Federal officials face hostile Senate estimates grilling over the funniest of fruit import plan
Bananas have long been the butt of many jokes, but the Shadow Minister for Northern Australia and Resources, Senator Susan McDonald will be deadly serious when scheduled to question senior trade and agriculture officials in Senate Estimates today over a push by the Philippines to export bananas to Australia. According to some growers, this will […]
Apple growers have been thrown an open invitation to supply the Canadian market under a new deal
Apple growers will soon be able to export our world-class produce to Canada, thanks to improved market access conditions negotiated by the Albanese Labor Government. Canada has approved a request by the Government to enable a trade pathway for fresh apples without requiring fumigation or cold treatment. These new conditions follow several years of […]
Horticulture growers step up solutions to ease labour shortages
Labour shortages in the horticulture sector have eased slightly, according to a report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences based on a survey of over 2,000 horticulture farms across Australia. The survey showed a fall in the number of farms struggling to find workers with almost 34% of horticulture farms […]
Growing the vegetable industry has revealed a $4.7 billion increase in value
The Australian vegetable industry has grown significantly by taking advantage of changes in consumer incomes and tastes. ABARES Executive Director, Dr Jared Greenville said their latest research shows that vegetable industry growth has significantly outpaced the overall agricultural sector over the past five decades. “The vegetable sector has seen growth through a shift toward higher […]
AWU secures historic minimum wage guarantee for fruit pickers at $25.41 an hour
The Australian Workers’ Union claims it has secured an historic industrial win for one of the most vulnerable and exploited groups of workers in Australia – fruit pickers. The Fair Work Commission has ruled in favour of the AWU after the union sought to amend the Horticulture Award to guarantee every worker on every farm […]
Congo workers trained for mango farms in the Northern Territory
NT Farmers, Melaleuca Australia and Charles Darwin University (CDU) have partnered to provide training and employment opportunities to job seekers who have resettled in the Territory from The Democratic Republic of the Congo. CDU’s Foundation Skills for Your Future program played a significant role in training the workers and introducing them to our local working […]
Fair Farms program pays out $3.2 million to support horticulture employers
The Australian Government has granted $3.2 million to Growcom to bolster uptake of the Fair Farms program and help more horticulture producers get on board with the program. The Fair Farms program has been put into place to help horticulture businesses ensure their workers are fully covered for work health and safety regulations. Fair Farms […]