In Queensland, experiencing disasters is practically a rite of passage. As Australia's most disaster-prone state, with over 100 events since 2011 ranging from storms to fires to cyclones, we've become adept at navigating the aftermath. Yet, amidst our expertise, there's always room for improvement.

Monday night's standout TV program in Australia was undoubtedly the Four Corners special, "Superpower." For those in horticulture who missed it, it's a must-watch.

With this week's media around Coles (once again) requesting that suppliers look at reducing their own costs so they can make more money for their shareholders and look good in the eyes of the consumer, rather than looking inward at their own practices and profitability, growers around the state are collectively rolling their eyes. 

For many years, Infopest has been Australia’s number one AgVet chemical database. Originally developed by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (then DPI), QFVG (then Growcom) took over the product in 2012.  

The fresh produce market is complex – a sentiment we will keep on repeating to anyone who will listen. When assessing influences on pricing great care must be taken to understand the dynamics at play.

In the aftermath of a challenging few weeks marked by intense scrutiny of the practices adopted by major retailers, it seems reasonable to assume that a significant amount of damage control is underway behind the scenes.

Albert Einstein once said, "If you can't explain it to a six-year-old, you don't understand it yourself." The labyrinth like world of Queensland's fresh produce supply chain certainly lives up to this complexity.

Late last year we met with banana, papaya, mango and vegetable growers in the far north, the same growers who helped shape our national We Give a Fork campaign. It was time to ask what they thought of the campaign. What was the verdict?

While the Year of Horticulture may have come to a close our eye is firmly on what lies ahead in 2024 - the year #WeGiveAFork and a year of Partners Who Care. In fact, the two go hand in hand.

Connection in the bush is in crisis. That’s what growers told us during our recent state-wide connectivity push. And if it wasn’t so serious, it’d be a joke.  

Many of us this week will be in the throes of planning and shopping for our Christmas feasts with colourful decorations, unusual salad combinations, and yummy desserts featuring plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts taking centre stage.

It’s been two weeks since we launched our national public awareness campaign ‘We Give A Fork’ designed to educate consumers and decision makers alike, as to the complexities in production horticulture.

Last week Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG) celebrated our 100th anniversary supporting the horticultural industry.

People working in agriculture production systems across Australia converged in Launceston last week for the international Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN) Conference.

In the last couple of weeks Queensland horticultural growers have experienced two very different and frightening impacts.

From a self-proclaimed Gen X digital migrant, last week’s AgTech Showcase at the Gatton Smart Farm was met with both trepidation and curiosity.

Did you know… that 25% of all the food we produce in Australia goes to waste? Along the food chain, this waste and associated losses cost $36.6 billion per year.

Last week all QFVG staff were asked to complete a mental first aid course by Christmas as it was recognised that horticulture is really struggling, and we needed to be prepared to support in any way we can.

International Day of Rural Women was celebrated last week during a week of turmoil in Australia’s history. Women too have had to fight for rights as a minority and respect for their roles in relationships, families, businesses, and society.

2023 holds special significance for QFVG, aka Growcom, aka COD, as it commemorates our 100th year in operation.