Growers’ e-bulletin – January 17,2020

ABGC

January 17, 2020

Content

Help identify pest and disease priorities

$8000 raised in fire appeal

Biosecurity support

BetterBunch app training support

FNQ Chemical safety training courses

New communications officer joins the team

 

 
 

Help identify pest and disease priorities

 

Banana industry stakeholders are invited to take part in survey which is being conducted to identify pest and disease priorities.

The survey is part of the Banana Industry Strategic Agrochemical Review Process (SARP) 2020.

Growers can participate in the survey by clicking HERE

The banana industry SARP was last updated in 2014. The purpose of the 2020 survey is to identify the banana industry’s priorities and provide comment on priority pests, including diseases, insects & weeds.

The survey closes 28th February 2020. If you have any questions about this survey please contact: Doug McCollum, E: doug@agkservices.com.au

This project (MT19008) has been funded by Hort Innovation, using multi-industry research and development levies and contributions from the Australian Government.

 

$8000 raised in fire appeal

A Go Fund Me page established to raise much needed funds to assist banana growers affected by recent bushfires raised more than $8000.

The farms of four growers in NSW and another in Queensland were devastated by fire, with loses of hundreds of thousands of dollars in crops, farming infrastructure and machinery.

A big thank-you to all those, both in and outside the banana industry, who generously donated to the Banana Growers’ Bushfire Appeal which has now been closed.

 

Biosecurity support

Biosecurity Queensland is reminding the New Year is a great opportunity to revisit on-farm biosecurity, to protect your farm and the broader banana industry from Panama disease tropical race 4 (Panama TR4).

Biosecurity Queensland’s grower kit provides banana growers with important information on how you can best protect your farm from pests and diseases.

It covers practical on-farm biosecurity measures including how to decontaminate, manage people and vehicle movement, options for wash-down facilities, as well as a guide on how to check banana plants for potential symptoms of the disease.

Biosecurity Queensland has spare Grower Kits in its Moresby office along with shed posters and biosecurity signs. Drop in and see them at 2-20 Moresby Road Moresby.

If you need help with your on-farm biosecurity, contact Tegan Kukulies, Agri-Science Queensland, on 07 4220 4152 or email tegan.kukulies@daf.qld.gov.au  or Rebecca Breaden, Biosecurity Queensland, on 07 4091 8140 or email panamatr4@daf.qld.gov.au

 

BetterBunch app training support

Training and support is now available for growers to log-on farm nutrient and chemical applications.

The introduction of the Minimum Standards for banana growing on 1 December, 2019, now requires growers to record such information.

The BetterBunch app helps growers do so quickly and easily. For more information and BetterBunch training contact Robert Mayers on 0447000203.

 

FNQ Chemical safety training courses

Two chemical safety training courses (formerly chemical accreditation) will be held in Far North Queensland next month.

The dates are;

·         Innisfail/Tully – Wednesday, 12 February (Venue and times TBA)

·         Mareeba – Thursday, 13 February (Venue and times TBA)

Both Initial and Update courses will be conducted and will cover all aspects of chemical use, handling and storage. Cost – $420pp (Initial training) and $320pp (Update training).

To attend, all participants MUST complete a short list of pre-course training questions. Registrations close 28 January. For more information email  countrycotrain.audit@bigpond.com or www.countryco.com.au

 

 

 
 

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.