CEO report UPFRONT

Words Peter Spackman, CEO, vegetablesWA

Winter rains replenish and reinvigorate

THIS season’s winter rains have not disappointed. Across the state, dams are filling and water tables are rising, bringing relief to growers and setting a positive tone for the months ahead. These conditions are vital for irrigation planning and long term sustainability, and it’s heartening to see nature lending a hand to our hardworking producers.

Strengthening communication and on-the-ground support

vegetablesWA has made strategic additions to our team to better serve growers. The appointment of Anitra Stene to our new Marketing and Communications role has already made a significant impact. Her work has revitalised our newsletters, ensuring regular, high quality content and timely updates on industry events and opportunities.

We also welcome Lisa Hasson, our new VegNET Support Officer, who joins Katrina Hill in delivering on the ground assistance.

Lisa has hit the ground running, visiting farms, listening to growers, and providing practical support. Her presence has effectively doubled our extension capacity, reinforcing our commitment to being present and responsive in the field.

Global learning: European precision agriculture tour

In June, a group of WA vegetable growers participated in the Grower-Led Innovation in Global Farming Precision Agriculture Tour, sponsored by VegNET. The tour took participants to Copenhagen and the Netherlands, where they explored cutting-edge technologies including:

• Open source farm management software

• Robotics and automation in agriculture

• Vertical farming systems

• Advanced greenhouse technologies

This initiative fostered valuable connections between Hort Innovation, AUSVEG, and vegetablesWA, and provided growers with firsthand exposure to global best practices in sustainable and tech-driven farming.

Tailored training to help tackle margin erosion

vegetablesWA has successfully negotiated subsidised access to two key training programmes for WA vegetable growers:

• Farm Business Resilience Programme (Value Creators)

• FarmElevate Programme (Grower Group Alliance)

These programmes were designed to address the critical issue of margin erosion caused by rising input costs. Delivered flexibly to accommodate busy schedules, the training covered:

• Financial management and cost structures

• Succession planning and family alignment

• Personal and social resilience

• Carbon literacy and workplace compliance

• Stress management and reinvestment planning

Each participant developed a tailored farm business action plan to address rising costs. The high participation rate and positive feedback across WA horticulture suggest strong demand for a second round of training in the near future.

Industry initiative: supporting AUSVEG’s Plus One Serve Campaign

VegetablesWA is proud to support the Plus One Serve initiative led by AUSVEG. This national campaign encourages Australians to eat just one extra serve (75g) of vegetables per day, a simple change with profound implications.

The challenge

• Australians consume 19kg less vegetables per person per year than in 2001

• Only 6.5% of adults and 4.6% of children meet recommended intake levels

• Malnutrition affects 80% of older Australians, with younger generations facing shorter lifespans

The opportunity

One additional serve daily can deliver a triple bottom line of benefits, improving health, supporting local growers, and enhancing environmental sustainability. It’s a powerful, achievable step toward a healthier Australia.

Hort Connections 2025: a milestone event

I had the pleasure of attending my first Hort Connections event in June, joining a vibrant community of growers, suppliers, researchers, and industry leaders. The event showcased the latest innovations and trends in horticulture and reaffirmed the strength, professionalism, and unity of our sector. It was a privilege to be part of this cornerstone event in the Southern Hemisphere’s horticultural calendar.

Listening to growers: challenges and advocacy

Since our last update, I’ve visited many vegetable growers across WA. I’m deeply grateful for their hospitality and candid insights. What’s now even clearer is that our industry is facing significant economic challenges:

• Rising cost of inputs (machinery, fertilisers, seed and freight)

• Local cost pressures (energy, labour, fuel, water)

• Mounting compliance obligations across all levels of government and industry

These pressures are compounded by a cost of living crisis and persistent demands for lower produce prices. Despite these challenges, our growers remain resilient and committed to excellence.

vegetablesWA will continue to advocate for fairer conditions, support growers through practical initiatives, and champion innovation and sustainability across the sector.

Looking forward

As we move into the second half of the year, vegetablesWA remains focused on:

• Advocating for policy reform and fairer market conditions

• Expanding grower support and extension services

• Supporting health initiatives that drive vegetable consumption

• Promoting industry-wide innovation and global learning

Together, we are building a resilient, innovative, and sustainable future for Western Australia’s vegetable industry.