newsletter-June 2024

Welcome to our latest Melon e-newsletter of 2024.

Well what an exciting and productive month June has been!

One key highlight in June 2024 was Hort Connections in Melbourne. Not only was it an opportunity to reconnect with over 4000 people from industry, but for our team it resulted in many productive meetings, networking opportunities and the chance to listen to some inspiring and informative speakers. For the Melons Australia team, in partnership with Hort Innovation, our ‘Melon Magic’ activation on Tuesday 4th June allowed us to bring the melon industry to the forefront with our focus on reducing food waste within the industry. We had some great value-added melon products on display, and we invited attendees of the conference to come and taste test products including ‘Melon Pops’, frozen popsicles made with rockmelon, and honeydew chunks and lastly the delicious watermelon margaritas, which flew off the table! See some of these delicious offerings on our Facebook page by clicking HERE.

During Hort Connections 2024, it was an honour for Melons Australia to win the Butler Market Gardens Environmental and Sustainability award at Hort Connections in partnership with End Food Waste Australia and the Australian Banana Growers Council. This recognition highlights our commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship within the horticulture industry. We are proud to be recognised among such esteemed company and look forward to continuing our work towards a sustainable future in Australian horticulture.

I have also been actively involved, primarily through the NFF Hort Council, in discussions regarding the review of the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct and the assessment of the final report by Dr Craig Emerson. While we welcome the recommendations to make the Food and Grocery Code mandatory, introduce significant penalties for non-compliance, and create a more accessible dispute resolution process, we note that some critical measures to further protect fresh produce growers seem to have been overlooked. These include establishing roles for truly independent assessors, requiring supermarkets to publicly report and inform suppliers on the accuracy of their volume forecasting, and eliminating rebates entirely.

Plans are now firmly underway for the upcoming Melon Industry USA Study Tour (11th to 17th August) and we are working with all successful applicants to prepare for the tour. We are very excited to be locking in meetings with inspirational companies, organisations, farms and researchers. I look forward to providing more detail as to what the itinerary holds as we get closer to takeoff!

As we roll into July our team is looking forward to being inspired at the upcoming National Food Waste Summit and bringing back ideas as to how we can profitably reduce food waste in the melon industry.

We are looking forward to diving into the second half of a huge year!

Please reach out to me, Johnathon Davey, Chief Executive Officer, Melons Australia, should you need to discuss anything. Please contact me by email HERE or call me at +61 407 032 023.

Hort Connections 2024 Wrap up

Melons Australia had a significant presence at the recent Hort Connections 2024 conference, bringing together industry leaders and showcasing our advancements in food safety and product innovation.

Day 1 Highlights:

The conference kicked off with a compelling panel discussion titled ‘Mind the Gap! What’s New in Food Safety’. We were proud to see melon grower and Melons Australia board member, Terry O’Leary, alongside Sukhvinder Pal (SP) Singh, representing our industry.

Day 2 Innovations:

The second day of the conference featured an exciting showcase of innovative melon products made from surplus melons that would have otherwise gone to waste. Attendees enjoyed tasting:

The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the potential for these products to reduce waste and add value to the melon industry. This initiative was made possible through the collaboration with Hort Innovation, demonstrating the power of partnerships in driving industry innovation. And our thanks go to Select Melons Australia (SMA) and Premier Fresh Australia for supporting this showcase by providing the delicious melons.

SP Singh highlighted the remarkable success of the ‘Safe Melon’ program, which has achieved zero food safety incidents and zero product recalls in the Australian melon industry. This milestone underscores our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of food safety.
Terry O’Leary discussed the evolving challenges that growers face with the constantly changing food safety audit requirements, shedding light on the need for ongoing adaptation and vigilance in the industry.
Dried Melon Fruit samples
Melon Popsicles, featuring rockmelon and honeydew chunks
Rockmelon Seed Dip
Watermelon Margaritas

Melon Quality Improvement Project Grower Invitation

The Hort Innovation Melon quality improvement program VM23002 project is underway with on-farm monitoring and a variety of measurement tools being trialled in the field. The first phase of this three-year project is focused on identifying the options that will help growers and other members of the melon supply chain consistently meet the new minimum maturity standards that were set last year for rockmelons, seedless watermelons and honeydew.

The project team has visited several melon farms over the past two months to meet with growers and trial options for measuring melon maturity in the field. Project Manager Mark Loeffen and his project partner Terry Rudge spent a week at Rombola Family Farms in Mataranka NT in late May to carry out trials and will return in July to carry out further trials.

Growers are invited to participate in the project by trialling the tools and supplying on-farm monitoring data. The data will be used to help develop evidence-based tools and processes that will enable growers to quickly and accurately assess fruit maturity in the field.

