Current News
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Hort Connections was successful in obtaining funding from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to support grower attendance at the 2023 and 2024 events. In 2024, we are happy to offer the same structure of Grower Funding, to once again make Hort Connections more accessible to Australian growers. Visit the Hort Connections website for more information.
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The National Biosecurity Training Hub provides a centralised platform for biosecurity training to support biosecurity preparedness, response and recovery.
The Hub is designed to make it easier for Australians to access a range of biosecurity training and for training providers to increase their reach.
Visit the National Biosecurity Training Hub website for more info
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Fire Preparedness toolkit: now’s the time to prepare your farm for the fire season
Agriculture Victoria’s new Fire Preparedness Toolkit is designed to assist farmers and land managers to prepare their farm for the fire season.
The toolkit contains checklists and templates to help farmers prepare their farm business, livestock, staff, and infrastructure ahead of the season.
The Fire Preparedness Toolkit and other bushfire resources are available on the Agriculture Victoria website and should be used in conjunction with existing information and resources from the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and your local council.
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Australia, and specifically Tatura in Victoria, will be hosting the 2nd International Symposium on Precision Management of Orchards and Vineyards, from 3rd to 8th December 2023.
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Horticulture employs thousands of workers in Victoria every year. Workers picking fruit and vegetables are among Victoria’s most vulnerable, so it’s critical that companies that provide or host labour hire workers meet their legal obligations.
Under the Labour Hire Licensing Act 2018 (Vic):
- businesses must be licensed to supply labour hire workers, including for horticulture activities such as picking, packing, sorting and pruning
- ‘host’ businesses such as grape growers – who engage workers through a labour hire provider – must only use licensed providers.
Significant penalties can apply for breaches of these obligations – exceeding $600,000 for companies and $150,000 for individuals.
Register of licensed providers
The Labour Hire Authority’s (LHA) Register of Licensed Labour Hire Providers provides hosts with a quick way to check whether a business they are considering engaging is licensed to provide labour hire services.
By checking the Register, hosts can ensure they do not risk penalties from using an unlicensed provider, and that their provider has met the checks required to obtain and maintain a licence. LHA encourages labour hire hosts to check the Register, and to contact a provider’s nominated officer to confirm they are engaging a licensed provider. Hosts can also use LHA’s Follow My Providers tool to be notified of any changes in providers’ licence status.
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A new Victorian Control Area Order came into effect on 29 September 2023.The Control Area Order continues to require permits for:
- movement of bees, hives, queen bees
- used beekeeping equipment
- pollen for bee feeding
- or bee products (including honeycomb) from all other states and territories into Victoria.
The Victorian permit system allows the entry of bees, hives and apiary movements into Victoria to enable essential horticultural activities to continue. Visit the Ag Vic website for more information on this update.
Join VCA: complete the Membership application form
and return it to: VCA Secretary, PO Box 612, Mooroopna, 3629
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