Introduction
The Australian Cambodian Growers Association of NSW is on a soil health improvement journey, with their champion grower Kim Ngov testing and demonstrating soil health improvement practices over the last few years. The group is eager to learn about improved soil health management and are keen to improve crop productivity as many members farm their crops on heavy clay loam and low nutrient soils.
Plastic mulch is often used by field vegetable growers to control weeds, reduce herbicide use and retain soil moisture.

Introduction
Generally, the soils of the Northern Territory (NT) often lack sufficient plant nutrients and soil structure, particularly organic matter. The NT has high rainfall over a few months in the wet season, often resulting in significant water runoff, while fires can destroy grass and leaf litter during the dry season. Over a long period of time, this cycle has resulted in soil which is low in plant nutrients and extremely low in organic matter.
Organic matter is key for soils to hold nutrients and moisture as well as maintain a suitable environment for soil organisms and micro-organisms which are essential for healthy plant development.

Introduction
Single use plastic (polyethylene) mulch is widely used by fruit and vegetable growers in north Queensland due to its multiple benefits, including weed control, soil temperature and moisture conservation, minimisation of nutrient loss and improved crop yield and quality.
The horticulture industry in Bowen produces large quantities of trellised tomatoes, capsicums, chillies, cucurbits, melons and sweet corn which all have plastic mulch mechanically laid before seedlings are inserted through the plastic into the soil.

Introduction
Getting growers to national events and conferences can be challenging at the best of times as many growers are time constrained and take on multiple roles within their business.
With various e-newsletters and industry articles flooding their inboxes it’s difficult to keep track of when conferences and activities are being held across Australia, let alone have the time and resources to arrange logistics to attend these events. The cost of attending and time away from the farm impacts growers the most.

 Introduction
A well-managed biosecurity system is fundamental to maintain the resilience, profitability and sustainability of the Australian vegetable industry. Managing biosecurity risks requires collaboration among growers and industry stakeholders, government agencies, researchers and biosecurity experts.
In March 2023, the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) announced a change to its serpentine leafminer biosecurity requirements. WA proposed to apply the quarantine import requirements for serpentine leafminer to South Australia (where the pest was not yet detected) which would cause significant economic losses to leafy vegetable growers trading with WA. A secondary impact would be a reduction of leafy vegetables supplied to WA that would unlikely be filled by the state’s growers.

Introduction

Boasting fertile alluvial soils, the Lockyer Valley in Queensland is one of the most valuable horticultural regions in Australia. Growers in the Valley produce a wide variety of vegetable crops including carrots, pumpkin, corn, beans, potatoes, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, which are sold on both Australian and international markets.
However, growers in the Lockyer Valley have been impacted by significant natural events (floods and drought) in the last 12 years which has impacted productivity. Combined with rising input costs, in particular nitrogen fertilisers, growers are seeking productivity gains by reducing costs or increasing yield.

Introduction

Growers and agronomists in Tasmania have seen an increase in suspected herbicide resistant ryegrass for many years. Herbicide resistance reduces the effectiveness of herbicide applications, leading to crop losses and reduced productivity and profitability.
This anecdotal evidence – combined with a lack of formal measurements of resistance levels in vegetable rotations – led VegNET Tasmania to organise resistance testing that could provide growers with concrete data to better inform their decision making about herbicide applications.

Introduction

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) workers are essential to the vegetable industry in Gippsland, from European backpackers to workers from the Pacific Islands, Thailand and Vietnam. Many businesses employ CaLD worker in their harvest, weeding, planting, picking and packing operations. Supporting CaLD workers to integrate into our communities and feel welcome and safe in Gippsland is crucial not only for the workers, but the growers and wider community as well.
VegNET Gippsland, through Food and Fibre Gippsland, delivered the Informed and Supported Workers (ISW) Program funded by Agriculture Victoria from July 2022 to September 2023. This pilot program aimed to deliver targeted support to organisations that assist CaLD workers so they could undertake collaborative activities that strengthen Victoria’s horticulture workforce.

Introduction

The Victorian Vegetable Innovation Days (VicVID23) were held on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 April 2023 at Catani, south-east of Melbourne.
VegNET Victoria – Northern, Western and South-Eastern provided support to AUSVEG VIC, Stuart Grigg Ag-Hort Consulting and VegNET Gippsland to deliver the event at Butler Market Gardens’ farm.
The event marked the return of specialist vegetable industry field days to Victoria. The field days provided the opportunity for growers to see upcoming vegetable genetics across a hectare of display crops. Ten major seed companies demonstrating their lines were Terranova Seeds, Fairbanks Seeds, HM.Clause, Rijk Zwaan, BASF Vegetable
Seeds (Nunhem’s), Enza Zaden, Bayer/Seminis, Lefroy Valley Seeds, South Pacific Seeds and Bejo Australia.

Introduction

Providing the right climate within agricultural greenhouses is essential to maximising yield and revenue but requires a large amount of energy and potentially carbon emissions.
As part of the VegNET Innovation Fund, vegetablesWA engaged Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP) to deliver feasibility studies looking at the installation of heat pumps in (3) West Australian horticultural greenhouse sites as a way of improving the energy productivity, in each distinct vegetable production system.
X 1 x LPG hot water heaters system 
X 1 x Biomass boiler system – Agricultural Green waste
X 1 x No existing heating system – PV and waste Biooil heating options.