Almond industry innovation and adoption program (AL19001)
What’s it all about?
This project is helping to deliver technical advice to almond growers, promoting best practice and facilitating the adoption of R&D. It is tasked with identifying and developing initiatives to address the capacity-building requirements of the industry.
This iteration of the project has a particular focus on delivering services at a regional level to ensure best-fit for local needs and stakeholders, while also being part of a national approach that is strategic and coordinated based on industry needs.
Specifically, the investment continues to support the roles and activities of the Almond Board of Australia’s industry development team including:
- Industry Development Manager, Deidre Jaensch (djaensch@australianalmonds.com.au)
- Senior Industry Development Officer, Josh Fielke (jfielke@australianalmonds.com.au)
- Industry Development Officer, Ben Wilbin (bwilbin@australianalmonds.com.au)
- Farm Manager for the Almond Centre of Excellence Experimental Orchard, Anthony Wachtel
At a broad level, project work for the industry development team has and will continue to include:
- Industry fields days, workshops, tours and training initiatives, which are advertised in industry channels
- Input into the industry communications program
- Production of fact sheets to take knowledge from projects to growers
- Global scans of relevant R&D to keep industry aware of international developments
- Face-to-face and other direct engagements with industry participants
- Establishment and management of demonstration plantings at the Almond Centre of Excellence, in conjunction with other projects, to promote best practise
- Support for and participation in other industry R&D projects as required
- Engagement across a range of R&D and industry committees.
In the six months to March 2021, the project team continued to deliver extension support to growers, with more than 160 activities / products delivered, including:
- A series of five webinars, attended by 189 participants, were held to help growers prepare for a wet season and the impact of adverse weather at harvest as well as maintaining crop quality. Recordings are available via the Almond Board of Australia website.
- Development of 10 topical pages for the Almond Board of Australia website, showcasing industry approach, R&D investment, plus resources on pollination, integrated pest and disease management, almond growth and development, climate and energy, irrigation, soil and nutrition, sustainable chemical use, varieties and rootstocks
- Five grower notices and a factsheet were compiled and shared with industry to provide timely advice on seasonal issues such as mice, biosecurity response to Khapra beetle, chemicals, adverse season management
- Articles and publications in In a Nutshell magazine and Almondbytes eNews
- A grower survey and industry-wide investigation into the extent and potential cause of bud dieback on variety Monterey
- Support and attendance at Almond Board of Australia value chain subcommittee meetings plus issues-based and plant health and biosecurity meetings representing the almond industry.
ACT NOW
Visit the Almond Board of Australia website for more information and to access grower support materials.
This project is a strategic levy investment in the Hort Innovation Almond Fund