Growers’ e-bulletin – May 4, 2018

ABGC

4 May, 2018

Content

Your say on Congress 2019
Recipes a marketing hit
Queensland’s Vegetation Management laws
Farming with TR4 workshops
Keep soil on your property
New nematode video
Science in the Pub
Coffs Show 2018
HIA Director Nomination Committee
Disaster Assistance

What do YOU want at Congress 2019!

Planning is well underway for our next Australian Banana Industry Congress and it’s already on track to be a fantastic event.

Help us make it even better by filling out the very short, confidential Congress survey sent to growers via SMS earlier this week.

It takes just two minutes to complete and you can have input into what you’d like to see at Congress 2019 at Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast on May 22-24.

For those who have filled out the survey THANKYOU! Your ideas are great!!

The survey can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CZBNLFD

Marketing: New treats for banana lovers

Australian Bananas new healthy (and delicious!) recipes are achieving great coverage.

The recipes include sweet and savoury treats that position bananas at the heart of healthy eating, such as: Elvis Banana and Peanut Butter Pan Toasties, Banana Date and Almond Protein Balls, Banana, Bacon and Cheese Pinwheels, Upside Down Banana Chocolate Cake. Banana Caramel Oat Slice and a Banana Smoothie Bowl. The dishes have gone down a treat in the media with current coverage including:

Billy Slater also appeared in a five page spread in top tier health and fitness publication, Men’s Health, which included a number of mentions of bananas in regards to Billy’s daily eating plan and snack favourites.

QLD passes veg management laws

The Queensland state parliament last night passed controversial vegetation management legislation.

As mentioned in previous e-bulletins, the Queensland Farmers Federation is taking the lead on this matter from an intensive agriculture industry perspective.

QFF President Stuart Armitage said: “Longer term, these laws will have a devastating effect on Queensland’s agricultural sector and its reliant regional communities, and they are not the stable solution we need.” Read their full statement here.

Practical advice for farming with Panama TR4

If Panama TR4 was found on your farm tomorrow how prepared are you? Hear from those with first-hand experience about meeting the challenges of farming with the disease at a series of banana grower workshops being rolled out across the region.

A representative from Mackay’s bananas will be sharing their lessons learnt and practical advice for other growers to help them prepare for Panama TR4. ABGC board members and Biosecurity Queensland staff will also be on-hand to answer your questions about Panama TR4 and the wider industry.

The free workshops will be held in Tully, Innisfail and Mareeba on 6, 14 and 15 June and places are filling up fast. Register online here http://bit.ly/farmingPanamaTR4 or by calling the Panama TR4 Program on 4091 8140 or via email panamatr4@daf.qld.gov.au.

Don’t be a mud runner

We all know banana farming can involve a lot of dirt, but Biosecurity Queensland warns dirt and mud left on public roads by banana growers is a concern for the community and neighbouring banana growers. It takes just one Panama TR4 spore to infect a banana plant.

Clean and disinfect your vehicles and machinery upon farm entry and exit if you must cross a public road, railway line or easement as part of your farming operations and keep public roads as clean as possible.

BQ is also reminding growers that disinfectants aren’t as effective in dirt – so make sure you clean with detergent first, rinse with clean water then apply the disinfectant.

Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility and the banana growing community must work together to protect their farms from Panama TR4. Please consider other growers and keep your soil on your property. If you need advice or information on preventing the spread of soil off your farm, phone 13 25 23 or download Biosecurity Queensland’s decontamination guide here https://bit.ly/2h79IA6.

WATCH: Managing nematodes in banana production

Queensland’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries have published a brand new video showing growers the best way to manage burrowing nematodes in banana production.

You can check it out above, or by following this link.

Science in the Pub

NSW Industry Development Officer Matt Weinert is bananas about bananas – and he’s taking that passion to the bar.

On Thursday May 10, Matt will be hosting Science in the Pub in Lismore covering a range of topics on our favourite fruit, including why they make our bodies sing and latest R&D. Details here.

Coffs Harbour show and Mid North NSW BGA meetings

A shout out to the BGA volunteers who handed out bananas and chatted with the public at this year’s Coffs Harbour show. Congratulations also to Brian Singh, who took home the Champion Bunch – and to all those who won or entered!

Both the Nambucca and Coffs Harbour BGAs held their meetings this week, with a range of topics covered including extension work and sourcing supplies.

Update on HIA’s Director Nomination Committee

Following a change to the HIA constitution, a levy payer must now sit on their Director Nomination Committee.

Voice of Horticulture has been asked to help compile a pool of candidates and, as part of this, will be hosting several information sessions. More details can be found here.

If you are interested in attending, or have other questions, contact: admin@voiceofhorticulture.org.au

Disaster assistance for North Queensland growers

A reminder that if you’re in the Hichinbrook Shire Council, the Cassowary Coast Regional Council or the Cairns Regional Council areas, you may be eligible for Category B disaster relief after heavy rains and flooding earlier this year.

More information here.

Hort Innovation
ABGC

This e-bulletin is produced by the Australian Banana Growers’ Council as a part of the Communications Project for the Banana Industry funded by HIA Ltd using the banana industry R&D levy and matched funds from the Australian Government.

Contact Details
It is important that ABGC is advised if you know of growers who are not receiving these e-bulletins or the Australian Banana magazine. We may have out of date email or postal addresses for these growers. Please email any updated contact details to: 
info@abgc.org.au

Also, it is important for membership purposes that growers advise ABGC if they change trading name or their agent (wholesaler) or add one, and also to let their agent know.