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Publication of Vegetables Australia bi-monthly grower magazine
Richard Mulcahy
AUSVEG Ltd
Project Number: VG09095
VG09095
This report is published by Horticulture Australia Ltd to pass on information concerning horticultural research and development undertaken for the vegetables industry.
The research contained in this report was funded by Horticulture Australia Ltd with the financial support of the vegetables industry.
All expressions of opinion are not to be regarded as expressing the opinion of Horticulture Australia Ltd or any authority of the Australian Government. The Company and the Australian Government accept no responsibility for any of the opinions or the accuracy of the information contained in this report and readers should rely upon their own enquiries in making decisions concerning their own interests.
ISBN 0 7341 3085 6 Published and distributed by: Horticulture Australia Ltd Level 7 179 Elizabeth Street Sydney NSW 2000 Telephone: (02) 8295 2300 Fax: (02) 8295 2399 © Copyright 2013
Publication of the bi-monthly magazine, Vegetables Australia
Mr Richard Mulcahy AUSVEG
Project Number: VG09095 (01/02/2010 – 31/08/2012)
VG09095
Publication of the bi-monthly magazine, Vegetables Australia
01/02/2010 – 31/08/2012
FINAL REPORT
Project Number: VG09095
Project Leader: Richard Mulcahy AUSVEG CEO p: 03 9822 0388 f: 03 9822 0688
Purpose of Report: This report was designed to communicate the successful delivery of project VG12033, ‘Publication of the bi-monthly vegetable grower magazine, Vegetables Australia.’
Funding: This project was funded by the National Vegetable Levy with matched funding from the Australian Government. Date of final report: 31/08/2012
Any recommendations contained in this publication do not necessarily represent current HAL policy. No person should act on the basis of the contents of this publication, whether as to matters of fact or opinion or other content, without first obtaining specific, independent professional advice in respect of the matters set out in this publication.
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Milestone 190: VG09095 – Publication of the bi-monthly magazine, Vegetables Australia Project title: Publication of the bi-monthly magazine, Vegetables Australia Project number: VG09095 Project leader: Richard Mulcahy – AUSVEG CEO Phone number: (03) 9822 0388 Date of Report: 31 August 2012
Project Timeline Start: 01/02/2010 Finish: 31/08/2012 Milestone Overview
Milestone Number Date Due Description
101 01/02/2010 Agreement signed, voluntary contributions (if required) received and IP arrangements in place.
102 01/08/2010 Interim report summarising achievements to date and plans for next period.
103 01/10/2011 Progress Report - Detail of achievements & outcomes.
104 01/03/2012 Submission of Sept to March copies of Veg Aust
190 31/08/2012 Final report received by Horticulture Australia Ltd
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. MEDIA SUMMARY 3 2. TECHNICAL SUMMARY 4 3. INTRODUCTION AND JUSTIFICATION 6 4. PUBLICATION FORMATION AND PRODUCTION 7 5. LIST OF R&D ARTICLES 9 6. DISTRIBUTION NUMBERS AND METHODS 18 7. PUBLICATION DEVELOPMENTS 19 8. PUBLICATION HIGHLIGHTS 21 9. EVALUATION OF PUBLICATION AND SURVEYS 23 10. RECOMMENDATIONS 26 11. APPENDICES 28
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1. Media Summary
Vegetables Australia is a full colour, 52-page magazine distributed free to vegetable levy payers and
industry members around Australia. The purpose of Vegetables Australia is to deliver timely, accurate,
newsworthy industry R&D information to vegetable growers – the magazine’s primary readership.
The publication is well-supported by the industry, and valued by growers as a reliable source of
information. Vegetables Australia is audited annually by the Circulations Audit Board and is recognised
as the most widely distributed magazine publication in horticulture, reaching around 6,000 recipients.
In addition to covering R&D programs, reports and technological innovations, Vegetables Australia
presents regular in-depth features with young and senior vegetable growers and other relevant
members of the industry. The magazine canvasses a range of domestic and international industry news
and includes a number of columns from regular specialised contributors, who offer practical advice
relating to both on and off farm issues. Members of representative state bodies also contribute
recurring columns to the magazine, which centre around news and issues specific to their home state.
Vegetables Australia was launched in July 2005, after the Industry Communications Audit revealed that
growers were supportive of a magazine designed to disseminate R&D information.
The magazine subcontracts an external advertising agent on a commission basis, who is responsible for
liaising with existing and prospective advertisers.
The magazine is distributed in January, March, May, July, September and November – the alternate
months to its sister publication, Potatoes Australia. Its readership has continued to grow and, thanks to
several media releases issued subsequent to its distribution, Vegetables Australia has been the subject
of heightened media interest, with many of the country’s high-profile metropolitan and rural media
outlets requesting subscription to the magazine. This assists in building relationships with the media to
ensure the communication of R&D more widely to growers.
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2. Technical Summary
Vegetables Australia magazine stands as one of the vegetable industry’s leading journals and performs
an essential role in the dissemination of R&D information. The magazine is distributed free of charge to
all levy-paying vegetable growers and key industry stakeholders.
Production of Vegetables Australia involves a writer/journalist and in-house graphic designer. In
addition to those two roles, the magazine receives recurring input from a variety of specialised
contributors who provide expert contributions in areas such as soil health and biosecurity.
Economic Summary
In each edition, industry economist Ian James has contributed a detailed analysis of the latest market
economics. Presenting and dissecting data from across a range of fields, the column is recognised as a
valuable source of R&D information.
Industry Advice Columns
In order to provide R&D that is direct and applicable for vegetable growers, Vegetables Australia
regularly features two industry advice columns. The Soil Solutions column, contributed by Technical
Agronomist Rohan Davies, offers practical solutions and advice for maintaining and enhancing soil
health. The Ask the Industry column, contributed by Technical Services Lead Scott Mathew, responds
to publically submitted questions regarding issues such as chemical safety and plant health.
State Columns
Vegetables Australia includes recurring columns from each of the major state grower associations. The
columns provide a cross-section of the news and work being undertaken across the Australian
vegetable industry, and provides an avenue for each state’s issues to be represented.
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Freelance contributors
There is budgetary provision for the use of freelance writers for each edition. It is the responsibility of
the writer/journalist to source an available and appropriate freelancer, construct a detailed brief and
commission them to write the piece. The freelance writer will typically be commissioned to undertake
detailed work on an R&D topic.
Printing and distribution
The magazine is printed externally by a Victorian-based printer on a high-quality gloss paper source. It
is subsequently distributed via an external mail-house.
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3. Introduction and Justification
Vegetables Australia magazine was launched in 2005. It was identified in the Vegetable Industry
Communication Strategy 2005-2008 as a key method of disseminating information from the National
Vegetable R&D Program. Research conducted at the time highlighted a low level of internet and email
use amongst growers, compounded by wider difficulties pertaining to reliable internet access and
connectivity. In light of these restrictions, the magazine format was deemed an appropriate and
relevant mode of communicating with growers about the National Vegetable R&D Program.
One of the primary aims of Vegetables Australia is to present R&D projects and information in a
manner that is clear and easily understandable for a broad audience. Anecdotal evidence suggests that
the technical and exhaustive nature of many final reports serves to preclude growers from accessing
new research information. As such, the magazine strives to interpret and condense the key elements
of new research, projects, news and events into a form that is lucid and intelligible for levy payers.
In addition to communicating updates and outcomes of levy-funded R&D projects, Vegetables
Australia also provides information about key industry figures and organisations, representative
grower state bodies, researchers, grower profiles and achievements, import and export markets,
economic and industry-related news.
By representing growers from across the country of varying age and gender, the magazine serves to
foster and maintain a sense of community within the vegetable industry. Feedback received through
reader surveys and anecdotally at conferences and AUSVEG’s National Convention suggests that the
grower profiles form an extremely popular component of Vegetables Australia and are enthusiastically
engaged with by its readership.
