Copy
Issue 36   |    July 2022
Share Share
Tweet Tweet
Forward Forward

Highlights from BerryQuest International 2022

CEO, Jane Siebum: Thank you to all our berry growers around Australia 

Thank you to BerryQuest International 2022 for bringing together our community in a three-day event showcasing the latest innovations including growing techniques, research, packaging, export development, biosecurity, labour, and marketing. 

I had the opportunity to present as part of the speaker program on "Providing Assurance in Food Safety, from Local to Global Markets" as part of the Traceability and Food Safety session. Additionally, I also discussed Freshcare’s 21-year history and contribution to our industry, how we are governed, and opportunities for the future of certification.  

The highlight of the conference was the opportunity to sit, chat and spend time with the people who use our Freshcare programs. Hearing about the issues they faced provided me insights into how we can better support our berry growers and all growers in the future.  

The main areas participants want to see change include the removal of certification duplication, further digitisation of processes and the development of commodity-specific resources – which are all aimed at reducing time spent on demonstrating compliance and audits. 

Freshcare is excited to see our current projects and initiatives currently in development, align with so many of growers’ current needs.  

The trade show was fantastic, filled with many innovative ideas, products, services and high-quality produce, for which Australian growers are world renown for.  

Looking forward to seeing you all at the next Berry Quest! 

Assurance Essentials – User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Begins!

We would like to thank everyone who responded to our call out for Assurance Essentials UAT Learners, we received a great response, and feedback so far has been positive.

In partnership with Satinbird Education, Freshcare has developed this course to support building knowledge and skills in the areas of records management, training, & development, food contamination, traceability, and audit processes.

We envisage the Assurance Essentials (AE) training course will assist with upskilling a broad range of personnel in every business such as supervisors and administration staff. AE will benefit staff who are not directly responsible for the management of the Freshcare Program, but the role requires them to have a general understanding.

Successful completion of the course results in the award of a secure digital badge for individual learners. The badge is endorsed by Freshcare Limited and can be used as evidence of learning to the benefit of employers and employees - with three badges already achieved during UAT! 
 

Keep an eye out in next month’s newsletter for our special launch promotion offer!

Greater Recognition for Growers' Environmental Stewardship

The United Nations Ocean Conference 2022 wrapped up earlier this month, attended by world leaders and our Federal Minister for Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek.

In addition this month, Minister Plibersek released the five-yearly state of the environment report which in her address to the National Press Club, she laid out the need for changes to environmental legislation.

Minister Plibersek vowed to restore Australia’s ecosystems by creating new national parks and making “fundamental reforms” to the country’s environmental laws.

“Our government will set a goal of protecting 30 percent of our land and 30 percent of our oceans by 2030,” she said.

Freshcare-certified businesses already at the forefront of innovation and environmental best practices should be recognised for their efforts in protecting and conserving our precious ecosystems.  Our team has approached Minister Plibersek to engage in seeking further recognition and support for our growers who are already achieving environmental certification.

Freshcare "Reef Assured" Banana Growers are leading the way through certification to our Environmental (ENV3) program. The accredited ENV3 program in partnership with the Australian Banana Growers' Council Banana BMP, supports growers in Reef Catchments to meet and exceed the ERA regulatory requirements.

We are consulting with State Governments to further incentivise increased uptake of the ENV3 Standard.  By supporting growers’ capabilities and resources we hope to gain broader industry, regulatory, and consumer recognition for Freshcare participants.

Freshcare hopes to support all Australian growers who are seeking environmental and sustainable recognition through our Freshcare Environmental Standard (ENV3) - further preserving our incredible horticultural and farming spaces.

Supporting Ongoing Training and Development

The most important asset in any organisation is its people! For team members to succeed in their roles, they need to be engaged and provided with opportunities for learning and improvement. This can be achieved through a commitment to ongoing training and skills development.

Ongoing training is the process of regularly delivering learning and development initiatives to team members in order to improve their skills, expand their knowledge, and help them to stay up-to-date with what is happening within your business, industry, regulations and applicable requirements of the Freshcare standards.

Investing in ongoing training and skills development will support your team's food safety culture; enhance skills and potentially boost productivity and morale. This is an investment in your business, not just individual team members.
 

