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CHAIRMANS REPORT OCTOBER 2005
Again it has been the greatest of pleasures for me to have worked along side such a wonderful collection of people who are committed to the success of Alp Valleys Agribusiness Forum in the Region but more importantly to be so enthusiastically involved in developing and undertaking initiatives for the enhancement of Agribusiness in the region.
During the past year, two of our board members were forced to retire due to work and/or other community commitments. I would like you to join me in thanking them for their wonderful support and contribution during their tenure. I speak of Simon Quilty of Q Exports and Colin McCormack Chairman of the Horticultural Division of VFF just recently retired.
As the rules provide, your board has recently filled those casual vacancies with two highly qualified agribusiness practitioners in Julie de Hennin Manager Agriculture-Horticulture Wodonga Institute of TAFE and who is a farmer in her own right. In addition Ken Beggs Manager of the Westpac Bank and a very experienced Agribusiness Banker has been elected by your board to fill the other vacancy. Ken and Julie have agreed to stand for the continuation of those positions to-night and I look forward to continue working with them should they be re elected to-night.
During the past year your board continued with and completed two main projects and some lesser ones. Each of these projects are managed by one or two board members along with steering committees made up of the main stakeholder bodies in the community. We believe this model has the best opportunity to involve the largest number of people devoted to the success of Agribusiness.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those people who served on one or more of those steering committees over the past twelve months. The successful outcomes were a direct result of your input and the Forum wishes to thank you.
The Regional Profile Project was approved by the VAN Steering committee and funded up to $50,000. To complete this project additional funding was received from the Municipalities and special thanks must go to the Councils for that level of support without which this project would have fallen short of its target.
Part of the project included the undertaking by the consultants to facilitate the development with the Board, a Business and Strategic plan for the next three years. This work was completed with the board in the early part of the year and is the current direction being taken by the board.
The second Project was that of marketing assistance to regional groups. Funding of $50,000 for this project was fully provided by the VAN program and resulted in six regional groups - who did not have any idea of the business planning process previously - each completing a plan and a work program to achieve their goals. The work by the consultants was first class in that they spent many hours, mostly late into the night work-shopping with the groups on several occasions.
We are hopeful to have the time to experience a brief presentation by one or two of the groups before the conclusion of the evening.
A smaller project to market the Wine Industry Strategic Analysis to stakeholder groups is in the process of being completed. This project was fully funded by the VAN program.
CURRENT PROJECTS
There are two projects which have either just commenced or are about to be developed. I speak of Alp Valleys to Asia and The Flexible Workforce.
Alp Valleys to Asia project has been fully funded to the tune of $50,000 by VAN but will require an input from the ten agribusinesses who will come on board to be involved in the program. This is an Initiative of Kristy Lorden’s whole heartedly supported by the board and it had its first meeting in Wodonga on the 27 th of September.
This is an exciting project, which may see in the future the expansion of the Alp Valleys brand but this is not a focus of this project at present.
The Flexible Workforce is a relative common project involving more than one of the forums and will be using the $22,500, which is our share of the final funding left in the VAN program.
I would also like to announce to-night that Alp Valleys has been awarded the responsibility to conduct the Agribusiness Summit in 2006 following the completion of the Commonwealth Games in March We have been advised that this project has been fully funded and we look forward to having this event be undertaken in our Region.
GENERAL FUNDING
The current funding model for our Forum the Victorian Agribusiness Network will close as advised at the AGM last year at the end of June 2006.
At present there is only $135,000 to be split up between all six of the Agribusinesses Forums around the State until the completion of that period.
The six chairs of the Agribusinesses in Victoria requested a meeting with The VAN Steering committee in Melbourne in September to discuss how the remaining money should be allocated and also the future funding program for Agribusiness Forums in the State.
Along with the five fellow chairs I attended a meeting with the Acting Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and the VAN Steering Committee in Melbourne on 26th of September. The outcome of that meeting was that the final moneys left in the VAN program would be split equally with the six Agribusinesses. The Chairs gave an undertaking that the projects would be completed by June 2006.
All Chairs appreciated the frankness of the meeting and the time given to the discussions by the Senior People of the Department.
The outcome of the discussions on future funding resulted in a commitment from the Acting Secretary that he and his people would be recommending to the Minister that funding for Agribusiness Forums should be continued in some form. Should the funding continue, projects would be based on the Next Generation Food Strategy. Some projects would need to be undertaken on a state wide basis and some on a regional basis
Whilst in Melbourne the Chairs attended a pre arranged meeting with Regional Development Victoria. The meeting was arranged to discuss funding opportunities through the many programs that the Department conducts.
We were given an extremely supportive hearing and an undertaking that the Officials would brief their Regional Managers on the meeting and suggest the encouragement of a closer relationship with the Forums.
Alps Valley has continued to receive wonderful financial and other support from The North East Catchment Management Authority, The Department of Innovation Industry and Regional Development, and as well invaluable multifaceted support including finance from The Local Municipalities. The Board appreciates your support and encouragement and looks forward to your continued valuable contribution.
ALLIANCE BUILDING
Since our AGM last year a considerable effort has been invested in establishing and strengthing links with organizations that the board believes are fundamental to the future success of Agribusiness in our Region.