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4. Publication Formation and Production
The writer/journalist is responsible for overseeing all aspects of production of Vegetables Australia
magazine.
Editorial planning for each edition of Vegetables Australia requires a detailed story plan and pagination
sheet, which outline what will appear in the magazine and the way in which it will be presented.
Once these have been approved internally within AUSVEG, it is the responsibility of the journalist to
contact members relevant to each piece - researchers, growers for profiling, relevant parties - to
confirm their consent and arrange suitable interview times. This applies even if the article is to be
outsourced to a freelance writer.
The journalist is responsible for sourcing freelance writers and photographers at a competitive industry
standard and rate, and subsequently commissioning them.
The journalist also liaises with contributors responsible for the recurring state and industry advice
columns, setting appropriate deadlines each edition.
It is the role of the journalist to edit all content submitted by freelance writers and contributors.
The journalist is required to oversee the design of the magazine. This involves working closely with the
in-house designer to ensure the magazine is laid-out correctly and appropriate images are used.
The in-house designer is responsible for all design elements of Vegetables Australia. Within any edition
of the magazine, the designer is required to adjust photographs supplied from freelance
photographers, source additional stock images externally or from AUSVEG’s image library and place all
advertisements and editorial.
On completion of the magazine, the designer is responsible for uploading final artwork to the external
printer’s server. Once proofs of the magazine are returned to AUSVEG, it is the role of the designer and
journalist to thoroughly proof the magazine for lay-out and editorial errors. During this stage, the
designer will check design elements such as crop marks, bleed and colours to ensure that no errors
have occurred during digital transfer of the final artwork.
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Once all design and editorial inspections are satisfied, the magazine is signed off and the printing job is
cleared to commence.
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5. List of R&D Articles
Vegetables Australia remains committed to covering a broad spectrum of R&D projects, subjects and
areas of investigation. The magazine endeavours to cover projects relating to a wide range of ‘leviable’
vegetables, alternating topics between editions. Information contained within R&D pieces is designed
to be of specific and practical use to growers, in addition to aiding and informing their greater
understanding of areas such as pest and disease treatments, business management and best farming
practices.
Table 1. A list of R&D projects and levy-related articles that appeared in the current project period
Project number Article title Issue published
Spain/Germany/Israel
Study Tour VG09174
Aussie growers head to Europe Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
VG09137 R&D project preview – Integrated weed
management in vegetable brassicas
Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
VG08049 Fussy eaters meet their match Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
VG08124 Keep it under control Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
Tomato growers discuss levies Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
Ask the industry Ask the industry Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
Wonderful watercress Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
VG07070/VG01045 Early-bird irrigation reduces disease Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
Economic outlook VG Large scale farming operations better positioned to
absorb increased costs
Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
EnviroVeg VG09002 Improve environmental outcomes with
grower/NRM partnership
Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
VG09081 Young growers expand their business horizons Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
VG04032 Timely investment for protection against pests Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
Asian vegetable profile Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
VG07010 Systemic acquired resistance: boosting nature’s
defences
Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
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Banding together for food security Volume 5.4, Jan/Feb 2010
Spain/Germany/Israel
Study Tour VG09174
Fruit Logistica Trade Fair highlight of tour Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
On the front foot with fruit fly Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
Calculator helps growers estimate carbon footprint Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
AH07031 New look kit for growers Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
VG09067 Image makeover for vegetable industry Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
MT09077 Exporting industry saved Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
Finding the balance Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
MT06049 Bring on the bugs Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
Eastern i Hydroponic and Field Grown Asian vegetables put
to the test
Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
VG08087 Confronting the Technology Monster Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
VIDP VG09161 Investing in people = investing in industry Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
VG09138 R&D project preview – Quantifying the effects of no
till vegetable farming and organic mulch on
greenhouse gas emissions and soil carbon
Volume 5.5, Mar/Apr 2010
Nuffield scholarship open May/June 2010
Lightning powered farming May/June 2010
Key players gather for Root Vegetable Think Tank May/June 2010
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew May/June 2010
VG08077 Mum was right May/June 2010
VG07136 Tackling disease May/June 2010
Combining the best May/June 2010
Eastern i Exploring the production of bitter melon in
Australia
May/June 2010
VG08148 Nutrient labelling for fruit and vegetables: what’s
required
May/June 2010
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Spain/Ger/Israel tour
VG09174
Growers on tour May/June 2010
VIDP VG09161 VEGINSIGHTS: The Market Q4 2009 May/June 2010
Economics Sub
Program VIDP
A rebounding economy: but what is in it for
vegetable growers?
May/June 2010
Biosecurity levy to protect the industry July/Aug 2010
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew July/Aug 2010
VG09195 Young growers cross the Tasman July/Aug 2010
VG08002 Learning to love July/Aug 2010
VG09021 Looking to the future July/Aug 2010
EnviroVeg VG09002 EnviroVeg gaining momentum July/Aug 2010
Eastern i Another use for lotus July/Aug 2010
Disease susceptibility in lettuce July/Aug 2010
VG06045 Hot Water Shower July/Aug 2010
USA Study Tour
VG11708
Studying USA Sept/Oct 2010
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew Sept/Oct 2010
VG08170 Collaboration the key to Minor-use Sept/Oct 2010
VG09195 Growers return with BIG ideas Sept/Oct 2010
Understanding ZYMV: a devastating virus disease of
cucurbits.
Sept/Oct 2010
VG09161 The Vegetable Industry development Program: One
year on
Sept/Oct 2010
VG08112 Preparing to export Sept/Oct 2010
EnviroVeg VG09002 Growing with EnviroVeg Sept/Oct 2010
VG08066 Proactive approach to CLA Sept/Oct 2010
The cost benefit of control Sept/Oct 2010
VG07079 Reducing the listeria risk Sept/Oct 2010
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VIDP VG09161 Aussie growers better placed Sept/Oct 2010
Nuffield Scholarship Leading vegetable growers set to take on global
challenge
Nov/Dec 2010
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew Nov/Dec 2010
VG08170 Manufacturer support increases R&D funding Nov/Dec 2010
VG10096 Collaborative approach key to industry
development
Nov/Dec 2010
VG00081 New commercial greenhouse cucumber production
manual
Nov/Dec 2010
VG07010 Boosting plant immunity Nov/Dec 2010
Economics Sub
Program VIDP
Comparing water use in agriculture Nov/Dec 2010
VG01726 Managing Sclerotinia in vegetable crops Nov/Dec 2010
EnviroVeg VG09002 Leading the way Nov/Dec 2010
Beaten by the foreigner Nov/Dec 2010
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew Jan/Feb 2011
VG09147 New AUSVEG website launched Jan/Feb 2011
HG09031 Bundaberg growers explore the supply chain Jan/Feb 2011
VG09002 Getting the balance right Jan/Feb 2011
EnviroVeg VG09002 Carbon Farming Conference and Expo Jan/Feb 2011
VG10092 Growers return with big ideas Jan/Feb 2011
VG07040 Natural ally Jan/Feb 2011
VG08040 The other side of the coin Jan/Feb 2011
VG09037 In pursuit of results Jan/Feb 2011
Asian veg stock take Jan/Feb 2011
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew Jan/Feb 2011
VG10108 Workshop to shine spotlight on mechanisation Mar/Apr 2011
VG10115 Plan in place to maximize levy investment Mar/Apr 2011
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VIDP VG09161 Grower resources revealed Mar/Apr 2011
VIDP VG09161 Lettuce in the spotlight Mar/Apr 2011
VIDP VG09161 An insight into vegetable purchasing Mar/Apr 2011
VG06053 Size matters Mar/Apr 2011
EnviroVeg VG09002 From the ground up Mar/Apr 2011
VG10702 “Fresh” Logistica impresses grower tour
participants
Mar/Apr 2011
VG07023 Tools for Profitable Practice Change Mar/Apr 2011
MT09040 Discovering more about CTF Mar/Apr 2011
Soil Solutions Soil solutions to help you rise from the rain Mar/Apr 2011
VG08040 The economics of mechanization Mar/Apr 2011
Mechanisation Moving forward with mechanisation May/June 2011
IPM International expert sheds light on IPM May/June 2011
VG09161 Getting the message out… growers encouraged to
get online
May/June 2011
VG05083 Strategies for sustainable beetroot May/June 2011
AH09009 Focus on food for the future May/June 2011
VG06087 Supporting species May/June 2011
EnviroVeg VG09002 Cultivating the way for women in horticulture May/June 2011
VG08040 Bumpy road to a prosperous future May/June 2011
Soil solutions The challenge of climate change May/June 2011
VG07145 A fruitful investment May/June 2011
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew May/June 2011
AH09027 Investing today for tomorrow’s industry July/Aug 2011
VG09086 The cutting edge of clean July/Aug 2011
Soil solutions Do you value the chicken manure you apply in your
nutrition program?
