Weekly Newswire 2nd February 2022
Our pick of current industry news, events, developments and opportunities:
This Colorado ‘solar garden’ is literally a farm under solar panels
Changes to solar power regulation on historic farmland has led to some changes with high potential for renewable energy and surprising benefits to plants.
‘More colour’ needed in fresh produce
Vegetable breeder Rijk Zwaan says it wants retailers, traders and other chain partners across the world to bring more colour to the fresh produce category and, by doing so, encourage consumers to eat more healthily.
International Fresh Produce Association launched with long list of directors announced
With tones similar to the World Series baseball championship, a new group declaring to represent the interests of the global fresh produce industry has an overwhelmingly American flavour to it. Of the six executive committee members, five are from US-based organisations with Patrick Vizzone of ANZ Banking the lone Australian.
Contractors help ease the load in small farm operations
The trend for many years has been for farm businesses to become bigger, largely from purchasing adjoining properties.
However as many readers of The Land can testify there is also a strong component of agriculture that successfully run small properties. Many of these owners have another occupation. Well managed these properties can be just as profitable, per hectare wise, then larger family owned farms as well as well-run large corporate ones.
Find out more about the benefits of small property management here.
Great Barrier Reef to receive another $1 billion in funding to save jobs and environment
The government is committing an extra $1 billion to improving water quality, reef management and research, as it seeks to avoid a ruling that the future of the reef is under threat.
Lychee farm stripped bare by visitors stocking up for Lunar New Year celebrations
Hundreds of Vietnamese and Chinese visitors have flooded Ted Knoblock’s pick-your-own lychee farm, and Mr Knoblock said the event has provided him a big income boost after a recent hail storm destroyed $30,000 worth of his crop.