Ausveg urges growers to complete the Vegetable Industry Sentiment Survey ahead of key policy discussions
Ausveg is calling on Australia's commercial vegetable growers to participate in the latest Vegetable Industry Sentiment Survey to ensure the most pressing issues facing the sector are prioritised as Federal Parliament resumes on 22 July.
© AUSVEG
Key themes affecting the wider business community, such as productivity, compliance, workforce shortages, and trade, are also emerging as top concerns for vegetable, potato, and onion growers nationwide.
The 2025 season is proving to be another difficult year for the industry, with persistent challenges including the cost-of-production crisis, tight margins, labour shortages, and an increasingly burdensome compliance environment.
The last Ausveg Vegetable Industry Sentiment Report, released in February 2025, confirmed troubling trends that began to surface in 2024. Nearly one-third of survey respondents indicated they were considering leaving the industry within a year. Another third said they would be open to leaving if they received a reasonable offer. Additionally, 40 percent of respondents reported being financially worse off than the previous year, and many growers were delaying or scaling back capital investments in infrastructure.
Lucy Gregg, Ausveg General Manager for Public Affairs, noted that recent survey findings have been widely referenced by government bodies, industry leaders, and media outlets. "The 2024 Industry Sentiment Report was instrumental in shaping Ausveg's 2025 Federal Election priorities and played a central role in our advocacy efforts leading up to and during the election," she said.
"In response to ongoing concerns from growers regarding the increasing compliance burden, Ausveg has commissioned Corporate Value Associates to produce an independent and comprehensive white paper, Horticulture Compliance and Regulation: Reducing the Burden by 2030. The white paper will outline both short- and long-term recommendations to reduce duplication, streamline processes, focus on risk-based compliance, and improve regulatory efficiency. It is expected to be completed before the end of 2025."
"To maintain strong and effective advocacy, we are urging growers to take part in the Vegetable Industry Sentiment Survey. Grower concerns and potential solutions must be brought to the attention of politicians, policymakers, and industry decision-makers," Gregg added.
The current survey covers a range of topics, including workforce challenges, productivity, business outlook, succession planning, margin pressures, input costs, and financial health. All responses are anonymous and confidential.
For more information:
Campbell Cooney
AUSVEG
Tel: +61 (0) 437 278 464
Email: [email protected]
www.ausveg.com.au