July/Aug 2011
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EnviroVeg VG09002 Moving with the times July/Aug 2011
VIDP VG09161 Shining the spotlight on carrots July/Aug 2011
VG09146 How do I get Veginsights regularly? July/Aug 2011
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew July/Aug 2011
VG08029 Cost-saving solutions for the future July/Aug 2011
VG08040 The reality of interest rate rises July/Aug 2011
VG07153 Looking into nutrients July/Aug 2011
Vegie bites Veggie bites Sept/Oct 2011
NZ Grower Tour Nine days in New Zealand Sept/Oct 2011
VG07126 Stepping forward with Sclerotinia solutions Sept/Oct 2011
Soil solutions Supplying magnesium to crops Sept/Oct 2011
VG09084 Brassicas: taste vs health Sept/Oct 2011
EnviroVeg VG09002 New EnviroVeg Manual released Sept/Oct 2011
VG08021 Counting the costs Sept/Oct 2011
VG08131 Herbicide hope for carrots Sept/Oct 2011
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew Sept/Oct 2011
Spending trends Sept/Oct 2011
VG08040 Vegetable growing and the carbon tax Sept/Oct 2011
Veggie bites Veggie bites Nov/Dec 2011
2012 USA Study Tour
VG11708
2012 USA Growers Study Tour Nov/Dec 2011
VIDP VG09161 The chain of communication Nov/Dec 2011
VG05094 Caring for greenhouse crops Nov/Dec 2011
VG08167 Harvesting to the tee Nov/Dec 2011
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew Nov/Dec 2011
EnviroVeg VG09002 EnviroVeg Committee meets to discuss current
environmental concerns
Nov/Dec 2011
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VG09121 Benchmarking best practice Nov/Dec 2011
Soil solutions Measuring water infiltration Nov/Dec 2011
VG08044 Caring for carrots Nov/Dec 2011
VG08040 Clean Energy Policy Nov/Dec 2011
Veggie bites Veggie bites Jan/Feb 2012
VG08179 The importance of bee-ing earnest Jan/Feb 2012
Air into water: a new hope Jan/Feb 2012
VG08112 Regulating our exports Jan/Feb 2012
VIDP VG09161 Translating better practices Jan/Feb 2012
MT08081 Yielding greater results Jan/Feb 2012
Soil solutions Assessing opportunities for productivity
improvements
Jan/Feb 2012
EnviroVeg VG09002 EnviroVeg Update Jan/Feb 2012
VG08048 A venomous solution to a Diamondback dilemma Jan/Feb 2012
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew Jan/Feb 2012
VG08040 Diverse financial state Jan/Feb 2012
Veggie bites Veggie bites Mar/Apr 2012
VG11013 Biosecurity brief Mar/Apr 2012
VG06028 Fighting the fear of fruit fly Mar/Apr 2012
VIDP VG09161 Discussing better business Mar/Apr 2012
VIDP VG09161 Investigating IPM Mar/Apr 2012
Soil solutions Soil organic matter Mar/Apr 2012
EnviroVeg VG09002 Firm foundations Mar/Apr 2012
AgriPro Asia Advancing Australia at AgriPro Asia Mar/Apr 2012
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew Mar/Apr 2012
VIDP VG09161 Vegetable industry: the facts Mar/Apr 2012
Veggie bites Veggie bites May/June 2012
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VG11031 Assessing alternatives to D&F May/June 2012
VG11013 Biosecurity brief May/June 2012
VG10048 Wrestling weeds off cucurbit crops May/June 2012
VG10123 Controlling anthracnose: a best practice guide May/June 2012
Growing the industry: Levy payer meetings a
success
May/June 2012
VIDP VG09161 Industry development program yields national R&D
database
May/June 2012
Soil solutions Nutrient sources for crops May/June 2012
Dean Phillips: Fighting for a Phytophthora-free
future
May/June 2012
EnviroVeg VG09002 Report reinforces sustainable standards May/June 2012
2012 USA Study Tour
VG11708
World ag-venture May/June 2012
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew May/June 2012
Economics Sub
Program VIDP
Import deluge, swamping the Australian vegetable
industry
May/June 2012
Study tour
Germany/Netherlands
Touring Germany, the Netherlands & fantastic Fruit
Logistica
May/June 2012
Veggie bites Veggie bites July/Aug 2012
Bettering brassicas against a cantankerous
contagion
July/Aug 2012
VG11013 Biosecurity brief July/Aug 2012
VG11024 Fast tracking the future: AUSVEG Future
Technologies Seminar
July/Aug 2012
VG07128 Improving management of damaging diseases July/Aug 2012
Soil solutions Balanced nutrition July/Aug 2012
EnviroVeg VG09002 Israeli scientist wins World Food Prize for drip
irrigation research
July/Aug 2012
Ask the industry Ask the industry with Scott Mathew July/Aug 2012
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Economics Sub
Program VIDP
Advancing Australia’s share: do high costs preclude
Australian vegetable growers from Asian markets?
July/Aug 2012
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6. Distribution Numbers and Methods
The distribution of Vegetables Australia magazine is conducted through an external mail-house.
A database of recipients is maintained and updated within AUSVEG, which is sent electronically to the
mail-house prior to the distribution of each edition.
The magazine is delivered to recipients on or around the 15th of the publication month.
It is the role of the writer/journalist to liaise with the mail house to obtain quotations prior to mailing
and verify subsequent invoices.
In addition to hard-copy distribution, the magazine is made available electronically to levy-paying
growers via the AUSVEG website.
The magazine is also distributed through the AUSVEG National Convention, Trades Show and Awards
for Excellence, as well as through other industry events and conferences.
Audit
From 2011 onwards, Vegetables Australia distribution figures have been subject to an annual external
audit from the accredited Circulations Audit Board. The audit has confirmed Vegetables Australia as
the most widely distributed magazine in horticulture, a fact that is now represented on the magazine’s
cover page (see APPENDIX 2). At the time of this report, Vegetables Australia is distributed to
approximately 6,000 recipients.
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7. Publication Developments
Vegetables Australia has undergone a significant redevelopment with regards to the nature of its
content and visual quality.
The most marked changes have occurred in the aesthetics of the magazine, particularly within editions
of the magazine from late 2011 onwards.
A useful comparison can be drawn between the front covers from the January/February 2009
(APPENDIX 1) and July/August 2012 (APPENDIX 2) editions of the magazine. APPENDIX 1 features flat,
somewhat dull imagery. The largely brown, muted tones of the photograph are not striking and there
is little depth or size in the frame of the grower, who is offset in the lower-right corner. The magazine’s
title is also relatively inconspicuous on the soft white banner.
By contrast, APPENDIX 2 features a vibrant, colourful photograph of a grower, Frank Ruffo, in mid
conversation. The style, size and colour of the fonts employed are significantly more striking and eye-
catching, and the quality and depth of the photography is of a much higher standard.
