AUSVEG team to speak at FarmX

Lucy Gregg and the AUSVEG team will be speaking at FarmX about how producers can become more resilient.

AUSVEG will be presenting a discussion panel at the event at Deloraine on August 20.

Ms Gregg and the AUSVEG team attended the inaugural FarmX last year.

“It was a good opportunity to interact with the industry,” she said.

“It’s always good, as a national organisation, to come down and talk to farmers and other industry stakeholders to listen to what’s affecting them.”

The topic of discussion for AUSVEG’s presentation at FarmX was something that Ms Gregg said was poignant and topical.

“The vegetable industry in particular has been going through a tight phase where there’s lots of pressure on growers and margin squeeze.

“Input costs are increasing, wages are going up, returns have been low, and with the cost of living crisis, there’s downward pressure on prices.

“It has been quite a good season across a lot of areas in Australia, so that has meant the crops have been growing well and there’s certainly good supply.

“Our focus is around productivity and how we can ensure the long-term sustainability of the vegetable industry.”

Ms Gregg said that Tasmania was an important contributor to the national supply of vegetables.

“But like all areas of Australia, they’re struggling with input costs.

“They’ve got the added cost of freight to the mainland as well.”

AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote and National Agrichemical Manager David Daniels will join Ms Gregg for the discussion panel at FarmX.

“David will be talking about access to chemicals and solutions for farmers, as well as the broader issue of accessing new technology.

“Around 60 per cent of Australian vegetable growers have workforce shortages.

“As we adopt new technology, while that might replace some low-skilled jobs, you then often need to replace it with someone who has got the skills, such as an electrical engineer.

“Access to skilled labour is certainly one of the issues affecting productivity.”

Tasmanian Country Editor Lana Best and Journalist Simon McGuire will both be at FarmX.

Come and say hi to both of them, and while you are at it, grab a Tasmanian Country cap when you download the app.