A NEW resource designed to arm horticultural growers with everything they need to grow their business has been released by Hort Innovation.

A new podcast series titled “Growing Matters” is now freely available to download or stream through Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

The four-part series explores common misconceptions around pollination and how threats to the current honeybee population will impact on growers bottom lines; it also details how growers can use data and analytics to maximise their profits, addresses access to international markets through trade initiatives and even debunks the myths around high fat horticultural produce and provides tools on how to market these crops to consumers.

The series was developed after consultation from industry stakeholders highlighted the need for a greater variety of easy to access resources across multiple platforms.

Hort Innovation CEO Matt Brand said the Rural Development Corporation spent considerable time consulting with stakeholders during the company’s national roadshow earlier this year and used that feedback to formulate an engagement strategy.

“Investing in and creating resources that our growers could engage in while out in the field, tending to crops and riding the tractor was vital to reaching a greater amount of growers and spread the outcomes of the research that their levies help to support,” he said.

“In this last year, Hort Innovation managed more than 600 active R&D projects. Each of those projects deliver milestones, and it’s fair to say that most of those projects will deliver applicable outcomes that we want to communicate back to industry.

“The podcast is one such way that we are doing that, but we will continue to address new and innovative ways to reach our growers and keep them informed of developments in their industry.”

Hort Innovation Research and Development Manager Ashley Zamek, who manages the pollination fund, said the podcast gave her a platform to speak candidly about the risks, the developments and the future of what the Australian pollination industry will look like.

“Having the opportunity to provide that level of detail about some of our projects, busting myths and providing tangible outcomes to our growers is something I’m really excited about,” she said.

“This podcast series boasts great talent, all experts in their field and also provides a great deal of insight into the type of research we’re doing, why we’re doing it and what the benefits are for industry.”

For more information or to access the podcast, visit: www.horticulture.com.au/podcasts 

ENDS