Immediately evident as well is the quality of the paper used. While the paper used in APPENDIX 1 is of
a competitive standard, APPENDIX 2 highlights the magazine’s adoption of a higher-grade, gloss paper
source.
APPENDIX 3 displays the cover story from within the January/February 2009 edition. As with the cover
short, the single image features largely brown tones with a black and teal headline text. APPENDIX 4
shows the cover story from the July/August 2012 edition. The main image of Frank Ruffo standing
amongst a sea of green lettuce crops is accompanied by a dynamic selection of complementary images.
The photo on the third page shows Ruffo leaning on a set of old crates, captured in a moment of brief
reflection. The effect of the image and the accompanying quote successfully complements the nature
of the article.
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As discussed previously in this report, the R&D content of the magazine has been supported by the
inclusion of specialised industry contributors. APPENDIX 5 displays industry economist Ian James’
July/August 2012 edition of recurring economics column. The piece analyses import data from
Singapore and Japan as a basis for discussion to consider the possibilities for Australian growers to
export to those and similar locations. As the piece was commissioned specifically for the magazine and
surrounds an issue of a particularly topical nature for growers, it serves as a useful example of the way
in which Vegetables Australia provides relevant and unique R&D for vegetable levy-payers.
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8. Publication Highlights
Vegetables Australia has registered some notable achievements in its most recent project cycle . In
addition to the regular coverage of levy-funded R&D final reports and projects, the magazine strives to
unearth external developments.
‘Air into water: a new hope’ (APPENDIX 6 ) details the development of Ed Linacre’s remarkable ‘Airdrop’
irrigation system. Informed by the devastating impact of water shortage to rural communities, Linacre
speaks to Vegetables Australia in the piece about his award-winning prototype and his steadfast
commitment to help provide greater access for growers to the vital resource. Linacre makes specific
mention of his despair at the level of farmer suicide, and his feeling of obligation to help aid their
plight. The piece was designed to both inform farmers of the nature of Linacre’s design, and to help
engender a sense of hope that their struggle had been recognised and work was being done to assist
them.
‘To be Frank: a conversation with the 2012 AUSVEG Grower of the Year’ (APPENDIX 4) profiles one of
the country’s most significant vegetable growers, Frank Ruffo. During an in-depth feature, Mr Ruffo
spoke about the floods that inundated his Gippsland property, some of the grim challenges he has
faced as a grower and most significantly, his deep family grounding and the role his sons will play in
the future of his business.
The interview that informed much of the piece was conducted on site at Mr Ruffo’s Boisdale farm.
Despite losing a large volume of crops in the weeks prior to the interview, Mr Ruffo was a welcoming
and generous host, and the piece was designed to translate some of the warmth and passion he holds
for his work.
Grower features have long proved popular within Vegetables Australia, and this piece was intended to
be something of a definitive profile of AUSVEG’s Grower of the Year. As an individual responsible for
feeding thousands of Australian families, he is an individual deserving of recognition, and a shining
example to other growers in the industry. Profiles such as this also serve to provide information to
other growers on what other growers are doing on their farms, in relation to production, innovations
and R&D implementation.
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In the March/April 2012 edition of the magazine, the article ‘Sourcing success’ (APPENDIX 7) examines
the link between high end restaurants and the growers they source from. Featuring interviews with
award-winning chef Andrew McConnell and asparagus grower Trevor Courtney, the piece was
designed to highlight the role local growers play in fine-dining, and also serve to instruct others as to
how such connections can be forged.
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9. Evaluation of Publication and Surveys
In order to obtain both qualitative and quantitative data from readers, Vegetables Australia conducts
annual surveys of its readership within the magazine. The readership surveys solicit feedback from
grower and non-grower readers, providing a rounded industry perspective on the role of the
publication within the Australian vegetable industry.
The readership survey conducted subsequent to the commencement of this project contained valuable
information relating to readership demographics and attitudes towards content. The magazine has,
throughout ensuing editions, endeavoured to cater to the findings contained within the survey.
The below graph represents the vocation of survey respondents. It highlights that an overwhelming
percentage (78%) of the magazine’s readership are vegetable growers. The remaining percentages are
divided relatively evenly between the remaining categories.
The next graph categorises the readership within 10-year age brackets. Given the average age of the
Australian grower is recorded as being around 53-years-old, it is not surprising to see such a large
portion of the readership (35%) fall in the 55+ category, with 30% of survey respondents aged between
45-54. Of significance, however, is the large portion (35%) of readers falling within the 35-44 category.
Given the difficulty faced by the vegetable industry in attracting younger members to the industry, it is
heartening to see a substantial section of the Vegetables Australia readership made up of individuals
from this section. In response to such statistics and the broader need to encourage younger members
78%
6%
3% 7% 6%
Vegetables Australia Respondents
Growers
Research
Advertisers
Industry Representatives
Other
24
of the industry, Vegetables Australia has since introduced a recurring ‘Young Grower Profile’ into each
edition of the magazine (APPENDIX 8).
The below graph represents the average time respondents spend reading the magazine. It is a credit to
Vegetables Australia that, in contrast to other media standard figures, 97% of the magazine’s
readership report engaging with the magazine for at least 15 minutes or more. 30% of respondents
state that they spend between 15-30 minutes reading the magazine, while impressively, over 15%
report spending in excess of 60 minutes with Vegetables Australia. Such data is against industry norms
and serves as a valuable commodity for the magazine to prospective advertisers.
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
Readership of Vegetables Australia by Age
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
0-15 min 15-30 min 30-45 min 45-60 min 60+ min
Time spent reading Vegetables Australia
25
In the next graph, respondents were asked to select which aspects of the magazine they enjoyed, with
multiple answers being permitted. 78% of those surveyed listed R&D findings as an area they enjoyed
within the magazine. The figure serves to validate the magazine’s strong R&D focus. The graph also
highlights significant support (82%) for the grower profiles in Vegetables Australia. These continue to
form a central component of the magazine and receive a healthy page allocation within each edition
(see APPENDIX 4).
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Ads
Economic Outlook
Environment
Grower profiles
News
Professional Development
Research findings
State reports
Vegetables Australia sections enjoyed by readers
26
10. Recommendations
To ensure Vegetables Australia retains and increases its appeal, reputation and quality as the
preeminent journal of the vegetable industry, a review has been recently organised by AUSVEG to
explore opportunities to improve circulation, content and aesthetics and to examine opportunities to
access new audiences.
Among others, the following strategic areas are being examined by AUSVEG as part of the review and
the recommendations from the review will flow into the next project:
Design
The review will incorporate analysis of the aesthetic appeal, photography and layout of Vegetables
Australia magazine. In order to reflect current design trends and standards, Vegetables Australia must:
Examine design elements through research into successful publications in circulation in
different industries.
Research evolution of visual direction for the magazine in the coming years.
Maintain contemporary aesthetics while keeping the style consistent and relevant to the target
market.
Aspects of design to be considered for change:
Fonts, grid layout, colour scheme.
R&D layout: investigate ways in which R&D articles could be of more direct use for growers e.g.
inclusion of ready-to-use, on-farm guides for relevant programs.
Printing alternatives / quality of paper stock
Expanding the audience
There is potential to consider ways to expand the audience of Vegetables Australia beyond its existing
base in future projects. While levy-paying growers would remain Vegetables Australia’s target
audience, and content developed specific to their interests, it may be possible to broaden the
complementary content to appeal to a wider additional audience, however, this is still under
27
consideration. Possible additional content options to broaden the appeal of the publication may
include:
A greater portion of extended feature articles, with a broader range of subjects.
Profiles and/or reviews of restaurants, particularly those in rural locations with an emphasis on
sourcing produce locally and direct.
Inclusion of recipes centred around seasonal vegetables to encourage greater consumption.