Through the common issues of land and water an alliance had been forged with the North East Catchment Management Authority. This alliance has led many joint activities one of the most notable a very successful seminar, Water Closer to the Source in Beechworth in February at which there were 65 major stakeholders. At the conclusion of the Seminar Alp Valleys undertook to be the facilitators for the establishment of a Voice for water in the North East.
I will call on the Chairman of our Land and water Committee Ken Gaudion to provide us with an update on the progress of that undertaking shortly.
In addition another wonderful outcome of our involvement with John Riddford and his officers at NECMA we were collectively successful in obtaining funding from The National Landcare Program for a three year period to engage a Sustainable Agribusiness Project Facilitator.
There were seven very highly credentialed applicants who applied for the position. The interview panel comprised Ian Linley, Victorian Manager of National Landcare, Alan Hoppe AAVAF, Luke Bayley of NECMA and Julie de Hennin AAVAF. I wish to thank all of these people and Kristy Lorden for their major role in generating the application and advertising the position developing the interview criteria and conducting the interviews.
It gives me great pleasure to be able to announce to-night that the successful applicant is Lachlan Campbell. The board looks forward to working with you in expanding the opportunities for a more successful agribusiness in the North East.
We are working on a joint project funded by the Department of Innovation Industry and Regional Development with North East Valleys Food and Wine. The project seeks to establish the opportunities that may be present in the region to form an Industry Cluster. Those on the steering committee are Patricia Chick, Nell Kell and Lachlan and myself. A meeting of the Steering Committee was held earlier to-day for a progress update.
Our long term alliance with The Centre continues to grow and flourish to our advantage. The contribution of expertise and facilities without mention of Lachlan Campbell's time and energy has been at the forefront of generating the success of the Forum over the past twelve months.
THE EVENTS
I am not able to recall all of the events that took place over the last year nor would you want me to but the following are worthy of recollection.
February saw the a very successful Marketing and Business Planning Forum in Beechworth . Those in attendance were most of the members of the six regional groups who were involved in the business planning program that we introduced across the region.
In May we launched the Findings of the Regional Agribusiness Profile at a dinner also in Beechworth. We were fortunate in obtaining Geoff Howard, Secretary to the Department of Agriculture to launch the report for us.
The report revealed some interesting changes in the landscape of agribusiness industries since the Margaret Bright report was done in the mid to late nineties. Notable amongst these were the fact that we did not have an olive industry then and certainly no Green Tea Industry. Both of these industries are now up and running with the Olive Industry flourishing in the region and Green Tea underway. We are proud that we have provided assistance to both these groups. More information on this report is available on our web site and the total report is available by contacting our office.
In June the State Agribusiness Forum Summit was held in Gippsland and attended by members of the board and other individual members of Alp Valleys.
THANKS
Thanks and congratulations to Kate Stoney - Linden on her wedding earlier this year. Kate Continues to climb the rungs in the Department and now holds the position of Key Project Leader Market development. She along with Nick have made their home in the North East and we look forward to seeing them both occasionally.
The time taken to build a new business and additional community demands has been responsible for the withdrawal of Geoff Turnbull from the Board. I wish to thank Geoff for not only building and maintaining our wonderful Website but for his work on an endless number of committees of the board and his enormous capacity to spot and correct mistakes in the detail.
Geoff has offered to continue his interest in maintaining our website which has become the envy of all the other forums in the State. Geoff, thank you.
To other Board Members: Allan Hoppe , Phillip Ward, Mac Paton, Kerry Murphy, Ken Gaudion, Brian Thompson, Lachlan Campbell our ex offico Kristy Lorden and our secretarial assistant Meg Edwards thank you. I know you are all very busy and professional people but you continue to work to advance of Agribusiness in the region and it has been a wonderful experience to have work with you during the past twelve months.
Last but by no means least. I wish to thank Claire Griffiths. Claire took up the secretarial assistants position in early 2003 and became a major component in the successful rebuilding of the Board. Claire has been recognized for her skills and withdrew from her position to work for the Australian Wine Federation. We wish Claire all the very best in her new role. Claire you will always be welcome among the membership.
NEW INITATIVES
In an attempt to raise the profile of Agribusiness in the North East we have for the first time introduced an Agribusiness awards Program. In seeking partners to sponsor this initative we are thrilled to announce the ANZ Bank, The Border Mail, The Department of Primary Industry and The Department of Innovation Industry and Regional Development have all supported the program and we wish to thank them for their generosity in supporting Agribusiness in the Region.
We were approached by the Latrobe University and provided with an overview of an initiative of theirs which added value to our plans.
The Initiative is an Agribusiness Scholarship to be undertaken by hopefully local young people to study first year agriculture at Latrobe University’s Albury Wodonga Campus, and then to transfer to the Bundoora Campus to complete their study.
Alp Valleys Latrobe Agribusiness Scholarship is being promoted by your board to local agri-industries and we look forward companies coming forward to sponsor the initiative and to welcoming students and graduates of the initiative to attend future events of the Forum.
Peter J. Long, October 2005
See also Chairman's Report 2004; Chairman's report for 2003 ;AGM Report 2004
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