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Good news for Australian horticulture growers – Coles has adopted the Fair Farms program into its ethical sourcing program for suppliers, joining Woolworths and Aldi as the major retailers to adopt the program. What is Fair Farms? Fair Farms is an industry-led initiative aimed at fostering fair and responsible employment practices in Australian horticulture, and […]
Category Archives: Harvest Trail Talk
Trail Talk
Wage records As an employer, and like every employer, you are legally required to keep records of all transactions relating to your tax, employment, and superannuation affairs. Employment record-keeping and pay slip obligations are designed to ensure that employees receive their correct wages and entitlements – and to make it easier for the Fair Work […]
30
Jun
Jun
Low-cost accommodation is essential to attract seasonal workers, but ‘budget’ does have not to mean low quality. Budget accommodation Essential to Support Workers Many horticulture enterprises need to attract seasonal workers during peak times, usually harvest. Some of these workers may be available in the local community, especially regulars that return each year. However, a […]
30
Jun
Jun
Grantham Orchards, Lockyer Valley Region, Queensland After 32 years, Rod Dalton knows a thing or two about growing fruit. It was in the early 2000s when a lack of water in the Lockyer Valley region led Rod to change crops from citrus and avocados to stone fruit, persimmons and figs. This change has proven to […]
30
Jun
Jun
Production and consumption statistics in recent years clearly show that blueberries are more at home in their native North America than anywhere else in the world. However, the growing and selling of blueberries is fast becoming a significant commodity in Australia too, providing an increasing number of seasonal jobs. Blueberries – late bloomers in Australia […]
Harvest Trail Information Service, Harvest Trail Talk
MADEC welcomes new State Manager to the Harvest Trail Information Service (HTIS)
30
Jun
Jun
MADEC Australia is happy to announce the appointment of Donna Mogg to the position of HTIS State Manager responsible for Queensland and Northern Territory. Donna joins Robert Hayes and Peter Angel to become the third State Manager, to further the objectives of the Harvest Trail Information Service. The primary role of State Managers is to […]
26
Mar
Mar
COVID-19 Impact on worker availability The word on everybody’s lips at the moment is coronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19. Every segment of the economy will be affected in some form, but for the horticulture industry a major concern is the supply of seasonal workers. Situation rapidly changing The term ‘uncharted waters’ is being widely used […]
Harvest Trail Information Service, Harvest Trail Talk
Coronavirus – will it impact worker availability
06
Mar
Mar
Coronavirus – will it impact worker availability Since the first detection of unusual pneumonia cases in the Chinese port city of Wuhan on 31 December 2019, and subsequent identification of the novel coronavirus as the cause, the virus has rapidly spread. As of 5 March 2020, the outbreak has now been identified in 77 countries […]
03
Mar
Mar
Are you sure your workers are illegal? Yes, I meant to say illegal? There are two parallel stories here, the ‘Bridging Visa rort’ and the use of undocumented workers in the horticulture industry. What is the ‘Bridging Visa rort’? Non-citizens who have overstayed their visas and volunteer their presence to authorities are often provided with […]
03
Mar
Mar
HILA – a new tool to source skilled workers One of the biggest issues for horticulture growers is finding skilled and semi-skilled workers. Jobs such as truck, fork lift and tractor drivers, farm managers and mechanics can be hard to fill. The new Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement (HILA) allows growers to sponsor overseas workers with […]