fruit fly

31-May-14

PER12907

Maldison

Fruit fly

31-May-14

PER12927

Dow AgroSciences Success Neo (spinetoram)

Fruit fly (suppression only)

31-May-14

PER13331

Admiral Insect Growth Regulator (pyriproxyfen)

Greenhouse and silverleaf whitefly

31-Oct-15

PER13941

Bifenazate

Two-spotted mite

30-Jun-14

PER13542

Maldison

Rutherglen bug

30-Jun-17

PER13377

Proclaim Insecticide (emamectin)

Cluster caterpillar, heliothis, lightbrown apple moth and looper

30-Sep-15

PER13539

Switch Fungicide

Various diseases

30-Sep-13

PER12940

Maldison

Fruit fly

31-May-14

PER13038

Phosphorous acid

Phytophthora

31-Oct-14

PER13749

Maldison

Fruit fly

31-May-14

PER13899

Etoxazole

Two-spotted mite

31-Mar-15

PER11964

Chlorothalonil (Bravo)

Downy mildew and chocolate spot

31-Mar-18

PER12822

Chess Insecticide

Aphids

30-Jun-13

PER10976

Bentazone

Broadleaf weeds

31-Mar-15

PER10988

Bladex 900 WG (cyanazine)

Broadleaf weeds

31-Mar-15

PER14185

Chess Insecticide

Aphids

30-Jun-15

PER7419

Lambda-cyhalothrin

Pasture webworm, cutworm, Rutherglen bug and thrips

31-May-13

PER14033

Lambda-cyhalothrin

Pasture webworm, cutworm, Rutherglen bug and thrips

31-May-18

PER13633

Pyrimethanil

Botrytis

30-Jun-14

PER13118

Glyphosate

Weed control

31-Mar-15

PER11977

Endosulfan

Rutherglen bugs

30-Jun-15

PER13303

Coragen Insecticide

Heliothis, cluster caterpillar

31-Mar-15

PER11935

Triadimenol

Powdery mildew

30-Jun-17

PER11350

Mancozeb

Alternaria, cercospora leaf spot, white blister

31-Mar-15

PER11441

Propachlor

Grass and broadleaf weeds

31-Dec-19

PER13498

Pirmicarb

Aphids

30-Sep-13

PER13116

Propiconazole

Northern corn leaf blight

31-Mar-16

PER13657

Abamectin

Two-spotted mite

31-Mar-14

PER13394

Fluazifop

Grass weeds

30-Sep-15

PER13395

Methomyl

Heliothis, cucumber moth and cluster caterpillar

30-Sep-17

PER10273

Bifenthrin

Sweet potato weevil and bean spider mite

30-Sep-13

PER13352

Chlorpyrifos

Sweet potato weevil and wireworm

31-Mar-14

PER13151

Mouseoff and Rattoff Zinc Phosphide Baits

House mouse and introduced rats

31-Dec-16

PER13153

Regent 200 SC

White fringed weevil and wireworm

31-Dec-16

Squash

Stone fruit

Strawberries

Sugar snap peas

Sunflower

Swede

Sweet corn

Sweet potato

102

WA Grower winter 2013

Your Production

Permit ID

Pesticide

Target

Expiry Date

PER14078

Talstar (bifenthrin)

Various pests

30-Sep-18

PER9722

Talstar (bifenthrin)

Wireworm

30-Sep-13

PER12047

Tecto Flowable SC Fungicide (thiabendazole)

Field rots caused by scurf and root rot

30-Sep-16

PER13032

Pirimicarb

Aphids

30-Sep-13

PER13902

Phorate

Aphids, thrips, jassids and organophosphate susceptible twospotted mite and wireworm

31-Mar-18

PER12569

Acramite Miticide

Two-spotted mite

30-Jun-13

PER13253

Maldison

Queensland and Mediterranean fruit fly

31-May-14

PER13378

Torque Miticide (fenbutatin-oxide)

Rust mite and two-spotted mite

30-Sep-17

PER12378

Acephate

Western flower thrips

31-Oct-15

PER13047

Acramite Miticide

Two-spotted mite

30-Sep-13

PER13725

Chess

Greenhouse whitefly, silverleaf whitefly, green peach aphid

31-May-16

PER13675

Maldison

Queensland, Mediterranean and lesser Queensland fruit fly and cucumber fly

31-May-18

PER13724

Previcur

Root rot

31-May-16

PER12514

Sencor 480 SC (metribuzin)

Weed control

31-Dec-15

PER13721

Switch

Grey mould (botrytis)

