News

APAL distributes news and media releases about Australia’s apple and pear industry, providing opinion and insights into matters that affect growers and the broader industry, and facts and figures on industry issues. You can subscribe to APAL news directly to get email alerts when we release news, or join us on twitter or facebook, or see all our recent news and media releases here.

Journalists who would like an interview with an APAL staff member or Board Director, or who want information on the apple and pear industry in Australia are welcome to contact Alison Barber Communications & Industry Engagement, on cm@apal.org.au, 03 9329 3511 or 0424 004 070 or Richelle Zealley Communications & Events Officer, on rzealley@apal.org.au, 0438 364 728.

Fair Farms Initiative secures $1.5m

  The national Fair Farms Initiative (FFI) designed to improve workplace relations practices across Australian horticulture was given an additional $1.5m in ongoing funding last week. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the ongoing funding for the FFI Monday, 5 November following discussions at the recent National Farmer’s Federation (NFF) Congress, where he spoke about the proposed [...]

By |November 14th, 2018|Labour / employment, News|
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Know your responsibility under new heavy vehicle laws

Changes to the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) that came into effect on 1 October, 2018,  provide that every party in the heavy vehicle transport supply chain has a duty to ensure the safety of their transport activities. This means businesses who own themselves or contract other heavy vehicle owners or drivers to deliver their produce need [...]

By |November 5th, 2018|Harvest management, Machinery and mechanisation, News|
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Visa changes announced

The Prime Minister has announced changes to the Working Holiday Maker and Seasonal Workers Programme (SWP) visas growers rely on to address labour challenges in Australia. Changes to the Working Holiday Maker program will let backpackers qualify for a third year in Australia by performing additional work in regional industries like agriculture, and will raise [...]

By |November 5th, 2018|Labour / employment, News|
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Import risk analysis for US-apples commences

1 November 2018: The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) has formally commenced an import risk analysis for apples from the Pacific Northwest States (Oregon, Idaho and Washington) of the United States of America. Confirmation of the import risk analysis came via a Biosecurity Advice, issued via the DAWR website earlier today. Involving a [...]

By |November 1st, 2018|News|
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APAL Chair on future readiness

APAL Chair, Michele Allan, yesterday highlighted the need for greater cross-sector collaboration, rapid commercialisation of R&D techniques, and a stronger focus on ‘customer centricity’ as just three important challenges facing apple and pear growers. Speaking at APAL’s AGM in Melbourne on Tuesday 30 October, Michele said increasing focus on ‘customer centricity’ would be important for [...]

By |October 31st, 2018|Industry Issues, News|
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Data crucial to Ag Visa’s advancement

Prime Minister Scott Morrison indicated support for the new Ag Visa program at the National Farmer’s Federation (NFF) Congress last week, but only on the condition that “hard data” was supplied. The NFF Congress convened in Canberra to discuss the most important issues facing Australian farmers. In addition to discussions about drought and diversity in [...]

By |October 24th, 2018|Labour / employment, News|
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New fruit fly handbook and website

Get familiar with the diversity of fruit flies worldwide with a new handbook and website that makes identification easier – hopefully aiding in the early detection of exotic pest incursions. Photo: Nick Woods, Plant Health Australia The business of sorting and identifying the thousands of tephritid ‘true’ fruit flies affecting a wide variety [...]

By |October 21st, 2018|Biosecurity, News, Pests, diseases and weeds|
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Growing a quality crop with limited water

With growers looking to set up their crop for the coming season with the possibility of limited water, AgFirst’s John Wilton explores ways to grow marketable crops in a dry year; methods that are also relevant if water is not an issue. High quality requires thinning to well-spaced singles. Matching crop load to [...]

By |October 21st, 2018|Biennial bearing, Future Orchards, Hort Innovation, News, Pruning and training, Soils, nutrition and irrigation, Vigour, crop load and thinning|
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Data – a vital business input

Collecting data may be time-consuming but, as Sarah Dunn from Battunga Orchards in West Gippsland shares, it can deliver significant cost savings and is vital in helping make good business decisions for long-term profitability. In an orchard, data collection can mean recording all daily activities including spraying, pruning, thinning, fruit measuring, pest monitoring, general maintenance, [...]

By |October 21st, 2018|Industry Data, News|
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Introducing Goulburn River Gold® pears

To build on export opportunities to Asia and other priority markets, APAL is assisting the Goulburn Valley pear growers’ group in developing a brand to be used exclusively by program participants. The brand will be used to deliver a high-quality Australian pear to retailers and consumers. It borrows some of the best elements of successful [...]

By |October 21st, 2018|Marketing, News, Pears|
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