FROM THE EXECUTIVE
New extension strategy developed
THE ABA ' s Industry Development Manager Deidre Jaensch has been busily developing an Extension Strategy to ensure it delivers the most relevant services to growers . Hort Innovation has requested the development of an extension strategy for the almond industry to be co-designed together with Hort Innovation staff and the ABA Production Committee ( project reference group ). Key objectives and focus areas have been identified .
Key Objectives :
• Growers are confident they have the knowledge and skills needed to make profitable and sustainable decisions .
• Growers readily adopt best practice and innovations to improve yield and quality , optimise input use and minimise offsite impacts .
• Growers actively participate in the program and are keen to share their own sustainability and profitability stories .
• Service providers are informed and involved in promoting best practice .
• Growers have ownership of current and future R & D and E .
• Grower interests and opportunities are fairly represented in government policy and initiatives .
Key Focus Areas :
1 . Integrated Pest and Disease Management ( includes pesticides ) 2 . Soil , Water and Nutrients 3 . Pollination 4 . Product Integrity / Food Safety 5 . Plant Improvement , Varieties and Rootstocks 6 . Production Systems 7 . People and Place ( includes WHS , industry leadership and capacity building )
8 . Biosecurity / supply chain management 9 . Climate and Energy 10 . Environment and Biodiversity 11 . ABA capacity building / information exchange .
An industry-wide grower survey conducted in May ( 52 responses ) provided insight into grower priorities for future extension activities . This will be used to prioritise the activities delivered through the Almond Industry Extension program and inform the Hort Innovation RFP in commissioning Phase II of the Almond innovation and adoption five-year project .
ABA Industry Development Extension Program activities
Below is a list of ABA Industry Development Extension Program activities delivered in recent times , as well as upcoming etension activities , trial currently underway and resources in development .
ABA Field day / workshop :
• ABA Almond Fumigation Field Day Riverland .
• ABA Almond Fumigation Field Day Sunraysia .
• ABA Almond Fumigation and LandIQ update Riverina .
Biosecurity activities :
• BCCEPP Varroa destructor meeting # 15 .
• Varroa destructor - NMG meeting # 6 .
• 35th Plant Industry Forum .
• 22nd PHA General meeting .
• 12th Plant Health Australia meeting .
• 4th EPPRD debriefing forum / 37th EPPRD Signatories meeting .
• Varroa Destructor NMG meeting .
Project reference group and Industry Liaison :
• AL22002 IDM - catch up .
• Meeting with Agtech researchers for desalination for alternative irrigation water .
• BioScout disease detection meeting .
• Meeting with GoMicro Almond evaluation app .
• Meeting with Inform Ag for on farm data management .
• Meeting with BASF .
• Meeting with Corteva .
• Modelling economic scenarios and climate change project meeting - Uni of Melbourne .
• ABA Variety License - The University of Adelaide
Events / Conferences
• ISHS Hort Forum UC Davis - Episode 2 ( 28 / 04 / 2023 ).
• IrriSAT training ( 28 / 04 / 2023 ).
• Horticulture Industry Network ( HIN ) meeting ( 04 / 05 / 2023 ).
• MRL risk management ( 05 / 05 / 2023 ).
Project Reviews
• PH20001 - crop and varietal data to better understand the importance of pollination ( 07 / 03 / 2023 ).
Trial work
• Harvest of Rootstock trials at Lindsay Point and Almond Centre of Excellence .
• Harvest of Varietal trials at Lindsay Point , Almond Centre of Excellence and Hillston .
Resources ( In progress )
• Fumigation fact Sheet .
• Storage and drying fact sheet .
• Irrigation scheduling tools fact sheet .
• Fertigation planning tool .
Upcoming Extension Events
• Brent Holtz and Florent Trouillas – orchard recycling and trunk disease ( All growing areas November 13-17 ).
• Research and Development Forum ( August 21-22 ).
• Official ACE Orchard Opening and ABA AGM November 14 .
6 In A Nutshell - Winter 2023 Vol 24 Issue 2