Growcom is partnering with peak industry body the Australian Melon Association (AMA) this month to talk to growers located in the Wide Bay-Burnett region on important industry issues and opportunities.
Topics that will be covered include Fair Farms, Hort360 and cash incentives for growers, food safety for melons, and an industry update. Guest presenters include Horticultural Food Safety Specialist Dr Sukhvinder Pal Singh from the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Melon Industry Development Manager Dianne Fullelove, and staff from Growcom including Fair Farms Program Manager Thomas Hertel and Hort360 Facilitator Michelle Haase.
Photo source: Growcom
Melon Industry Development Manager, Dianne Fullelove is coordinating the workshop to introduce Dr Sukhvinder Pal Singh (or Dr SP, for short) to local melon growers.
“Dr SP has been working to assist melon growers throughout the whole of Australia for the past 12 months to understand and implement microbial testing procedures in post-harvest facilities. It’s an important grower levy and Hort Innovation funded project; we’re encouraging all melon growers to attend,” Mrs Fullelove said.
Growers who attend this workshop will additionally be eligible to apply for a $5000 financial incentive currently available through Growcom. The Australian Government incentives can assist growers to address environmental impacts and agricultural run-off from farmland entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon.
“Quite a few growers are already participating in this project, so we’re urging growers that haven’t applied so far to get in quick so they don’t miss out. This workshop will be a particularly good opportunity for melon and vegetable growers to find out how they can apply,” Growcom’s Hort360 Facilitator Michelle Haase said.
The workshop will be informal – no RSVP required – and held at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) Research Facility on Ashfield Road, Bundaberg, on Thursday 21 February, from 2pm – 4pm.
Source: Growcom
Dianne Fullelove
Australian Melon Association
idp@melonsaustralia.org.au
Phone: +61 413 101 646
Michelle Haase
Growcom
mhaase@growcom.com.au
Phone: +61 428 586 890