Advertising
Opportunities exist to increase advertising support for the magazines. For instance, there exists a
significant opportunity to increase involvement from:
Packaging companies
Logistics companies
Machinery/automation/optics companies
University and educational institutions
The financial sector
Insurance companies
Consumer and market information organisations
The irrigation industry
Relaunch
Once improvements and updates to the magazine have been conducted, AUSVEG is considering
holding an official, high-profile relaunch of the magazine. Held in a major capital city, if it proceeds, the
event would be designed to emphasise the publication’s significance to the industry and serve to
attract greater interest and increase readership and distribution. Members of the media, industry,
appropriate political figures, growers, potential magazine advertisers and other relevant parties would
be invited to attend.
The event would assist in:
Building the magazine’s profile across industry and the media.
Underline its relevance and appropriateness.
Boosting circulation and potential readership base.
28
12. Appendices
APPENDIX 1 – January/February 2009 Vegetables Australia cover
APPENDIX 2 – July/August 2012 Vegetables Australia cover
APPENDIX 3 – January/February 2009 Vegetables Australia; ‘No more traffic jams.’
APPENDIX 4 – July/August 2012 Vegetables Australia; ‘To be Frank: a conversation with AUSVEG’s
Grower of the Year.’
APPENDIX 5 – July/August 2012 Vegetables Australia; ‘Advancing Australia’s share: do high costs
preclude Australian vegetable growers from Asian markets?’
APPENDIX 6 – January/February 2012 Vegetables Australia; ‘Air into water: a new hope’
APPENDIX 7 – March/April 2012 Vegetables Australia; ‘Sourcing success’
APPENDIX 8 – March/April 2012 Vegetables Australia; ‘Young Grower Profile- Scott Samwell'
APPENDIX 1 January/February 2009 Vegetables Australia cover
vegetables australia
Jan/Feb 2009
4.4volu
me
12 Light the way: secure export markets with UV light
26 John McKenna: controlled traffic saves soils
32 Profit from precision agriculture
Special Technology
Issue!
APPENDIX 2 July/August 2012 Vegetables Australia cover
Visit www.ausveg.com.au
The most widely distributed magazine in horticulture
Audit Period: 01/04/2011 – 31/03/2012
2012 AUSVEG Grower of
the Year
Frank Ruffo:
Still the voice? The importance of rural media in 2012
History, forever a morning with Geoffrey Blainey
Tina Lamattina: Growing the Lamattina legacy
d.88,888
July/August 2012
vegetablesaustralia
APPENDIX 3 January/February 2009 Vegetables Australia; ‘No more traffic
jams.’
26
Vegetables Australia January/February 2009
27
No more traffic jams A retired grower, who now
lives on John McKen-na’s property in Gawler, on the north-west coast
of Tasmania, used to harvest a 35-acre paddock of potatoes with a fork. Forty years later, John works on the same-sized paddock with a satellite guidance system and a tractor that drives itself.
His elderly lodger is impressed by John’s ability to align tradi-tional methods with cutting edge technology, but John might not have a choice. Traditional farming conditions have changed dramati-cally over the past 50 years, and as John said, “it’s not all good”.
He has long recognised the
connection between driving heavy machinery over his paddocks and the not-so-slow death of his soil. “We are squashing it to death.”
John is among a new breed of grower prepared to try innovative farming methods for long-term economic and environmental benefits. Like many around him, he continues to grow potatoes, the traditional crop of the area, but has diversified into onions, brassicas, peas, poppies, pyrethrum, and cereal crops, as well as running some stock with pasture.
Maintain controlServe-Ag’s Peter Aird has been
If you’re concerned about heavy farm machinery squashing your cropping soil, follow grower John McKenna’s lead and introduce controlled traffic farming into your operations, writes Angela Brennan. Photography by Mark Seaton.
a visiting agronomist to John’s farm for the past 20 years; in that time, he recognised John’s interest in soil health. In 2007, he invited John to participate in a government-funded project—through the National Landcare Program—into controlled traffic farming (CTF). Put simply, CTF separates wheel traffic from growing zones, thereby avoiding compaction of cropping soil.
Jason McNeill from the Tas-manian Department of Primary Industries and Water (DPIW), John McPhee from the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research
CTF separates wheel traffic from growing zones, thereby avoiding compaction of cropping soil.
Continued page 28
Researcher John McPhee [left] and John McKenna discuss the pros and cons of CTF.
26
Vegetables Australia January/February 2009
27
No more traffic jams A retired grower, who now
lives on John McKen-na’s property in Gawler, on the north-west coast
of Tasmania, used to harvest a 35-acre paddock of potatoes with a fork. Forty years later, John works on the same-sized paddock with a satellite guidance system and a tractor that drives itself.
His elderly lodger is impressed by John’s ability to align tradi-tional methods with cutting edge technology, but John might not have a choice. Traditional farming conditions have changed dramati-cally over the past 50 years, and as John said, “it’s not all good”.
He has long recognised the
connection between driving heavy machinery over his paddocks and the not-so-slow death of his soil. “We are squashing it to death.”
John is among a new breed of grower prepared to try innovative farming methods for long-term economic and environmental benefits. Like many around him, he continues to grow potatoes, the traditional crop of the area, but has diversified into onions, brassicas, peas, poppies, pyrethrum, and cereal crops, as well as running some stock with pasture.
Maintain controlServe-Ag’s Peter Aird has been
If you’re concerned about heavy farm machinery squashing your cropping soil, follow grower John McKenna’s lead and introduce controlled traffic farming into your operations, writes Angela Brennan. Photography by Mark Seaton.
a visiting agronomist to John’s farm for the past 20 years; in that time, he recognised John’s interest in soil health. In 2007, he invited John to participate in a government-funded project—through the National Landcare Program—into controlled traffic farming (CTF). Put simply, CTF separates wheel traffic from growing zones, thereby avoiding compaction of cropping soil.
Jason McNeill from the Tas-manian Department of Primary Industries and Water (DPIW), John McPhee from the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research
CTF separates wheel traffic from growing zones, thereby avoiding compaction of cropping soil.
Continued page 28
Researcher John McPhee [left] and John McKenna discuss the pros and cons of CTF.
APPENDIX 4 July/August 2012 Vegetables Australia; ‘To be Frank: a
conversation with AUSVEG’s Grower of the Year.’
32
A commitment to quality and a business grounded in family has seen Frank Ruffo rise to the top of vegetable growing in Victoria. After being awarded the 2012 AUSVEG ‘Grower of the Year’ award in Hobart, Ruffo took time out to speak about family, floods and the future of his farms.
a conversation with AUSVEG’s Grower of the Year
Photographs by Louise Buma.
To be32
Frank:
33
It is a cold morning in Boisdale, Victoria. Properly cold. A meek
sunshine begins to reveal itself overhead, but the soil underfoot responds to the tread of Frank Ruffo’s boots with an icy crunch. This, and the fact his farm still displays the effects of the severe flooding that inundated the surrounding Gippsland region, would be cause for some disheartenment. But Frank Ruffo is in good spirits. It seems that he both relishes and thrives in challenging situations.
“This might sound a bit funny, but whenever we have a problem, I get a kick out of trying to solve it,” says Ruffo.
“I don’t let anything knock me. I like to find a solution for anything. As one bloke said to me, ‘there’s no problem in the world that can’t be solved.’ I just like to be one of those people that can solve all the problems.”
A third-generation grower and Managing Director of Tripod Farmers, Frank Ruffo sits at the top of vegetable growing in Victoria. When he’s not at his vast Bacchus Marsh farm, overseeing production five days a week, he and his wife are in Boisdale every weekend, “making sure everything is running smoothly.”
Lately, that’s involved responding to the immediate and damaging threat of floods. Despite his zeal for problem-solving, Ruffo admits that receiving the first call reporting such news always sets off a brief moment of panic. Losing water pumps and crops is damaging to any business, even one of his size.
“We’ve got clients that we have to maintain our supply to,
and basically it starts affecting their business and they get a bit cranky with us,” he says.
“Even though they understand that it is out of our control, no-one likes to lose business; especially in a tough environment like we’ve got at the moment.”