Freshcare Training 

All Freshcare participating businesses are required to have a minimum of one representative complete a full Freshcare training course, for the program they are seeking certification.  All trainees are provided with a set of Freshcare templates and resources that can be customised to support and maintain the program, thus ensuring a commitment and real ownership of the Freshcare program.
  • For new participants, training is essential as it covers all the necessary elements of the standard including the processes and plans required to implement the program and prepare for an audit.
  • For existing participants, training provides an opportunity to review their existing program against updated requirements, access new resources, and identify areas for improvements and efficiencies.  

Face-to-Face Training - available for all Standards (excl. Supply Chain Standard-SCS2)

Face-to-face training can be facilitated by Freshcare-approved Trainers, in a format that best suits the needs of the learner, with group and one-on-one training options available. Our network of approved trainers is located nationally to support all regions. To find a Trainer click here or to view scheduled upcoming courses click here.

Please note: Training for our Environmental (ENV3) and Sustainability (AWISSP – VIT & WIN) programs can only be facilitated through Face-to-Face training. This is to ensure participants are provided with training that is specifically tailored to the environmental and regulatory requirements of their region.

eLearning Training - FSQ and SCS only

The Freshcare eLearning platform offers fully online, self-paced training options for our Food Safety & Quality (FSQ.2) and Supply Chain Standards (SCS2) only. 
eLearning course access is provided for a twelve-month period allowing for flexibility of access and course completion during times that suit the learner.  The time required to complete each eLearning course will vary per training participant and is dependent on the time available to commit to course materials, and previous knowledge or experience with the Freshcare Standards and/or other systems. 

Visit our eLearning site for more information and registration.

Sustainable Winegrowing Australia Case Studies and Resources

The Sustainable Winegrowing Australia program is designed with the flexibility to suit the changing goals and needs of all Australian grape growers and winemakers.  To help prospective members on their sustainable journey, the Sustainable WInegrowing Australia website compiles tools to help you get a head start and get the most out of the program.

Visit the Resources page to find out how to qualify for a Sustainable Winegrowing Australia trust mark, and access informative case studies to answer any questions you might have.

Qld Hort Producers Net Rewards from Expanded Program

More horticulture producers across Queensland will benefit from an expanded trial of the Australian government’s Horticultural Netting Program, which offsets the cost of installing netting.  

The Horticultural Netting Program Trial has expanded from the initial trial of apple and pear production to include all horticultural industries except wine grapes. 

Find out more at Food & Beverage Industry News.

Apply for the program at QRIDA.

Hunter Region and Sydney Basin AgVet Chemical Cleanup Program

To assist farmers and other agricultural and veterinary chemical users in the Sydney Basin and Hunter region that have been impacted by recent floods, Agsafe, in collaboration with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), is holding a ChemClear run to collect damaged or affected chemicals in these regions.

Councils in this area include; Camden, Cessnock, Hawkesbury, Maitland, Singleton and Wollondilly.

Registrations close on Friday 12 August. The ChemClear run will commence after this date. 

As with other ChemClear campaigns, agricultural chemical holders from disaster-declared Local Government Areas in the Sydney Basin and Hunter region will need to pre-register by clicking on this link.

Welcome to Our New Premium Recognised Supplier

DIY Systems Support Pty Ltd

DIY Systems Support provides excellent innovative Freshcare training and Freshcare and HARPS implementation support and consultation. When required they provide remote services with Task QA to deliver confidence in compliance to you.

Task QA is an excellent ICT to assist with Freshcare 2-Stage Audits to make audits as effective as possible for all categories of Freshcare participants. Task QA allows a paperless quality management system. It is the game changer that you need.

Find out more about DIY Systems Support Pty Ltd here.

This Month's New & Renewed Recognised Suppliers

FreshTest (FMA)

FreshTest® is the largest and most comprehensive testing program in Australian Horticulture. FreshTest® is a Fresh Markets Australia (FMA) initiative to provide low cost MRL (chemical residue) and microbial testing for Wholesalers and Growers in Australia’s Central Markets. The tests are confidential and are used for verification for Food Safety and Quality Assurance systems.

All laboratories used in the FreshTest® program are National Association of Testing Agencies (NATA) accredited.

Find out more about Freshtest here.

Agrifood Technology

Since 1989, Agrifood Technology has been a major provider of physical and chemical testing. It is an independent testing laboratory servicing the food and feed industry.