The project team will support the growers who opt-in to do the monitoring. In return for the monitoring data, each grower will receive evidence-based reports generated from the data they supply, which will help with their own QA and maturity monitoring.

Growers wanting to be involved are invited to email the project manager Mark Loeffen by email HERE.

Photo captions:

Top photo: Mark Loeffen, Delytics Ltd, collecting watermelon samples at Rombola Family Farms in Mataranka NT.

Bottom photo: Project Manager Mark Loeffen (left) with Mark Fulton, the farm manager of Rombola Family Farms in Mataranka NT.

New Cucurbit Pest and Disease Field Identification Guide

Introducing our new Cucurbit Pest and Disease Field Identification Guide!

This compact field companion is designed to aid in the identification of beneficial insects, along with pests, diseases, and disorders that impact melons and other cucurbits including both established and high priority exotic pests and diseases. If you would like to

receive a hard copy please fill out this form HERE
download the ute guide click HERE.

Melons Australia Leadership Training – Sign up for 2024

Australian Institute of Company Directors Courses Available

Are you a director on a board, thinking of becoming a director on a board or a manager who would like a better understanding of board processes? If so the Australian Institute of Company Director’s has a number of courses that will provide you with the skill set and confidence to excel in your role.

Melons Australia, supported by the Hort Innovation Melon Fund, is offering significant financial support to make this valuable training accessible.

AICD Foundations of Directorship Courses

The foundations of Directorship course offers a three-day program spread across a 4-week period and provides aspiring directors with a comprehensive overview of the main components of directorship (Governance, Finance and Strategy/Risk).

AICD Company Directors Course

The AICD Company Directors Course (either online or residential) provides an in-depth look at the responsibilities and expectations of directors. It explores issues and trends facing today’s boards and businesses. It presents an excellent opportunity to grow a participant’s understanding of what effective governance looks like in practice.

For more information about both of these courses and a suite of others that are available through the Melon Leadership and Development Program please click HERE to register or contact Joanna Embry by email HERE, or phone 0439 627 845. The financial support provided through this program is only available until next year so please make the most of this fantastic opportunity!

Melon News Out Now

Exciting news! Our mid-year Melon News magazine (Edition 1 2024) has arrived!

This special edition is packed with updates on our R&D achievements from the past six months, plus some interesting articles featuring people you might know in the Melon industry.

Download now by clicking HERE.

Nielsen Harvest to Home 2023-2024 Results

The Consumer Behavioural Data program, available through the Harvest to Home platform, provides crucial insights into consumer behaviour to aid industry decision-making. Recent data highlights a significant increase in melon sales over the last 12 month period, with an 11.6% rise in value and a 17% increase in volume. Over the same period Hhousehold purchases of melons grew from 59% to 60%, and the average spending per household increased from $32.43 to $35.33.

For more details, go to the report summary and links page on our website by clicking HERE.

New DAF Queensland Video released – Intensive Melon Production Systems

The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) has been developing intensive melon production systems and recently produced a video that provides an overview of the benefits and opportunities for using protected cropping in warm environments.

The growing methods can produce high quality specialty melons for niche domestic and export markets, where these fruits can attract high prices.

The warm environments in the Australian tropics are ideal for growing melons with high visual and eating quality. In tropical regions, protective cropping structures allow year-round production as they mitigate climate variability and constraints of field production. Most importantly, the specific agronomy practices assure high yields of fruits with consistent high quality.

The video includes a start-to-end journey in a crop with highlights of the intensive crop management required to achieve the desirable fruit quality outcomes. The video also stresses the importance of a marketing plan to differentiate the product and make it attractive to consumers. DAF’s protected cropping team has researchers based in north and southeast Queensland, delivering solutions in protected cropping through a systems approach to support farming prosperity, adoption and practice change.

The video can be viewed on YouTube by clicking HERE - Video Title: Specialty melons, a protected cropping opportunity for the tropics.

For more information please contact: Elio Jovicich, Program Leader Protected Cropping, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, by email HERE.

Levies and Charges Website Survey

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is reviewing their levies and charges webpages, and want to hear from you.

To help them understand your needs and preferences, they need your feedback via their short survey. The survey will take a few minutes to complete and provides an opportunity for additional comments at the end.

Take the website survey HERE.

If you have any questions, you can contact the levies team by email HERE, or by phone: 1800 020 619.

Hort Innovation's $500 Million Investment in Horticulture

Hort Innovation has announced an ambitious plan to invest an additional $500 million in research and development over the next decade to bolster Australia’s $16.3 billion horticulture industry. The new Frontiers program will complement the existing levy-funded portfolio and attract new investors and transformative innovations to seize significant opportunities and develop solutions for growers. Click here to learn more.