Ruffo wears a wry grin when speaking about the floods. The grim irony is that he has spent so many years of his life battling drought and water shortages. Lack of water drove he and his family from their Bacchus Marsh location to Swan Hill, only for them to return 12 months later once they had encountered similar restrictions as a result of the Murray-Darling dispute. It has been the ability to respond to such challenges and continually operate at a high level though, that has been crucial to Ruffo’s success; something that saw him recognised with the prestigious 2012 AUSVEG ‘Grower of the Year’ award in Hobart. For a man who has dedicated his life to hard work, it was clearly a humbling experience.
“I knew that I had been nominated, but I had no idea that I was going to be awarded the ‘Grower of the Year.’ It came as a bit of a shock,” says Ruffo.
“It’s very rewarding. Things are pretty tough in our industry, and when you come across occasions like that, you feel like you have been rewarded for all the hard work you’ve put in, in years gone by.”
A look through the Vegetables Australia archives reveals Frank Ruffo’s face on the cover of the very first edition of the magazine, some seven years
We want to be at the top end of everything - the best. And we won’t do it unless we can do it 100%.
3434
I just like to be one of those people that can solve all the problems.
35
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ago. There, he spoke of his drive to supply the freshest possible produce. In that regard, it seems little has changed in the intervening years.
“See that over there,” gesticulates Ruffo, pointing to a row of lettuce being packed.
“If you go down to the Footscray Market tomorrow, you’ll find that product there. We pride ourselves on what we harvest today is in the market tomorrow. We’ve got a very good track record of that - we love it.”
The ‘we,’ in this case, refers very much to a family affair. Ruffo’s wife Angela looks after field harvesting, while his brother specialises in the sales component of the business. His two sons, Joseph (30) and Frankie (28), are both actively involved in the farms; the former responsible for maintenance, while the latter assists with the day to day running of the farms’ production. Operating such a family-orientated business, and working so closely with his sons, is clearly a source of great pride for the farm’s patriarch.
“Both [Joseph and Frankie Ruffo] have been involved with the business from the ground up,” says Frank Ruffo.
“They’ve done everything I’ve done; they’ve done everything that needs to be done on a farm, so they understand it inside out.”
He cites the unity shown during turbulent times moving
between Swan Hill and Bacchus Marsh as a defining moment for the family.
“I said to the boys, we need to make a move. I realise how bad it was the first time. They just said, ‘you point us in the direction and we’ll go.’ That sort of support you can’t buy. That’s why I’m here today. Really, what we’re setting up now is basically for them.”
While Ruffo is well informed and speaks knowledgably about the key issues facing the industry, it is his family, and the clear direction they share for the business, that drives Tripod Farmers.
“The real success is that we’ve all got the same goal,” says Ruffo.
“We want to be at the top end of everything - the best. And we won’t do it unless we can do it 100%. That’s where the results come in.”
While he admits that his enthusiasm for the job is no longer always matched by that of his body during cold 5am starts, Ruffo still retains a fierce motivation to succeed. That means for sons Joseph and Frankie, they are likely to be working for their father for a few more years to come.
“They are keen to take on the business as soon as I move out,” says Ruffo.
“But I love what I’m doing and I don’t want to be thrown out!”
APPENDIX 5 July/August 2012 Vegetables Australia; ‘Advancing Australia’s
share: do high costs preclude Australian vegetable growers from Asian markets?’
44
Research and Development of export markets is one of
the priorities of the vegetable industry’s new strategic plan. The Australian vegetable industry, in contrast to most other agricultural industries, exports only a small proportion of its total output. Gross value of vegetable production in the financial year of 2010-11 is estimated to have been around $3 billion. Total vegetable exports were $267 million in that year, of which $164 million were fresh and chilled. An explanation for this low propensity to export is that Australian growers cannot compete on price.
This article examines trade data on fresh and chilled vegetable imports into Singapore and Japan to see whether price is the critical factor in determining success in these markets. These two countries were chosen because they:1. Provide examples of successful Australian penetration of markets, as Singapore and Japan are the two major destinations for Australian fresh vegetable exports.
2. Are high-income economies where price factors are likely to weigh less on purchasing decisions.3. Offer a contrast in terms of openness to food imports.
In the Singapore market, Australia has a market share of over 10% for three (carrots,
broccoli and asparagus) of the seventeen vegetables imported into Singapore, with a total value exceeding US $5 million. Australia was the largest supplier of carrots into the Singapore market in 2011 (58% market share), despite average prices being 86% higher than the price of Chinese imports, the other major supplier of carrots. Australia supplied 18%
of broccoli imports in 2011 with China supplying over three quarters of total imports. However, Australia’s market share has increased over the last two years from 15% in 2009 despite higher prices. Over the last three years, asparagus imports into Singapore have been fairly steady despite a rise in the average price from all countries. Australia has maintained its market share at just over 14%. But Thailand, the largest and cheapest supplier, has lost market share to higher priced imports from the US and Peru.
Australia also exports small amounts of high priced vegetables into Singapore for a range of other vegetables. For example, in 2011, Australia air freighted 257 tonnes of lettuce at extremely high prices - four times the price of Malaysian lettuce and six times the price of China’s lettuce for a market share of 5.7%.
There are other examples that suggest that success can be had in the Singapore market without price being the determining factor. The US is the main supplier of celery into
Advancing Australia’s share:
Industry economist Ian James assesses two major Asian import markets and considers the potential of Australian exports within a competitive international field.
44
do high costs preclude Australian vegetable growers from Asian markets?
Singapore
45Vegetables Australia July/August 2012
the Singapore market, with a market share of 69% in 2011, despite a 58% price differential in favour of the Chinese, which had the second highest market share of 22%. The US is also the major supplier of imported cabbage lettuce, despite a price disadvantage compared to China. In 2011, China displaced the US as the major source country, with the market share of the US falling from 39% to 27%. But the shift appears to have been due to factors other than price, as the price differential between US and Chinese imports changed
little between 2010 and 2011. Indonesia had a market share of 20% in fresh bean imports in 2011, despite prices of beans being three times the price of beans from Malaysia; the major source country.
In the Japanese market, the longer freight distances makes it more difficult for Australian fresh vegetables to compete and Japan is less receptive to open agricultural trade than Singapore. On the surface, price appears to be a factor impacting
on the demand for Australia’s major vegetable exports into Japan.
The largest market share that Australia has in Japanese vegetable imports is for asparagus.
Australia exported 1757 tonnes of asparagus in 2011, valued at US $15 million for a market share of 14%. Of the five major suppliers, Australian asparagus was the dearest in 2011 and Australia’s market share declined. Mexico is the cheapest and major supplier of asparagus and grew market share in 2011 to 48% at the expense of Australia and all the other major suppliers; namely Peru, Thailand and the US. Carrots are also an important Australian export to Japan. China, with low prices, dominates the carrot trade into Japan with a market share in 2011 of 83%. Australia and New Zealand, with much higher prices, sold 2621 and 5314 tonnes respectively.
In the case of Japan, concentration on price factors ignores the reality of the Japanese market. The key feature of imports of vegetables into Japan is not so much price but windows of seasonal opportunity.
Australian asparagus growers have been successful in Japan by exploiting Australia’s southern hemisphere location. In 2011, 74% of asparagus imports from Australia were in the fourth quarter, with the remainder in the third quarter and no imports in the first half of the year. This seasonal characteristic is by no means confined to Australia. Imports from Peru, another southern hemisphere supplier of asparagus, are also concentrated in the final quarter of the year. Imports from Mexico are concentrated in the first quarter of the year and those from the US in the second quarter. Of Japan’s main suppliers of asparagus, Thailand is the only country where there is not a pronounced seasonal pattern to this trade.