It provides testing services in various fields including grain, fruit/vegetables, processed food, fodder, and flour milling markets. Food quality and safety tests include nutritional panel analysis, mycotoxin, chemical residue, heavy metals, microbiological, and allergen testing.

Agrifood Technology is a NATA accredited facility that operates in a competitive environment and is focused on providing accurate results and rapid response times to meet the needs of its customers. Their laboratories are in Victoria, Western Australia, and Queensland.

Find out more about Agrifood Technology here.

Agsafe Limited

Agsafe provides training and support services to the agricultural chemical reseller network. Agsafe training provides participants with the knowledge and understanding to safely and legally transport, handle and store chemicals in their state or territory. Individuals can become Agsafe members and benefit from expert advice on industry developments and regulatory requirements.

Agsafe business members whose premises meet the Agsafe Industry Standards for the Safe Transport, Handling and Storage of Packaged Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals may become recognised as being an Agsafe Industry Standard Supplier. Many quality assurance programs require participants to demonstrate their commitment to product stewardship by purchasing agvet chemicals from Agsafe Industry Standard suppliers.

Agsafe also runs the product stewardship programs: drumMUSTER and ChemClear.

Find out more about Agsafe here.

Cedar Creek Nursery

Cedar Creek Nursery grows citrus trees that are sold to Bunnings, commercial growers, and retail nurseries.

  • Providing healthy and disease-free planting materials.
  • Provide seedlings of the age/growth stage and variety requested.
  • Provide records demonstrating any treatment processes that may have been applied prior to delivery.
  • If applicable, provide evidence of compliance to interstate requirements (e.g. Interstate Plant Health Certificates).

Find out more about Cedar Creek Nursey here.

2022 Zimmatic Trailblazer Sustainable Irrigation Awards

The Tole family, winners of the Zimmatic Supreme Award in 2020

The 2022 Zimmatic Trailblazer Sustainable Irrigation Awards celebrates excellence and recognise farmers who are at the forefront when it comes to responsible irrigation, innovative water management, and environmental sustainability.

The Awards this year will recognise winners in four categories:

  • Zimmatic Supreme Award
  • Sustainable Irrigation Management Award
  • Lamb Weston Stewardship & Community Award
  • Future Trailblazer Award (awarded at judges’ discretion)

Category winners will share approximately AUD$25,000 worth of prizes. All category winners will win fabulous prize packs and the Supreme Award Winner will be offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the Zimmatic team, key irrigation industry individuals, and other farmers on a trip to the USA to learn about the latest in irrigation technology and advancements in 2023.

In a demonstration of the applicability of the Awards to a wide range of farm operations and enterprise systems, in 2020 the four finalists produced over a dozen different crops or enterprises between them, including peas, seed potatoes, poppies, grass seed, clover seed, hemp, chicory, pasture, broadacre winter and summer grain, hay and fibre, sheep and fat lambs.

The Awards, which are open to irrigating farmers anywhere in Australia, are assessed on four key components. Three applicants will be shortlisted for on-farm judging by a panel of irrigation and industry professionals who will provide an in-depth review of the four categories judged.

We are not just calling on farmers to put their hand up for the Awards, but for others to nominate an irrigator who they know to be doing a great job. Agronomists, rural service providers, industry representatives and farm advisers are all encouraged to nominate the people they know to be deserving of consideration. Nominating a farmer who is leading the way in sustainable irrigation for the Awards is a great way to provide positive recognition for their efforts.

As part of the judging process, finalists receive feedback which helps them to benchmark their own operations against other entrants and highlights where they are leading the way. Previous nominees and finalists have indicated that they value the process, which in itself helps, to foster best practice.

This is the second year that the Awards have run in Australia, with 2020 seeing the Supreme Award being taken out by Rob and Eliza Tole of Cressy, Tasmania. Mr Tole encouraged other irrigators to enter the Award saying, “Even though I was hesitant at first myself, I would absolutely encourage other farmers to enter and give it a go as you learn so much about your own operation in the process of applying.”

Entries must be in by 5pm (AEST), 15 August.  Click here to enter, nominate a farmer or find out more.

Quick links

Email
LinkedIn
Link
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Copyright © 2022 Freshcare Ltd, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.