Industry Links
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment are an Australian Government department. We work to protect and strengthen our agriculture, water resources, the environment, and our heritage. For today and into the future.
- Fresh Produce Safety Centre
The Fresh Produce Safety Centre (FPSC) provides open access to actionable information for fresh produce businesses and government to continually enhance the safety and quality of fruit and vegetables.
The FPSC aim to raise awareness and to increase the collaboration between stakeholders of the Australian and New Zealand fresh produce industry, as well as establish global partnerships to better utilise the information available.
Any outbreak of food-borne illness (even if not originating from on-farm) will impact the entire fresh produce sector, therefore fresh produce safety and traceability is of the utmost importance for all levels of the supply chain including growers, packers, processors, distributors, wholesalers and retailers.
The FPSC website covers all aspects of fresh produce safety by supplying valuable information and resources, providing research with practical application, and identifying the knowledge gaps in fresh produce safety.
Click the document image above to access the latest edition of the Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety 2019.
- Food Standards Australia
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is an independent statutory agency established by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991. FSANZ is part of the Australian Government’s Health portfolio.
FSANZ develops standards that regulate the use of ingredients, processing aids, colourings, additives, vitamins and minerals. The Code also covers the composition of some foods, e.g. dairy, meat and beverages as well as standards developed by new technologies such as genetically modified foods. We are also responsible for some labelling requirements for packaged and unpackaged food, e.g. specific mandatory warnings or advisory labels.
- Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme (HARPS)
About
HARPS is the Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme, funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA) at the request of industry. HARPS aims to reduce the costs associated with the adoption, maintenance and auditing of multiple food safety systems by individual suppliers to multiple retail customers in Australia. One audit visit, against a base scheme plus HARPS, means a direct vendor can supply multiple retail customers.
- Horticulture Innovation Australia Ltd
http://www.horticulture.com.au
Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA) is a not-for-profit, grower-owned Research and Development Corporation (RDC) for Australia’s $9 billion horticulture industry. HIA invest more than $100 million in research, development and marketing programs annually.
Hort Innovation’s key functions are to:
- provide leadership to, and promote the development of, the Australian horticulture sector
- increase the productivity, farm gate profitability and global competitiveness of the horticultural industries by investing grower levies and government funds in research, development, extension and marketing funds, programs and services and; providing information, services and products related to project outcomes
- promote the interests of horticultural industries overseas including the export of Australian horticultural products.
- International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA)
The International Fresh Produce Association is the largest and most diverse international association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain, and the only to seamlessly integrate world-facing advocacy and industry-facing support. We exist to create a vibrant future for all, and to do so with your prosperity in mind.
The leaders of the former United Fresh and Produce Marketing Association believe today’s industry members need an association that speaks with a more unified, authoritative voice; demonstrates its relevance to the world at large; advocates for member interests; and unleashes a new understanding of fresh produce.
Recognizing that need, the organizations chose not to merge, but rather to create an entirely new organization to supersede their organizations, effective January 1, 2022. While IFPA is built on the legacy of United Fresh and Produce Marketing Association, it is not just a combination. It is transformational.
Industry Resources
- Agsafe
Agsafe supports the safe and compliant handling, supply and disposal of agvet chemicals and their containers through three industry programs drumMUSTER, ChemClear and Accreditation & Training.
These programs help farmers, chemical users and resellers with most aspects of their agricultural chemical activity. The Accreditation & Training program helps resellers from the point of sale, while drumMUSTER and ChemClear advise end users in the disposal of chemicals and the recycling of empty agvet containers.
- ChemClear
ChemClear provides Australian agricultural and veterinary chemical users with a collection and disposal pathway for their unwanted chemicals.
Their goal is to reduce the quantity of agvet chemicals stored on properties and in businesses across Australia, thereby reducing negative impacts on the environment, people and trade in the future.
ChemClear is delivered by Agsafe Limited on behalf of AgStewardship Australia Limited and its stakeholders CropLife Australia, Animal Medicines Australia Limited, Veterinary Manufacturer’s and Distributors Association, the National Farmers Federation and the Australian Local Government Association.
- drumMUSTER
drumMUSTER provides an easy, environmentally-friendly way of disposing of empty farming chemical containers across rural Australia.
drumMUSTER is funded by levies collected by AgStewardship, which was established to develop stewardship programs for Australia’s agriculture sector, along with ChemClear.
- Infopest
Infopest, owned and managed by Growcom, a peak industry body in the agricultural sector, is a comprehensive Agvet chemical database available online for free.
Infopest is a one-stop shop for accurate, up-to-date information for the effective control of weeds, pests and diseases in a wide range of crops and livestock. It is regularly updated with new and/or updated products and/or permits that have been registered or approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).
- Pestgenie
Pest Genie® is a web based system which automates the management of farm chemical safety information, including pesticide labels and SDS. It also maintains accurate crop protection chemical usage records and facilitates compliance with relevant legislative and industry requirements.
Environmental Resources
- Climate Kelpie
http://www.climatekelpie.com.au
Climate Kelpie is for Australian farmers and their advisors.
It connects you to tools and information about climate to help you make decisions about your farm business.
- Department of the Environment
The Department of the Environment designs and implements the Australian Government’s policies and programmes to protect and conserve the environment, water and heritage and promote climate action. The environmental framework is being delivered under four pillars:
- Clean air
- Clean land
- Clean water
- National heritage
- Greening Australia
http://www.greeningaustralia.org.au
With teams in 30 locations around the country and over 150 staff, Greening Australia is an independent not-for-profit organisation aiming to conserve and restore landscapes at a scale through collaborative, science-based and innovative conservation programs.
Greening Australia uses the latest science to guide what’s best for our landscapes and the people and wildlife that live in them.
- Guidelines for Environmental Assurance in Australian Horticulture
http://www.horticulturefortomorrow.com.au
The second edition Guidelines for Environmental Assurance are a great go-to resource for Freshcare businesses who have implemented Freshcare Environmental, or are preparing to do so.
The Guidelines cover the growing, harvesting, packing, storage and dispatch stages of horticultural production and provide a platform for environmental auditing and certification options relevant to Australian environmental issues.
The Guidelines also provide a great supplementary resource for Freshcare Environmental and Environmental Viticulture participants on key elements in the Codes, such as the management of land and soil; water; biodiversity; greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.
- Landcare Australia
http://www.landcareonline.com.au
Landcare is a national network of thousands of locally-based community groups who care for the natural resources of our country.
Australia is proud to boast more than 4000 community Landcare groups, 2000 Coastcare groups and many thousands of volunteers across the country. With the partnership between communities, government and organisations, Landcare volunteers all around Australia work together to repair and viably manage precious natural resources.
Their areas of focus include:
- Improving farmlands
- Conserve, rehabilitate and better manage creeks, river systems and wetlands
- Improving local coastal and marine environments
- Bringing back trees
- Restoring wildlife habitats
- Protecting the urban environment