Other vegetable imports suggest scope for seasonal penetration. New Zealand is Japan’s main supplier of pumpkin imports with a market share of 58% in 2011. New Zealand shipped 66,000 tonnes of pumpkins to Japan in 2011, valued at over US $47 million. 60% of imports from New Zealand in 2011 were shipped in the first quarter and the remainder in the second
quarter. Mexico, the other major supplier, provided most of its pumpkins in the last two quarters. A clear seasonal pattern is also evident in exports of capsicums to Japan. The three suppliers of capsicums (South Korea, the Netherlands, and New Zealand) are all high-income economies. While the seasonal pattern of imports from South Korea, the main supplier, is not especially pronounced, imports from the Netherlands are, with 83% of the 2011 total concentrated in the third quarter, as are New Zealand imports which are concentrated in the first and last quarters of each year.
While price will always be an influence on purchasing decisions, it is not a defining barrier in either the Singapore or Japanese markets. The success of some Australian vegetable growers and other suppliers in these markets with relatively high priced product attests to this fact. Other factors such as consistency of supply, quality, distribution networks and seasonality can open up opportunities for export.
Source: Global Trade Information Services - World Trade Atlas.
Table 2 - Japan.
Calendar 2011Value
($USM)Quantity (tonnes)
Market Share (%)
Price($US per tonne)
Carrots
Australia 11.0 11,651 57.7 948
China 3.4 6,915 34.2 491
New Zealand 0.7 398 2.0 876
Broccoli
China 8.3 6,479 76.1 1,281
Australia 4.8 1,550 18.2 3,094
Asparagus
Thailand 1.9 490 44.2 3,882
USA 2.1 319 28.8 6,458
Australia 0.9 161 14.5 5,625
Peru 0.6 93 8.4 6,438
Netherlands 0.2 28 2.5 8,461
Source: Global Trade Information Services - World Trade Atlas.
Table 1 - Singapore.
Calendar 2011Value
($USM)Quantity (tonnes)
Market Share (%)
Price($US per tonne)
Carrots
China 33.4 66,471 83.0 500
Taiwan 4.7 5,355 6.7 680
New Zealand 3.7 5,314 6.6 880
Australia 2.2 2,621 3.3 860
Asparagus
Mexico 31.9 5,871 47.7 5,430
Australia 14.9 1,757 14.3 8,460
Peru 12.6 1,600 13.0 7,860
Thailand 11.6 1,458 11.8 7,970
USA 4.9 780 6.3 6,250
A range of economic data based on examples from the import markets of Japan and Singapore highlights that:
- A myriad of vegetables are being imported from a range of countries around the world into Asia, with price no longer serving as a definitive factor.
- Seasonality of produce will significantly dictate when certain products are imported.
- Higher prices should not necessarily hinder Australian exports into Asian markets.
THE
BOTTOM LINE
For more information:
Ian James is Project Leader of the Vegetable Industry Developments Program's Economic Sub-Program. There is a wealth of information on the vegetable industry and more detail can be found on the AUSVEG website: ausveg.com.au/resources/industrystatistics.htm.
i
Japan
Conclusion
APPENDIX 6 January/February 2012 Vegetables Australia; ‘Air into water:
a new hope’
14
Air into water:a new hope
An award-winning Australian student may
be on the path to solving the agricultural industry’s
water problems,writes Jeremy Story Carter
In November 2011, 27 year-old industrial designer Edward
Linacre received the James Dyson award and a $15,000 prize for his remarkable ‘Airdrop’ irrigation system.
The concept harvests moisture from the air and diverts it through a turbine, transferring it to a piping network underground. The process rapidly cools the temperature of the air to mirror that of the soil, causing it to reach 100% humidity, condense and ultimately, produce water. The water is stored in an underground tank and fed into crop roots.
The design has garnered the attention of the international media and attracted a range
of commercial enquiries from around the world. Speaking during an extended interview with Vegetables Australia, Mr Linacre hopes that it can continue to be developed domestically.
“I will be aiming to keep it in Australia, to keep it local, to support our industries, to work with farmers, work with irrigation designers and look to keep it as an Australian product,” said Mr Linacre. “It’s not that simple though… there’s been so much international interest. I’m doing the best I can to keep it here, and I’m hoping it can be kept within Australia. But there seems to be such a focus on mining and other areas, where all the funding is going, and
innovation just seems to be left in the dark.”
Mr Linacre says he has also received significant interest from growers and farming communities, who have encouraged him to see the design through and become a fully realised product.
“There was an email a couple of days ago that brought it all back,” he said. “It wasn’t any kind of interest in having an input in the commercialisation of it. It was just simply a farmer from an agricultural community within America, who said ‘we’re really suffering here so please, realise this product, because we really need it out here.’ Things like that are what’s going to keep me enthusiastic about
making sure it gets developed and realised.”
At present, the design remains merely a prototype and Mr Linacre admits that he is unsure what its ultimate practical application would be for growers.
“I would like it to be able to service entire agricultural systems,” he said. “It may be that it does the best it can during times of drought and you would need to hook back in to the mains- I’m just not sure at this point. I would like to see it happen, and out there in agricultural systems, to see people thrive where otherwise they would be suffering in times of drought.”
He is, however, staunchly
14
15Vegetables Australia January/February 2012
committed to keeping the design as functional and low maintenance for farmers as possible.
“I intended for it to be a low-tech system, to be able to be maintained and serviced by rural communities so that they don’t need a specialised team to come out.” said Mr Linacre. “A high-tech, militarised atmospheric water pump isn’t appropriate for them- they’re looking for something that is perfect for their community.”
The concept was initially developed during Mr Linacre’s Honours’ Thesis at Swinburne University. Asked to research a region of Australia that was suffering due to environmental conditions, he chose the Murray-Darling basin and its twelve-year drought. After conducting research and interviews within the region, he says he began to become fully aware of the impact the drought held not only on crops, but lives and livelihoods.
“I was able to get a feel for the response that community
was having to the drought,” he said. “I remember giving my dad my first draft to look over and he said ‘it’s absolutely devastating that this type of information isn’t out in the media and isn’t understood and more widespread.’ That type of research will never leave me.”
“A huge thing for me was the increase in farmer suicides, as a result of the fact that the towns were decaying, years of failing crops and mounting debt. I remember reading quotes from farmers in the area, saying they had never seen their friends, grown men, cry - it was absolutely devastating. I can totally understand when you put your life and everything into the soil, into the plants- that’s your life, and to see it all in such a dilapidated state, it must be devastating.”
For now, Mr Linacre continues to progress through the exhaustive phase of patenting his design and assessing the financial options and implications of his project. Amidst a confronting and almost
overwhelming decision making process, he remains certain of at least one thing.
“I need to continue to work with [Australian farmers]- they are my inspiration, they are the people who know what’s
going on and know what I can do to suit it to Australian environmental conditions… I won’t be happy or feel satisfied until it’s out there doing what it’s supposed to do.”
A conceptual representation of the ‘Airdrop’ irrigation system
15
APPENDIX 7 March/April 2012 Vegetables Australia; ‘Sourcing success’
2222
Sourcing successA select group of high profile restaurants are beginning to source their vegetables direct from local growers. Decorated chef Andrew McConnell and asparagus grower Trevor Courtney talk to Jeremy Story Carter about building a mutually beneficial relationship.
Streaks of late afternoon sunlight lash a handful of
post-work drinkers on a Fitzroy footpath, who occupy several basic wooden tables and chairs. With grime and graffiti coating their surrounds and two enormous housing commission flats in full view only 100 metres away, there is little to suggest that they are positioned outside of one of Melbourne’s best restaurants. Push upon the large glass doors of Cutler & Co. though and things start to make sense.
