In the month leading up to this week’s Federal budget, a number of announcements have been made about Federal government funds being available on a selective basis for food-related projects. Recently,  the Australian Research Council announced that the Tasmanian-based sensory-monitoring technology company, Sense-T, would receive a significant funding injection from the Federal government for Sense-T’s Pathways to Market project. The Sense-T project would receive $2.5 million funding under the... ...Read more »

Australian supermarket giant Coles has awarded a new national contract for its own brand pickled onions to food manufacturer Spring Gully Foods Pty Ltd (Spring Gully) just a few days after the South Australian food company was placed in voluntary administration. The new 12 month contract is expected to commence in two months and will involve 35,000 units of Coles Brand Brown Pickled Onions for sale in 525g jars across Australia. Coles General Manager for South Australia, Vito Borrello, said Coles... ...Read more »

Major Australian supermarket Coles has entered long-term supply partnerships with two Australian dairy co-operatives, Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co. Limited (Murray Goulburn) and Norco. Coles has signed a ten-year contract with Murray Goulburn, which is Australia’s largest dairy co-operative. The contract will see Coles private label milk supplied by Murray Goulburn’s Devondale brand in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) from July 2014. Devondale processes approximately one third of Australia’s... ...Read more »

Australian food box delivery company Aussie Farmers Direct has called on Australians to support peach farmers in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley who are having to let this year’s bumper crop of clingstone peaches go to waste due to a lack of sufficient market demand. Aussie Farmers Direct says it plans to ‘rescue’ tonnes of peaches by creating a new consumer market for the surplus fruit. “This year’s near perfect growing season for clingstone peaches has produced a high quality crop of canning... ...Read more »

The food and agriculture sectors in Western Australia are likely to be major beneficiaries of favourable policies that were promised by the returning Coalition government. The Liberal Party won an overall majority, with 32 seats, in the State’s election on Saturday 9 March 2013. The Liberals have said they intend to maintain their coalition with the WA Nationals, who held 3 Cabinet positions in the Coalition government prior to last Saturday’s results. Under the Barnett-led State Liberal... ...Read more »

Biological Farmers of Australia, or BFA, has announced a name chance to “Australian Organic” this week to embrace all members of the organic industry, which is made up of more than just farmers. Yesterday a member of the Australian Food News sub-editing team published that Australian Organic would be dropping its iconic “bud” logo. Australian Food News would like to formally apologise for this inaccuracy and has confirmed that the group will be retaining the “bud” logo on its labels. It... ...Read more »

Heavy rain and flooding caused by Cyclone Oswald in Queensland has had an immediate impact on produce availability, with Queensland-sourced vegetable supplies from mid-April to late May expected to be in very short supply.   Eroded farmland and stranded trucks have ruined many Queensland crops and will diminish fresh produce supplies, according to Fresh Food Economist and CEO of the SOCExchange, Franco Lagudi. Mr Lagudi said that while the extent of the damage can not be assessed for another few... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued a final decision allowing broiler chicken growers, who are members of Queensland Chicken Growers Association, to collectively bargain with Inghams, Baiada and Golden Cockerel for ten years. The decision will allow employees of Inghams, Baiada and Golden Cockerel to negotiate working conditions with employers in the chicken meat industry. Collective bargaining arrangements can lead to transaction cost savings and provide broiler chicken... ...Read more »

Commercial farming chemical Dicyandiamide (DCD) has been voluntarily suspended in New Zealand after traces were found in New Zealand-based dairy products. DCD is used in the farming process to prevent the fertilizer by-product nitrate entering waterways, and is also used as a means of “promoting pasture growth.” Although DCD is not considered a food safety risk, New Zealand’s largest dairy producer Fonterra has supported the voluntary suspension. “DCD has never at any point been a food safety... ...Read more »

The Australian farming and manufacturing sectors have expressed growing concerns about Australia’s booming gas export industry. While the energy and mining sector is generating billions of dollars that are underpinning the strength of the Australian dollar, this has led to the so-called “2-tier economy” with economic dislocation or slowdown for other parts of the Australian economy outside the energy and minerals export industry. Difficulties for local food producers and manufacturers have... ...Read more »