ABA Role
The Almond Board of Australia ( ABA ) is a peak industry body charged with the responsibility ensuring the long term sustainability of almond growers . The ABA is governed by a 13-strong board that consists of eight grower-elected directors , 4 marketer directors and an independent chair .
The ABA staff ’ s wide range of duties and goals are underpinned by the board ’ s vision to be Australia ’ s leading and most respected horticultural peak industry body . Delivering a collective platform to communicate and promote the interests of our members and industry stakeholders is the ABA ’ s key purpose . In order to do this as an organisation and the key representative body it committed to values that recognise the importance of leadership , accountability , safety , innovation , the planet and team work .
Five strategic priorities are at the core of the ABA ’ s 2022-27 Strategic Plan :
• ESG
• Member services
• People
• Market Development
• Research , Development and Innovation
More than 30 grower levy funded projects are conducted through our Research and Development Corporation , Hort Innovation . Almost all of these projects receive government co-funding to maximise outcomes . The development of a fully operational , self-funded experimental orchard at Loxton has been created to protect the integrity of research projects and fast track areas like higher tree density orchards , new tree architectures designed to harvest more light and produce less wood and develop a new variety that looks and tastes at least as good as a nonpareil , but is far less vulnerable to disease and insect damage .
As the industry turns its attention to what varieties to plant as a large proportion of the ageing orchards come to the end of their productive lives in the next 5-7 years , an exciting new project at ACE will be the comparison trial of seven self fertile varieties . It helps provide definitive data on what performs best under the same conditions and provide growers of all sizes with key data to help build confidence around redevelopment projects worth millions of dollars .
The overall aim is to enhance the viability of industry participants and provide an efficient operating environment which includes a role of advocacy and facilitation in areas of need such as pollination , water surety , biosecurity and market access . To achieve these strategies , the ABA relies on the knowledge of its Board , staff , industry members , research providers , suppliers and experts in specialist areas . The diverse programs undertaken by ABA staff and contracted consultants are supported by a statutory research and development levy ( 0.02 cents / kg ), a voluntary marketing levy ( 0.02c / kg ), project funding , and commercial activities .
The advisory mechanism that governs project needs and approvals involves the ABA ’ s nine sub-committees acting as a project reference group in their specific areas and the board prioritising those concepts before delivering them to a Strategic Investment Advisory Panel that is administered by Hort lnnovation .
Australian exports
$ 727million
( tonnes ) down 5 % on previous year
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