Immediately you are greeted by a smartly dressed and effortlessly casual maître de, who shows you to your table and asks what you are drinking. A low hum of conversation from the restaurant’s typically relaxed clientele flows throughout the sleek but understated interior. Polished wooden tables are
smattered about the vast dining space, whose monochrome furnishings are overlooked by a large exposed brick wall. When a stunningly arranged dish of raw and cooked asparagus, cracked wheat pilaf, goat’s curd and barberries is placed before you, it is understandable if your thoughts are far from a farm in Koo Wee Rup. Yet that’s exactly where the dish’s centrepiece is sourced from. Head chef and owner of Cutler and Co., Andrew McConnell,
forms part of a new generation of high profile chefs who choose to source their vegetables,
where possible, directly from local growers.
As one of the country’s best
chefs, the decisions Mr McConnell makes affect all three of his Melbourne
restaurants (he also owns
the award-winning Cumulus
Inc. and the recently opened Golden Fields). It is therefore refreshing to hear how passionate and committed he is to fostering working relationships with growers.
“I have been working with
some growers for over 10 years,” says Mr McConnell.
“I think now these farmers are accessible to us, and there’s a lot of farmers who are receptive to chefs, to working with chefs and maybe listening to what they need.”
As a chef whose restaurants pride themselves on the seasonality of their dishes, it is less a case of dictating to growers what vegetables to supply and more about listening to the best they have to offer.
“Often it’s not us being able to select [what produce],” says Mr McConnell.
“It’s a matter of keeping a close, constant dialogue with the growers and farmers as to what’s growing and what’s coming up. How long they think it’s going to be, a few weeks or months in advance of a dish, so that when the produce does
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arrive in the restaurant, we’ve got a few ideas to work within.”
Over in south-eastern Victoria at Bridge Farm in Koo Wee Rup, second-generation asparagus grower Trevor Courtney, whose asparagus is featured on the plates of McConnell’s restaurants, welcomes that connection.
“He’s been fantastic to work with, he’s really knowledgeable and in tune with growers, and just a very nice guy to deal with. There’s a synergy and a sort of mutual respect, and you don’t get that when you don’t sell it yourself,” says Mr Courtney.
“At farmers’ markets you get some of that, but with these restauranteurs you get even more of it because you understand their love and passion of food… They have an affinity with you and they know what you’ve got.”
Bridge Farm have been supplying asparagus to McConnell for three years now, preparing each batch under highly specialised and tailored conditions.
“We do a specific grade for the restaurant, it’s a medium grade they like,” says Mr Courtney.
“We pick asparagus sticks with nice, tight heads.”
“We cut in the night so the asparagus is fresh - so we cut under torchlight. We gather in the crop before the sun hits the crop and deteriorates the product. Then we wash and process it in our shed, and then we deliver it to Andrew the next day so it’s nice and fresh and has a good shelf life.”
The two met informally at a Collingwood Children’s Farm farmers’ market, and quickly established a mutually beneficial relationship. For Andrew McConnell and his restaurants, it means getting the freshest possible produce delivered direct to his door.
“It’s great for us, because we get the produce that has been picked the day before,” he says.
“It doesn’t have to be in a cold store, it doesn’t have to go through a wholesale market, it hasn’t had to go through a reseller before it comes to us. It’s been touched by one person and washed by one person - the farmer - who sees it from seed to our kitchen backdoor. The product is better for it, but it’s actually great for us as chefs to have a connection and
understanding about what goes into the produce every day.”
Mr Courtney is similarly positive about the opportunity to work with Mr McConnell and his team of chefs.
“We really can’t thank him enough, because Andrew was the first that gave us the opportunity, and then we spread to a few more [high-end restaurants],” he says.
“We’ve never forgotten his introduction to us at the market and how we got involved, because a lot of restauranteurs don’t get out or take the time to get out to meet local growers.”
As someone who puts a significant level of care into his work, Mr Courtney says he garners a great sense of satisfaction knowing that his produce is treated so well, and especially enjoys seeing it presented in its final incarnation.
“When you see Andrew’s cooking and his new recipe book, and you see your asparagus in there, it is very fulfilling.”
As for Mr McConnell, it’s the type of relationship he hopes to continue to build and will remain a key component of all his restaurants.
“It’s something I’ve always been interested in and it’s something I’m always looking to expand within the business,” he says.
“I like to think that the guys who I work with really care about cooking. And if you care about cooking, you care about where your produce comes from and who it’s produced by.”
If you care about cooking, you care about where your produce comes from and who it’s produced by.
Inside Cutler & Co.
Chef Andrew McConnell
APPENDIX 8 March/April 2012 Vegetables Australia; ‘Young Grower Profile
- Scott Samwell'
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Q&A Young grower feature
Future of the family
Name: Scott Samwell Age: 38Location: Mount Barker, Adelaide HillsWorks: Samwell & SonsGrows: Brussels sprouts, cabbage, hay and beef cattle
Scott Samwell has achieved a significant amount in his career to date. Still in his thirties, Scott oversees his family’s third generation farm. His ability and potential were recognised last year when he was awarded the 2011 Nuffield Australia scholarship. A passionate member of the industry, Scott continues to further his family’s vegetable growing operations and build towards a bright future.
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Phtographs by Andrew Beveridge
Mount Barker, Adelaide Hills,South Australia
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my jobs done, which involve fertilising, maturity assessments, fixing problems, arranging forthcoming season plantings, coordinating new projects, managing spraying and irrigation programs and working out the harvest programs. As any grower knows, there are always things to be done and it is very much full bore most of the time.
I get immense satisfaction from growing a quality product. It is very rewarding to walk a field of sprouts or cabbage and see uniformity in product size and bush height, good colour and no pest or disease problems. The challenge is to get this right as much as possible. Sometimes it doesn’t always work, however it is fantastic when it does!
Good quality labour, increasing labour costs and increasing
input costs. Unfortunately these costs are not being offset with better farm-gate prices. However, what these costs are causing us to do is to be smarter about how we grow. It makes us more efficient so that all the inputs we use can be utilised by the plant. I certainly do not want to apply fertiliser to my field and then over-irrigate, causing it to run off and be lost, or spray when there are no pests to control. It is important to make all the inputs count, whether fertilisers, chemicals, labour etc.
What we do is not just a job; it is a lifestyle. Agricultural knowledge has increased so much in our game and this certainly requires young people to learn about these things and then bring them into the industry. Our work environment requires many skills from agronomy, people management
through to engineering skills. I feel young people need to see that it is an exciting sector to be in, with great opportunities if one is willing to work and learn. Maybe there needs to be a better link between educational institutes and actual farms/market gardens. This would give better insight to the opportunities on offer.
I have never given this serious thought. I am doing what I love, but if I couldn’t do this, I would be outdoors in some capacity.
Hopefully 10 years wiser! The fourth generation will be up and coming by then, so I would like to see our business still going strong, producing good quality food in a sustainable way so that it can continue providing the lifestyle and working opportunities that I have enjoyed.
Our family has been involved in growing vegetables for around 50 years. I am the third generation, so I’ve been involved all my life in the industry in some form or another. I officially started in the business in 1996 after doing an Environmental Science degree.
My role would be similar to that of a Managing Director. That means I handle all the growing of our products, which involves variety selections, nutrient management, pest control, weed management, harvesting as well as quality control, labour operations and anything and everything in between. There are four, soon to be five, Samwell men in the business and it is very much a team effort. The job needs to be done so we all work together to make it happen. We are certainly not too hung up on titles and such things.
The day’s program will be determined whether we are in a planting or harvesting phase. Generally, it will involve getting all the crews going in the morning, whether for harvesting, which is either done by hand, or machine or, alternatively, planting. Harvesting for us is from early December through to late August or early September for sprouts and all year round for cabbage. Planting for sprouts is from July through to February and again all year round for cabbage. Once things are up and running, I will get
How did you first get involved in the vegetable industry?
What is your role on the farm?
Describe your average day on the farm.
What do you most enjoy about working in the vegetable industry?
What are the biggest challenges you face as a grower?
If you weren’t working in the vegetable industry, what would you be doing?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
How do you think more young people could be encouraged to take up jobs in horticulture and the vegetable industry in particular?