World Potato Congress 2023
WONDERFUL NEWS FOR THE AUSTRALIAN POTATO INDUSTRY
During its Annual Meeting on September 5, 2019, the WPC Board of Directors unanimously agreed that Potatoes South Australia's proposal to host the 2023 World Potato Congress was the clear winner!
The news was announced by South Australia’s Minister of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Hon Tim Whetstone MP at our Annual Dinner and Auction of New Season Baby Potatoes on 25 October.
This will be the first time this globally significant biennial business event has ever been held in Australia. It will focus on an ‘Old World Meets New’ theme given the historical status of the potato as a food staple, the innovation and technology applied to its production today and the investment in research and development being undertaken locally and internationally. There will also be consideration given to global changes in sustainability, climate, culture and population.
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Precision Mapping in Potatoes
"Precision Mapping: does it tell us anything we don’t already know?” explored the application of precision mapping techniques in potato production systems in South Australia. It confirmed that soil and crop sensing technologies can be used to inform: the strategic application of fertilisers and soil amendments; decisions about drainage alignment; and, can provide insight to irrigation performance, crop stress and yield forecasts.
The project was funded by the South Australian Potato Industry Trust, and the South East and SA Murray Darling Basin Natural Resource Management Boards.
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EAPR2020 Call for Abstracts
21st EAPR Triennial Conference - Warsaw, Poland, 6-10 July 2020
Abstract submission open! The organizers of the 21st Triennial Conference of the European Association for the Potato Research invite you to submit abstracts of your poster and oral presentation. More details and abstract submission system: https://www.eapr2020.pl/gb/registration-and-abstracts/abstracts.html
For more details: deadlines and fees, please check the website.
New Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement
From 1 January 2020, businesses in Australia’s horticulture industry will be able to apply for the new Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement. The Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement increases access to skilled and semi-skilled migrant workers for the horticulture industry, where appropriately qualified Australians are unavailable.
The Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement can be used by Australian employers for the following:
- Sponsor overseas workers for the Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) (subclass 482) visa for a total of 31 approved occupations.
- Sponsor overseas workers for permanent residency under the:
- Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (SESR) (subclass 494) visa program with a permanent pathway to a Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) available after three years; or
- Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS) (subclass 186) visa program after a three or four year transitional period on a TSS visa—three years for approved Skill Level 1-3 occupations and four years for approved Skill Level 4-5 occupations.
- Access the following concessions to standard skilled visa requirements:
- Discount of up to 10% on the Temporary Skill Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) where it is demonstrated that equivalent Australian workers do not receive annual earnings of $53,900.
- A broader range of monetary payments (e.g. regularised overtime) and non-monetary benefits (e.g. accommodation) can be counted as guaranteed earnings.
- For the TSS visa—overseas workers must score at least IELTS 5.0 overall, and at least IELTS 4.0 in each individual component score. For the ENS and SESR visas—overseas workers must score at least IELTS 5.0 overall, and at least IELTS 4.5 in each individual component score.
- Overseas workers can be up to 50 years of age when they apply for an ENS or SESR visa.
Please see here for more information
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