Growers’ e-bulletin – August 31, 2020

ABGC

31 August, 2020

Content

Banana biosecurity Code of Practice
Free soil health workshop
Availability of banana workers
Volunteers required for project 

 

New Banana Biosecurity Code of Practice 

A new Banana Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice for planting material is now available for growers.

The Biosecurity Code provides a single and clear reference for what the General Biosecurity Obligation (GBO) means in terms of the sourcing and planting banana material for Queensland growers and, similarly, the meaning of the General Biosecurity Duty (GBD) for those in NSW.

The ABGC led document provides detailed guidance and practical steps to minimise associated biosecurity risks, to protect your farm and the industry more broadly.

At its core, the Code is about ensuring your farm business is not put at risk by any ill-considered actions of other growers.

A hard copy of the Code can be provided. Please contact ABGC on 07 3278 4786.

 

 
 

Free soil health workshop – this Thursday!

 

Availability of Banana Workers

The Commonwealth Government’s recent announcement to restart the Seasonal Worker Program and Pacific Labour Scheme is welcome news for the banana industry and follows correspondence from ABGC and other peak industry bodies for urgent action on worker access.

The initiative will allow banana farmers to employ Pacific and Timorese workers in locations where there is a shortage of available Australian workers.

Workers coming into Australia under the program will be required to meet stringent quarantine and health requirements to protect the health and safety of Australians.

ABGC has asked the Queensland Government to take steps to participate in the initiative to help fill labour shortages for banana growers.

Rollout of the initiative is urgently needed to address predicted future workforce shortages on banana farms.

Contact Leanne Erakovic, ABGC Executive Officer, on 07 3278 4786 or info@abgc.org.

 

Volunteers required for bunch tagging project

Tie Up Farming is looking for interested growers to participate in a project aimed at developing a banana bunch tagging system for yield mapping and forecasting.

This project is part of a larger cross-industry project – Multi-scale Monitoring Tools for Managing Australian Tree Crops: Phase 2 – funded through Hort Innovation by the federal Rural R&D for Profit Scheme. 

As part of the project, Tie Up Farming is implementing their Farming Software Solution which will enable growers to manage their farming operations from the paddock through to the packing shed. More info here. The agribusinesses involved will enjoy both software and hardware implemented on their farm free of charge, until the end 2021 when the project ends. Three growers are needed so places are limited.

Please contact Roei Yaakobi (CEO of Tie Up Farming) on 1300 944 318 if you are interested or require further information. This project will require farm visits (COVID permits).

 

 

 

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.