31-May-16

PER13716

Abrade Abrasive Barrier Insecticide

Various insect pests

31-Jan-16

PER10934

Buprofezin

Greenhouse whitefly

30-Sep-13

PER14100

Buprofezin

Greenhouse whitefly

30-Sep-14

PER13303

Coragen Insecticide

Heliothis, cluster caterpillar

31-Mar-15

PER11935

Triadimenol

Powdery mildew

30-Jun-17

PER11350

Mancozeb

Alternaria, cercospora leaf spot, white blister

31-Mar-15

PER11441

Propachlor

Grass and broadleaf weeds

31-Dec-19

Table grapes

Tomatoes

Turnip

Various vegetables PER11130

Linuron

Weeds

30-Jul-13

PER13089

Acrobat Fungicide

Downy mildew

30-Sep-13

PER11472

VectoBac WG Biological Larvicide

Fungus gnats and sciarids

31-May-14

PER10822

Sodium hypochlorite

Various insect and fungal pests

PER14074

Chlorpyrifos

Various insect pests

PER14038

Products containing Copper

Various diseases

30-Sep-23

PER13111

Chess Insecticide (pymetrozine)

Silverleaf whitefly, lettuce aphid

31-May-14

PER13625

Chlorpyrifos

African black beetle and wireworms

30-Jun-13

PER13695

Ecocarb Fungicide

Powdery mildew

30-Sep-17

PER14045

Mancozeb + Metalaxyl

Various fungal diseases

31-Mar-18

PER12753

Naturalure Fruit Fly Bait Concentrate

Mediterranean fruit fly and Queensland fruit fly

31-Mar-14

Permethrin

Cucumber moth larvae (Phakelura indica)

31-Dec-13

PER10279

Abamectin

Two-spotted mite

30-Sep-13

PER12504

Permethrin

Cucumber moth larvae (Phakelura indica)

31-Dec-13

1-Feb-14 31-Mar-14

Watermelons PER12504 Zucchini

WA Grower winter 2013

103

WA Grower Advertising specifications

Preferred format: press ready PDF

FULL page Full page with bleed 210mm wide x 297mm high plus 5mm bleed — 220mm wide x 307mm high

Must be saved as: • 300dpi • CMYK • Fonts embedded

half page vegetablesWA

Half page without bleed 190mm wide x 130mm high

Horticultural House 103 Outram Street, West Perth 6005

t: (08) 9481 0834 f: (08) 9481 0024 e: finance@vegetableswa.com.au

one third page One third page without bleed 60mm wide x 254mm high

WA Grower advertiser contacts

104

Name

Website/Email

Address

Contact name

Agsafe (OBC)

www.agsafe.com.au

Level 4, AMP Building, 1 Hobart Pl, Canberra City ACT 2601 Bevan Henderson

Contact number 0429 089 780

Colquhouns Fremantle Bag Company (p47) www.colquhouns.com.au

Unit 1 2-4 Purdy Pl, Canning Vale WA 6155

Matt Hosking

08 9456 0566

C-Wise (p17)

www.cwise.com.au

6 Barnsley Rd, Mount Claremont WA 6010

David Sharp

(08) 9581 9582

Dobmac Ag Machinery (IBC)

www.dobmac.com.au

36-38 Industrial Dr, Ulverstone TAS 7315

Mark Dobson

(03) 6425 5533

G & S Seedling Nursery (p32)

www.gsseedlings.com.au

1 Dunstan Rd, Nowergup WA 6032

Glenn McKay

(08) 9407 5400

Global Omega-Gro (p16)

www.omegagro.com

2 Alerton Wy, Booragoon WA 6154

Len Palladino

(08) 9315 1844

Landmark (p54)

www.landmark.com.au

32 Farrall Rd, Midvale WA 6056

Aaron Chapman

(08) 9274 6800

Perth Energy (p23)

www.perthenergy.com.au

Level 4, 165 Adelaide Tce, East Perth WA 6004

(08) 9420 0300

Phase Change Products Pty Ltd (p59)

www.pcpaustralia.com.au Ground Floor, 57 Havelock St, West Perth WA 6005

Keith Coakley

Solar Gain (p43)

www.solargain.com.au

10 Milly Ct, Malaga WA 6090

Keith Lynch

United Crate (p2)

www.unicrate.com.au

1 Zanni St, Canning Vale WA 6155

WA Crates (p74)

service@wacrates.com.au Crate Yard, Market City, 280 Bannister Rd, Canning Vale WA 6155

WA Grower winter 2013

(08) 9324 8520 0458 600 566 (08) 9455 1540 (08) 9456 4092

A leader in the design, manufacture & supply of specialised agricultural machinery

Quality Master 2 Row Potato Harvester Gent

Simp

le, C

le, H

omp ACt,

iGH o

utpu

• 2 Row Trailing Harvester • Lightweight design (4.0t approx) • Low HP Requirements • Auto Depth Control • Draper Web • Galaxy Star separation system • Adjustable haulm roller • Hydraulic levelling • Picking table (4 person inline) • Simple operation

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Email: dobmac@dobmac.com.au • Website: www.dobmac.com.au Phone: (03) 6425 5533 • Fax: (03) 6425 5847 A leader in the design, manufacture & supply of specialised agricultural machinery

Your agvet chemical containers have always had a free

route for disposal... just look for the drumMUSTER logo

There are 112 drumMUSTER collection points in Western Australia Visit the website or call your nearest Regional Consultant for more information

Northern WA Bevan Henderson 0429 089 780

Southern WA Graeme Passmore 0429 933 307

55 57

www.drummuster.com.au

1800 008 707

www.chemclear.com.au

1800 008 182