March 11th, 2010 nola
As part of a project for the Development of the Tropical North Queensland Food Industry funded by the Queensland Government Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, Advance Cairns has engaged a recognised marketing and brand scientist Peter Singline from BrandDNA in Melbourne to develop a Regional Food Brand.
A Regional Food Branding will underpin all the activities of the $446,000 TQUAL funding project to Develop and Position TNQ as an Emerging Agri-Food Tourism Destination that will raise awareness of our great regional agri-food industry.
Peter Singline will be conducting Branding Workshops in four areas of the region (Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Tablelands and Mossman) to gather the thoughts and ideas of the people and industries of the area, and to identify a shared mindset of values and behaviour. This process will create a language to clearly describe each region and its produce and defines its point of difference, that together will create a brand that will encompass the whole region.
If you would like to be a part of the workshops
Cairns Monday 15th March Morning
Mossman Monday 15th March Afternoon
Tablelands Tuesday 16th March Morning
Innisfail Tuesday 16th March Afternoon
Contact Nola Craig - info@australiantropicalfoods.com
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March 11th, 2010 nola
Wednesday 17th March, 2010
Platypus Bend Eco-Retreat
Malanda
This forum is being held to bring together commercially minded existing or potential primary producers of organic, bio-dynamic, permaculture and other sustainable and diverse agriculture, to assist in the development of a feasibility study to identify future organic opportunities for the region.
Key Note Speaker - Andre Leu, Chair of the Organics Federation of Australia
A Food Industry project initiated by Advance Cairns and funded by the Queensland Government Department of Education, Economic Development and Innovation, has engaged Bob Cobavie to produce a feasibility study into the Future Opportunities for Organics (and other Alternative Agricultural Methods of Farming) in the region. Your contribution will be greatly appreciated.
Who should attend: Exiting or Potential Commercial Organic, Bio-Dynamic, Permaculture, growers and food producers, retailers and suppliers to the industry.
RSVP: Nola Craig
info@australiantropicalfoods.com
Numbers are limited. RSVP Essential
By Sunday 14th March 2010.
For more information click here flyer
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March 7th, 2010 nola
Seminar in Cairns - Wednesday 17th March
According to the latest survey conducted by the Australian Industry Group, a significant number of Australian manufacturers are experiencing a negative impact on their sales, a decline in production and a severe dip in new orders – even though the rate of decline is now slowing.
You are invited to our breakfast seminar to learn how QMI can assist you with your manufacturing strategies, so that you are better equipped to strengthen your business for the journey ahead. This seminar is part of QMI’s “Toward Q2:
Tomorrow’s Queensland” partner activities.
Time: 7.00 - 9.30am
Date: Wednesday 17th March
Venue: Rydges Esplanade Resort
Cnr The Esplanade and Kerwin St CAIRNS
Cost: $25.00 (inc GST)
(Breakfast provided)
For more information click here: planning20to20succeed20using20your20manufacturing20strategies_cairns_flyer_
To register for this clinic visit the Events page on QMI Solutions website at
www.qmisolutions.com.au or call Vineeta on 3364 0607
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February 28th, 2010 nola
2nd Round of Public Consultations to Commence on 5 March 2010.
February 25, 2010
The Committee conducting the Independent Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy is about to embark on the planned second round of public consultations in Australia and New Zealand.
This Review, chaired by Dr Neal Blewett AC, is being conducted at the request of the Council of Australian Governments and the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council, representing Australian and New Zealand Governments.
This public consultation period is an important opportunity for people to provide the Review Committee with specific information about ways to improve food labelling in Australia and New Zealand.
The Food Labelling Review Issues Consultation Paper summarises the issues that have been raised in the first round of submissions to the Review, as well as issues in the literature and media in recent years. This Paper elaborates on the Review’s Terms of Reference and has been prepared to stimulate thinking and debate. It is important to now take the next step in the Review process and begin thinking about the range of solutions and ideas to improve food labelling.
Members of the public are encouraged to take the opportunity to respond to the consultation questions, and to attend one of the public meetings that will be held across Australia and New Zealand.
