Current News

The Horticulture Showcase is a fantastic resource to help workers and growers find information about pay and entitlements. The Showcase can also be translated in over 30 different languages.

Visit the Horticulture Showcase website for more information...

Austrade – Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) Changes 

• EMDG has been increased to $50 million in total
• The export performance test for applications in 2019–20 grant year has been taken out
• Businesses incurring eligible EMDG expenses for promotional activities in 2019–20 will be able to seek reimbursement for 50% of these expenses without the Export Performance Test applying.

Applications can be made from 1^st July 2020 through myGovID instead of Auskey.

What is the Victorian Business Growth Fund?
Together with First State Super and the Victorian Government, the fund is targeted at Small and medium businesses who are ready to grow their business but can’t access the funds or find the right partner they need to take the next step.
All applications and expressions of interest will be assessed and decided by Roc Partners, a specialised private equity investment firm.   Roc Partners will invest in businesses on commercial terms and take either an equity or debt stake in businesses over providing a grant.
 What businesses are eligible?
Please see below the eligibility criteria for The Victorian Business Growth Fund :

• Can demonstrate a Strong business case for growth in a Victorian business, fund growth of a business expanding into Victoria, lead to meaningful job creation in Victoria or add meaningful capital investment in Victoria
• have annual revenue of between $5 million and $100 million
• have no more than $250 million in assets
• have positive cash flow, or cash flow is expected to be positive during the investment

How to apply:
Please contact Roc Partners through their website to express your interests.

Monthly reporting for JobKeeper Payments
If you’ve enrolled for the JobKeeper Payment and identified your eligible employees, you need to make a business monthly declaration to us. You will be able to do this from the 1st to the 14th day of each month, to receive reimbursements for the payments you have made to your employees in the previous month. Visit the ATO website for information about the business monthly declaration.

Get ready - second round of cash flow boosts
If you received initial cash flow boosts, you'll automatically receive additional cash flow boosts when you lodge your activity statements for each monthly or quarterly period from June to September 2020. Visit the ATO website for more information about second round cash flow boosts and details on lodgments...

Get ready for Tax Time
Your find tips that will help your business get ready for Tax time. Visit the ATO website for more information...

Claiming instant asset write-off in tax time 2020
For the $150,000 new threshold your asset must be ready for use by 30 June 2020. If you've purchased or are planning to purchase assets for your business, you may be eligible to claim an immediate deduction under the instant asset write-off expansion. From 12 March to 30 June 2020 (inclusive), the instant asset write-off threshold for each asset increased to $150,000 (from $30,000).Visit the ATO website for more information...

Visit the newsroom online at any time to check out the latest news, previous articles or download reminders to your calendar.

• 1 July 2020
• 1 November 2020 – (commencement date for Horticulture Award)
• 1 February 2021

Important Information for Cherry Growers- 2020-29 

Horticulture Exports Program – Applications for the export of cherries to protocol markets

This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise industry that applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses, and registration of treatment facilities to export cherries to protocol markets for the 2020–21 season.

Summary of changes and key points

Farms and packhouses

• Applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses to export cherries to China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and Korea for the 2020–21 season.
• Applications must be received by 5pm AEST, Friday, 31 July 2020.
• Applicants can complete their application forms through the Fruit Growers Tasmania Inc. online system.
  • For properties intending to export cherries from Tasmania
  • For properties intending to export cherries from mainland Australia
  • If your property was accredited in the 2019–20 season, you must still apply for the 2020–21 season.
• Farms and packhouses will be subject to audits by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
• Crop monitor training and assessment for cherries is available through the Tocal College online eLearning hub.

Treatment facilities

• Applications are now open for the registration of treatment facilities for
  • methyl bromide fumigation of cherries for export to China and Korea, or
  • onshore cold treatment of cherries to China, Taiwan and Thailand.
• Treatment facilities previously registered for this export pathway do not need to reapply.
• Treatment facility applicants must submit their completed application form to the department’s This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 5pm AEST, Friday 31 July 2020.

Market requirements

Export pathways for cherry protocol markets are:

• China – area freedom, cold treatment and fumigation
• Taiwan – area freedom and cold treatment
• Thailand – area freedom and cold treatment
• Japan (Tasmania only) – area freedom
• Korea – area freedom and fumigation.

For specific market requirements, refer to the relevant workplan and protocol on the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (MICoR) Plants website. To access these documents, you must be a registered MICoR Plants user.

Background

Countries with protocol markets have specific requirements for importing Australian produce.

Farms and packhouses intending to export cherries to China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and Korea must be accredited by the department, prior to export.

Accredited property responsibilities – Farms and packhouses

• Farms and packhouses must apply for accreditation annually (unless otherwise advised).
• Farms may divide their orchard into blocks. Each block must be clearly identified on the application form and on the farm map by its physical address or geographic co-ordinates.
• All new applicants must be available for pre-accreditation audits by the department, to ensure compliance with the relevant protocol and departmental requirements.
• Existing accredited properties will be subject to an audit either pre- or mid-season.
• The department can only accredit an entity for export if all protocol requirements are met.
• Requirements for accredited properties, including management guidelines, audit guidelines and performance standards, can be found on the Plant Export Operations Manual.

Crop monitor training

Only crop monitors who have completed the online training and passed the assessment are eligible to conduct crop monitoring for protocol markets.

The online crop monitor training for cherries is now open via the Tocal College online eLearning hub.

• The assessment quiz for cherries from Mainland Australia closes on Friday, 14 August 2020.
• The assessment quiz for cherries from Tasmania only closes on Friday, 14 August 2020.
• The eLearning course content will remain accessible through to March 2021.

Treatment facility responsibilities

• Treatment facilities must be a registered establishment and approved for the specific country, commodity and treatment combination for protocol markets.
• Note: Treatment facilities previously approved by the department as an accredited property are now approved under their registered establishment (refer to IAN 2019-64 for further information on this). Treatment facilities that are currently approved for treatment functions under their registered establishment do not need to re-apply unless they would like to vary their approval by adding or removing a treatment function (country, commodity, treatment combination).
• Treatment facilities that are currently not approved for the countries, commodities and treatments they would like must submit an Application for registration as a horticulture export treatment facility and be audited and approved by the department and the importing country where required.

Contact information

Please direct queries regarding the online application system to Ian Cover at Fruit Growers Tasmania.

Fruit Growers Tasmania Inc. (FGT)
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 03 6169 2059

Cherry Growers Australia
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

David Ironside
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch

SOURCE: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/export/controlled-goods/plants-plant-products/ian/2020/2020-29

AUSVEG have engaged legal advice to provide a guide which details what Unions can and cannot do on Farms. Please see the attached PDF for more information...