Frontiers will focus on five key themes: Healthy living, Adaptation and resilience, Market growth and security, Disruptive technologies, and Capability building.

The program offers four dynamic investment pathways—Innovation partnerships, Australian-grown innovation, Incubate and accelerate, and the Hort Innovation Venture Fund—each designed to propel the industry forward and transform Australian horticulture.

To learn more and get involved, contact Hort Innovation’s Head of Investment, Growth and Commercial, Jesse Reader on 0413 777 501, or subscribe by clicking HERE to Frontiers email communications for the latest updates.

Asia Fruit Logistica 2024 - Applications now open!

Melons Australia, through our industries involvement in the AUSVEG led multi-industry export development program, is delighted to inform melon levy payers that the program has secured an exhibitor space at Asia Fruit Logistica and melon grower-exporters are invited to apply for this great opportunity to showcase your products to potential buyers through the entire Asian region.

Event details:

When: Mon 2 Sept - Sat 6 Sept 2024
Cost: co-contribution of $2,500 per person.

Please express your interest in attending this event by contacting Johnathon Davey, CEO Melons Australia by email HERE or phone +61 407 032 023. Registrations for growers close next week, so get in quick!

All positions on international trade missions funded by Hort Innovation through the Multi-Industry Export Program (MT21009) are restricted to businesses that pay the national Vegetable, Onion and Melon levies.

Creating Agricultural Career Prospects through AgCAREERSTART

The AgCAREERSTART pilot program is providing young Australians aged 18–25 with invaluable on-the-job experience in the agriculture industry. Since its commencement in November 2021, the program has placed 180 young people on farms for 10–12 months, offering training, free lodging, development grants, and industry networking opportunities.

Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy, Matthew Lowe, praised the initiative for its high success rate, with 82% of participants completing their placements and 80% intending to continue in the agriculture sector. With additional funding extending the pilot for two more years, the program is set to further support the agriculture industry, aiming for a $100 billion sector by 2030. For more information, visit AgCAREERSTART website by clicking HERE.

Introducing VEG Education

VEG Education offers an insider’s view of the dynamic Australian horticulture industry, providing direct access to industry leaders through a specialised program. This program uses real-life examples and case studies to cover key aspects of running a successful business, navigating the legal and compliance landscape, and showcasing what it takes for Australian businesses to compete globally.

Established by industry specialists, VEG Education aims to support businesses from the ground up and inspire a new generation of smarter, safer workers in horticulture and beyond.

Recently, VEG Education was honoured with the Muirs Community Stewardship Award at Hort Connections, recognising their commitment to community and industry leadership.

For more information, visit VEG Education by clicking HERE.

Pollination dependant industry survey

As part of the Varroa Transition to Management Program, NSW DPI is currently recruiting a Pollination Industry Coordinator to assist members of the pollination dependent industries, including melons, to access the information they need regarding pollination in this post Varroa mite environment. To ensure this person can hit the ground running, NSW is keen to understand what type of information you think will be most useful for you, and your industry.

Please take their quick 5 question survey by clicking HERE and help guide their work program. The survey form also includes an option to subscribe for updates as they develop pollination dependent industry specific resources.

National Renewables in Agriculture Conference and Expo

Held in Toowoomba, this looks like a great event where farmers, ag and energy consultants, industry leaders, and government reps will come together to share stories about on-farm renewables and their business benefits!

Click HERE to find out more and to register.

When: 4th July 2024, 9am-5pm. Expo opens at 8am
Where: Armitage Centre – Empire Theatre - 56 Neil Street. Toowoomba Queensland
Tour: 5 July 2024 - MacIntyre Wind Farm Tour - Host landholder and Acciona rep to speak. (NOTE: Limited spaces available)

End Food Waste Australia Summit

Join keynote speakers Costa Georgiadis and Craig Reucassel at this highly anticipated event, now in its third edition, featuring national and international food waste experts, speaking across all aspects of the food supply chain, from farm to fork. Attendees will have the opportunity to network and participate in discussions and debates with leading experts to inspire solutions delivering real economic, social, and environmental benefits for all Australians.

Click HERE for more information and to book your tickets.

Date: 24-25 July 2024
Location: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Australian Biosecurity Symposium

Get ready for the return of the Australian Biosecurity Symposium! 🍉 🍈

This year’s event is taking place from August 27th to 29th, 2024, at the Sea World Resort on the Gold Coast. With Costa Georgiadis as MC and keynote presentations from speakers like Adam Ferrier.

Click here to check out the full program and to register.

Date: 27-29 August 2024
Location: Sea World Resort

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