Summer 2009

The recent bushfires and heat waves have devastated our State and left us all in shock.

Heat records have been broken and growers have suffered severe crop damage and now we hope Mother Nature will supply good rains in the near future.

Contents

Strategic Planning for Victorian Vegetable Industry
In a first for the Victorian Vegetable Industry, the Vegetable Growers Association (VGA) is partnering with the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) to develop a Vegetable Industry Strategic Plan.

Weather station for Werribee growers
Growers in the Werribee Irrigation District have received a helping hand in their struggle to irrigate more efficiently with the approval of a state government grant to provide an automated local weather service.

Vegvision 2020 - recap
In September 2006, VegVision 2020, the Vegetable Industry Strategic Plan for guiding the Vegetable Industry towards a profitable and sustainable future was unveiled...

White Blister management strategies
Irrigation scheduling and growing resistant varieties are two ways of combating the destructive fungal disease white blister...

National Veg EXPO at Werribee
Paul Heseltine from Bejo Seeds tells Vegetables Victoria why they are going to be at this year’s National Vegetable Expo from May 7-8...

No. 36 download 943kb

Reports

VGA Representatives
Our Victorian grower representative to the National Industry Production Committee is Rick Butler from Heatherton who regularly reports to your Executive Committee.

AUSVEG revival
There has been good coverage in the media regarding the approval by AUSVEG of a new constitution and the election of a new board

Werribee Expo update
The National Vegetable Expo held at Werribee on May 7-8, 2009 has received good support from seed companies who are now planting trial plots on site...

IDO’s Update
2009 saw changes to our IDO position since the project with Horticulture Australia Ltd (HAL) was extended until the 30th June, 2009.

Urban sprawl
Vegetable growers are facing many problems with farming in green wedge areas with residential spread to the boundaries of vegetable growing areas seriously affecting continued business operations...

VGA website success
The re-design of the VGA Vic web site during 2008 has attracted over three times the number of visitors, from not only Victoria but interstate and overseas. Industry issues, vegetable research and e-news articles have proved very popular...