The Food Labelling Review Issues Consultation Paper will be released on 5 March 2010 via the website (www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au). The closing date for written submissions is 14 May 2010. Submissions that add to the deliberation and discussion (and meet the submission guidelines) will be made publicly available on the website.
As part of the consultation, the Review Committee will be holding public forums in Australia and New Zealand from 17 March – 7 May 2010. Stakeholders are now invited to register on the website (www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au) to attend a public forum.
Brisbane Friday 7th May 2010
Source: www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au
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February 12th, 2010 nola
Commercialisation Australia is offering funding to assist researchers, individuals, and small companies new to commercialisation to access specialist advice and services to build their skills, knowledge and linkages. Case Managers and Volunteer Business Mentors will assist companies to access the specialist advice they need.
Skills and Knowledge offers funding up to $50,000 to purchase specialist advice and services. Applicants need to match funding on an 80:20 basis, where the applicant funds 20% of the costs. The maximum duration for Skills and Knowledge funding is two years for companies and one year for researchers and individuals.
Skills and Knowledge will fund activities related to obtaining specialist advice and services to assist in the commercialisation process.
Examples of specialist advice and services include:
• Business planning
• Commercialisation
• IP management
• Management development
• Linkages (collaborations/partnerships)
For information:-
aic-commercialisation-australia-customer-information-guide
aic-commercialisation-australia-pre-application-checklist
aic-early-stage-commercialisation-fact-sheet
aic-experienced-executives-fact-sheet
aic-skills-and-knowledge-fact-sheet
aic-proof-of-concept-fact-sheet1
Contact:-
Robert Buhrke
Innovation Coach - Cairns Centre
Australian Institute for Commercialisation
t: 07 4057 3015 f: 07 4048 1122 m: 04 3132 8874
e. Robert.Buhrke@ausicom.com
w. www.ausicom.com
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February 11th, 2010 nola
The call is out for Tableland growers and food processors to promote their wares as part of a whole-of-Government push for a more focused approach to regional agri-food tourism.
Two complimentary food-focused projects being run by Advance Cairns, with funding from the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation and the Federal government’s AusIndustry TQUAL initiative, will position Tropical North Queensland as an emerging tropical agri-food tourism destination by building an alternative tourism theme for the region, based on tropical agri-food experiences.
Advance Cairns Food Project Officer Sue Fairley, who is based on the Tableland, said, “There is an overwhelming diversity of what is grown and processed in this region; however we are also aware there are many other growers and producers out there that we could be supporting, assisting and linking to existing and potentially new market opportunities.”
“For example, with Organics being identified as a significant world trend, we are keen to assist in the development and promotion of organic, bio-dynamic, permaculture and bio-diverse farming,” Ms Fairley said. “Also, the region’s top chefs are very interested to source new products for their menus, and that was evident recently during the two chefs’ tours of the Tablelands and the Cassowary Coast where dozens of chefs were able to sample the region’s produce first-hand and fresh from the farm.”
Ms Fairley said there were constant inquires for all sorts of food produce for retail markets, wholesale, processors and chefs, and has urged all growers and producers no matter how small and specialised, to make themselves known. For more information contact Sue Fairley on 4095 3062 or email fairleys@bigpond.com
.
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February 8th, 2010 nola
In December 2009, The Australian Government Department of Resources, Engergy and Tourism announced a successful TQUAL grant of over $440,000 for the Cairns region.
To Develop and Position Tropical North Queensland as an Emerging Agri-Food Tourism Destination.
The project was initiated by Australian Tropical Foods through Advance Cairns in collaboration with the Southern Cross University. It will commence in February 2010 and end by April 2011.
Project Description:-
The project will build an alternative tourism theme for the region, based on tropical agri-food experiences, long term strategic approach, with a clearly targeted action plan to assist existing businesses to adapt, and new enterprises to emerge.
This project will provide the framework for a complimentary product and experience cluster to establish over time, preparing the region for the anticipated impact of climate change on the reef and dispersing visitation into the broader region.
Funding will be used for research, developing action plans to implement the food strategy; building capacity; developing and delivering a regional food brand and marketing strategy.
