Last week, I attended the Global Food Forum, organised by the Australian newspaper in partnership with Visy.

Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers recognise First Nations Australians as our first horticulturalists, and we continue to learn from and listen to their sharing of knowledge about Country and Community. 

Hort growers from across Queensland have been ‘gearing up’ in the Tricks of the Trade Negotiation Masterclasses. 

Last week, after 26 years, the horticulture industry said goodbye to the Harvest Trail Services (HTS) and Harvest Trail Information Service (HTIS).

Six hours—the time it took for me to transform from a skeptic to a supporter of the “Food Systems Horizons”. This initiative, a collaboration between CSIRO and The University of Queensland, aims to use multidisciplinary science to improve our food system and, consequently, our health, environment, society, and economy.  

Over the past month, we've come to a crucial realisation: our "young growers" or our "next gen growers" are not the future; they are the now!

Last week, Melbourne was buzzing with excitement as over 4,000 attendees gathered to celebrate the world of horticulture at Australia’s premier horticulture conference and trade show.

Visitors to QFVG’s booth at Hort Connections this week got a preview of our latest innovation – Hort360 ESG. For those who couldn't join us in chilly Melbourne, here's five things you need to know.

QFVG makes no apologies for being horticulture obsessed. In fact, it is one of our six core values.  

Last week, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) carried a vote of no confidence in the Albanese Government.

In the marketing world, they say someone needs to “hear” a message through various touchpoints, at least seven times before they take action.

Grower focused engagement together with brave, strong, and loud advocacy has come together during the past couple of months in a big way. Through inquiry upon inquiry, submissions, media, and lots of conversations with growers, QFVG has put forward the industry’s views and experiences.

On Monday I was before the Queensland supermarket inquiry committee representing thousands of growers too fearful of commercial retribution to represent themselves. A tough gig considering every grower is different to the next.

For many growers in Far North Queensland, Tropical Cyclone Jasper marked the beginning of a turbulent Summer. On a recent follow-up visit to the region, we spoke to growers still reeling from the impacts of Jasper and the subsequent rain that has only just eased.

For our growers who didn’t have time (or the inclination) to listen to day one of the Supermarket inquiry in Canberra we’ve put together the day in a nutshell (so to speak). 

Dr Craig Emerson certainly didn’t mince words this week with the release of the Interim Report for the Independent Review of the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct.

As Growcom’s Project Communications Officer with a previous life in the academy, I attend forums our growers may not have the time or resources to attend. It seems my seat at the recent Australian Academy of Science’s National Symposium, however, may have been better occupied by a grower in the flesh.

With Australian labour costs being some of the highest in the world, the adoption of emerging technologies could be the answer we’ve been looking for to keep the sector competitive.

Last week a major news outlet suggested that data does not back up farmers’ claims that the industry is in crisis. The data they were referring to, was a predicted 3% increase in production due to improved growing conditions.

In an industry renowned for being too hard and too complex, the task of educating decision makers to support them in making good decisions and keep them from making bad ones, is a full-time gig.