Month: August 2021

Work is progressing at the New South Wales-based variety trial site in Alstonville, with a slab marking the start of construction of a shed to be used for fruit processing and data collection. The shed will be completed by the end of this month (August), with…

At the time of going to print, the Fair Work Commission’s hearing of the Australian Workers Union application to vary the Horticulture Award regarding piecework rates had almost wrapped up. The NFF and the NFF Horticulture Council (of which the Australian Banana Growers’ Council is part)…

In July, four months after Tropical Cyclone Niran, growers were finally able to access disaster relief grants of up to $75,000. The ABGC had previously raised concerns about the delay in opening the application process after more than 100 banana farms were damaged in March. “We were…

The chair of the Australian Banana Growers’ Council has again argued that Best Management Practice is a better approach to improving water quality than reef regulations. Stephen Lowe gave evidence to a Queensland Parliamentary committee hearing examining the introduction of a Bill by Member for Hinchinbrook…

Stephen Lowe, ABGC Chair Hard times, but industry will bounce back There is a poignant quote by Canadian author and organic farmer Brett Brian, it is: “Farming is a profession of hope”. I, like most others, can relate to this quote, as it sums up farming in…

Jim Pekin, CEOIt’s been six-and-a-half years since Far North Queensland had its first detection of Panama tropical race 4 (TR4) and, as at 31 July, it had been detected on four other FNQ farms. ABGC’s Position ABGC’s position remains the same as it was when the…