Activities of the Project include:-
Further workshop development of the Agri-Tourism Industry by Southern Cross University
Branding the region’s food & wine products
Accreditation of Products
SME Skills Training
GPS Food Trail Maps
Paddock to Plate development
Major Food & Wine Event
Trade Show Opportunities
Media Coverage
TQ & TTNQ Marketing Support
For more information: contact Nola Craig T: 0409 593 958
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February 6th, 2010 nola
Check out Nola’s new blog. Here are the articles written in Nola’s Food Diary for The Cairns Post Saturdays The Weekend Post in The Weekender lift-out.
Go to http://australiantropicalfoods.blogspot.com/
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February 6th, 2010 nola
A national food security policy is needed to help feed the greatly increased population predicted for Australia, says Growcom.
The horticultural body’s call follows release of the 2010 Intergenerational Report, which predicts an increase in Australia’s population by 2050 to more than 36 million, of which 22 per cent will be over 65 years old.
Growcom CEO Alex Livingstone said that the Federal Government’s response to problems outlined in the report had ignored a key requirement - that a larger population will need to be fed.
“There is no national plan in place to guarantee that arable land with suitable water and climatic requirements and adequate infrastructure will be available in the future to guarantee our food supply,” he added.
Livingstone said that the government’s determination to put in place measures to lift productivity in order to grow the economy was admirable but ignored a key consideration of investing in infrastructure that would ensure the population had access to economical, fresh and healthy food supplies.
“It is ironic that the report mentions the government’s commitment to investing in an improved hospital and health system while ignoring investment in the cheapest form of improving overall health of the population – access to a healthy diet,” he said.
“The report refers to the need for investment in key infrastructure. The government’s commitment of $3.4 billion to the road network including the major freight route between Melbourne and Cairns is clearly admirable in securing the economic delivery of fresh food to high density population centres. However, the need for all weather roads throughout regional centres engaged in food production is also vital in delivering fresh food to markets,” he said.
“Moreover, the report outlines the federal government’s commitment to increased investment in education and skills and in boosting labour force participation through programs to retrain and re-skill mature age participants. Horticulture’s need for a secure and reliable labour supply in the years ahead must not be overlooked in this agenda.”
Livingstone urged the government to refrain from increasing the tax burden on productive sectors such as horticulture which was an important source of employment and flow-on economic benefits in regional Australia.
Source: Growcom
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February 6th, 2010 nola
Eco Bananas forces Fyffes to withdraw from Innovation Award
Trademark action by Australian Eco Bananas has forced a large European company to withdraw its nomination for a major international innovation award.
Fyffes of Germany was one of 10 companies who nominated for the Fruit Logistica Innovation Award (FLIA) 2010 in recognition of outstanding innovation in products and services.
The competition is open to all companies exhibiting at Fruit Logistica and Freshconex 2010, which have commercially introduced an exceptional innovation to the market in the period from 1 November 2008 till 31 October 2009.
Fyffes, which is one of the largest tropical produce importers and distributors in Europe, based their nomination for innovation on waxing the tip of their bananas to identify their organic status. They claimed ‘The green wax tip of Fyffes Organic Bananas is an innovative, unmistakable and at the same time attractive indication of the organic, environmentally friendly origin of this product’.
But Pacific Coast Eco Bananas, an Australian company based in North Queensland, created and developed the innovation of the wax tip banana to identity their eco-banana product more than 10 years ago. A spokesperson for the company, Dianne Sciacca, said: “We immediately sought legal counsel”.
After receiving evidence of Australian and Overseas trademarks and supporting information Fyffe has now withdrawn their entry from the awards. “Their withdrawal from the award is a satisfactory outcome for our company and eco products, and confirms the value of international trademarks system,” said Sciacca.
Freshlogic director Martin Kneebone said that the wax tip is a highly effective way of conveying eco, organic and environmentally friendly benefits to consumers and that is why Pacific Coast Eco field ongoing commercial enquiries to use this innovation with other fruits and foods. However, they also recognise its long term viability is linked to the adoption of robust production systems that ensure the claimed benefits are delivered.
Source: foodweek
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