Image

BUSINESS APC

Celebrating
INDUSTRY
INITIATIVES

The Agricultural Producers Commission (APC) is excited to celebrate the valuable initiatives delivered by Producers’ Committees in 2023–24; developing industry knowledge and skills, improving production practices, driving profitability and opening new market opportunities.

Words Jacqui Kay, Communications Officer, Agriculture Produce Commission

2023–24 initiatives delivered through producers’ committees

A program to improve the production methods of Western Australian pome growers in partnership with the Western Australian government. The program will run over a 5-year period and provide opportunities to improve practices, leading to more profit in the pockets of our producers (Pome Producers’ Subcommittee).

Creating market opportunities by growing consumer demand for Western Australian produce through effective consumer campaigns and evidence-based produce quality programs (Potato Producers Committee; Pome, Citrus & Stone Fruit Producers’ Committee; Table Grapes Producers’ Committee).

Delivering opportunities for producers to stay informed, upskill and network through high quality field days, extension programs and events (Vegetable Producers’ Committee, Wine Producers’ Committee, Strawberry Producers’ Committee; Pome, Citrus & Stone Fruit Producers’ Committee).

Collaborative investment in workforce skilling through targeted programs such as the Certificate III in Pork Production. Ensuring a workforce with the skills to maintain industry standard practices for producers. (Pork Producers’ Committee).

• Sourcing opportunities to build producer and industry biosecurity resilience through targeted surveillance, preparedness and response projects (Beekeeper Producers’ Committee).

IN 2023–24 there have been a number of standout initiatives that have been funded and overseen by APC producers’ committees, here are just some examples of how self-funded industry investment is driving long-term strength.

Vegetable Producers’ Committee

The Vegetable Producers’ Committee understands that increasing oversight by regulatory bodies and retailers can create a compliance burden for growers. In response, the Committee partnered with vegetablesWA for the delivery of grower extension and quality assurance coordination services for growers.

The extension program saw grower visits, regional presentations and workshops delivered across the major horticultural regions of WA, including Perth North Metro, Gingin, Geraldton, and Carnarvon. The Quality Assurance Coordination service delivered QA support directly to growers, including education on the requirements of Freshcare/HARPS, assisting with audit bookings, providing pre-audit preparation advice (including potential gaps for action) and post audit de-brief.

Together, these programs ensure that growers are informed and supported directly, reducing the ongoing compliance burden for growers.

Image
Image

POME Producers Sub-Committee

Raising awareness of locally grown

Pomewest in collaboration with stakeholders such as Buy West Eat Best and Hort Innovation, are differentiating our local produce and increasing consumption.

Thanks to our quality program, an impressive 97% of our fruit continues to meet eating quality standards. Noelene Swain from Fresh Finesse has been instrumental in leveraging industry investment into successful targeted events and promotions, further enhancing our industry’s reputation and reach. Educating young WA minds about the benefits of fresh local fruit and vegetables and the journey from Farm to Fridge is part of important messaging in our Pomewest Schools Program.

Through this we visit primary schools to encourage students to choose local apples and pears when they want a snack.

The program, developed and funded by growers through Pomewest, has involved 22 metropolitan schools and over 4150 students across 175 classes for students of all ages.

Working with teachers to integrate apples and pears into classroom programs, cooking classes and initiatives, encouraging healthy eating and sustainability discussions across different subjects. Educating children allows us to create the next generation of WA apple lovers and teach them the benefits of choosing locally grown food snacks.

Who is the APC?

The APC exists to encourage and enable producers’ initiative through the establishment of Producers’ Committees who deliver quality services to producers for the development, security and growth of their industry. In establishing and supporting Producers’ Committees, the APC aims to facilitate the growth and prosperity of Western Australian agricultural industries through enabling strong industry leadership, driving sector collaboration and supporting the delivery of initiatives and services which provide real value to growers.

The producers’ committees in Western Australia have a unique statutory framework to collect a fee-for-service from producers which are directed towards delivering producer services to further the growth, prosperity and security of producers.

Industry funded initiatives not only demonstrate commitment to industry priorities but often provide a stepping stone to gain further traction and support from government and collaboration with other producer groups. This can take many forms from matched government funding and resources to training or access to national programs.

The APC committees have been representing the interests of Western Australian agricultural industry and their priorities for over 30 years. The committees (and the funds collected) remain industry focussed and led, with the legislation requiring that all Committee decision-makers are Fee for Service paying producers.

Image

Citrus Producers’ Sub-Committee

Building industry awareness of the value in quality standards

How do we get consumers to not only choose WA citrus but pay a premium for it? Better, more consistent quality drives consumer demand and puts more money in the pockets of growers through higher $/kg.

The strength of WA grown citrus fruit lies in consistently meeting consumer demand for good eating quality fruit. To ensure this, we have a program to test our fruit during the season against the Australian Citrus Standards for juice content and BrimA (sugar/acid) levels.

The program has been running for over 10 years, initiated from consumer feedback on the poor quality of WA citrus fruit. Today through monitoring and reporting against a WA internal quality standard, the improvement of WA fruit taste is visible. In 2022 the industry set an aspirational goal to reach 95% of fruit meeting the WA internal fruit standard. This goal was based on test results over 9 years (see Figures 1 and 2).

Image
Image

To help support growers reach these goals the committee provide testing results to individual growers, promoting the use of pre-harvest testing to determine picking time, monitoring testing results as well as investigating other potential issues affecting fruit quality.


MORE INFORMATION

If you would like to find out more about the APC, how to get involved in your Producers’ Committee or enquire about establishing a new APC Producers Committee please visit us at Agricultural Produce Commission Western Australia (apcwa.org.au)