AUSVEG 2020 Grower Survey

The challenges and opportunities ahead

We start 2020 with a challenging outlook: the full impact of the drought is now impacting vegetable and potato production substantially, whilst the fires in eastern Australia are having a devastating impact on our physical environment. The combined effects of these unprecedented events are also significantly impacting our social and emotional well-being.

We also know that demand for our produce will only increase, driven by growing population and a trend to plant-based food forming a higher proportion of our diet. The challenge is how to make sure that growers can capitalise on this trend and not get left behind by rising costs and a changing industry structure.

AUSVEG is keen to understand your major concerns and to understand what you think AUSVEG could do to assist. We'd also like to understand what your longer term aspirations for the industry are, and whether you believe the industry is properly structured to meet those aspirations.

The information you provide will be consolidated with the responses from other growers and no grower will be identified when the results are made available.

Question Title

* 1. What is your growing region?

North Queensland, Qld

Lockyer Valley, Qld

Stanthorpe region, Qld

Bowen region, Qld

Bundaberg, Qld

Southern Qld

Northern Territory

Central West, NSW

Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, NSW

Outer Sydney, NSW

Coastal Strip Northern NSW

Riverina, NSW

Sunraysia, Victoria, NSW

Gippsland, Vic

Clyde/Mornington, Vic

Werribee/Ballarat/Colac, Vic

Goulbourn Valley, Vic

Northern Tasmania, Tas

Southern Tasmania, Tas

Riverland, SA

Northern Adelaide Plains, SA

South East SA, SA

South West, WA

North of Perth, WA

Gascoyne, Kimberley, WA

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* 2. What are your major crops grown?

Vegetables

Fruit

Potatoes

Other (please specify)

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* 3. How is your production currently affected by seasonal conditions in your area?

Drought

Fires

Water access

Floods

Other (please specify)

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* 4. What are the major challenges your business is going to face as a consequence of these conditions?

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* 5. What is your current outlook for the next 12 months?

well above average

above average

average

below average

well below average

Comment

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* 6. How do you think the production of your crops will change over the next 5 years?

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* 7. How familiar are you with the work which is funded by the Research & Development levy you pay to Hort Innovation?

Extremely familiar

Very familiar

Not so familiar

Not at all familiar

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* 8. Do you have any suggestions about how the R&D levy could be better managed?

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* 9. What sort of information do you look for AUSVEG to provide?

Export Information

Hort Connections

Biosecurity and Extension

Industry research

Advocacy Activities

News and Current Events

I'm unsure of what AUSVEG provides

Comment

Question Title

* 10. What do you believe should be AUSVEG's advocacy priorities for 2020-21? Please select a maximum of 5

Labour - Visa changes and building a legal labour pool of workers

Labour - Addressing non-compliance in the sector and delivering a level playing field in the sector

Labour - Changes to the Horticulture Award

Labour - Ensuring government delivers on a national labour hire licencing scheme

Biosecurity - Increased funding to ensure our borders are safe from pests and diseases

Biosecurity - Ensuring management of pests and diseases within our borders is done as efficiently as possible

Exports - Continuing to open new markets

Exports - Ensuring costs imposed from government are kept to a minimum and are as efficient as possible

Education - Supporting education programs through schools on where their food comes from

Education - Support food waste minimisation programs on and off-farm

Competition - Ensuring enforcement of Horticulture Produce Agreements and relevant Code of Conducts

Competition - Support mandatory price reporting in major fruit and vegetable markets

Competition - Working with supermarkets to help ensure growers receive a fair price and are purchasing ethically

Marketing - Increasing domestic consumption of vegetables and potatoes

Chemicals - Improved chemical access for growers

Other (please specify)

AUSVEG 2020 Grower Survey

The challenges and opportunities ahead

Question Title

* 1. What is your growing region?

Question Title

* 2. What are your major crops grown?

Question Title

* 3. How is your production currently affected by seasonal conditions in your area?

Question Title

* 4. What are the major challenges your business is going to face as a consequence of these conditions?

Question Title

* 5. What is your current outlook for the next 12 months?

Question Title

* 6. How do you think the production of your crops will change over the next 5 years?

Question Title

* 7. How familiar are you with the work which is funded by the Research & Development levy you pay to Hort Innovation?

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* 8. Do you have any suggestions about how the R&D levy could be better managed?

Question Title

* 9. What sort of information do you look for AUSVEG to provide?

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* 10. What do you believe should be AUSVEG's advocacy priorities for 2020-21? Please select a maximum of 5

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* 11. What do you think AUSVEG could do to help your business?