| CHAIRMANS REPORT - DECEMBER 2003
The past twelve months has been a new beginning for Australian Alpine Valleys Agribusiness Forum (Alp Valleys).
From early 2001 to the end of 2002 we had no real funds to commit to any project for our constituents, members of agribusinesses in the region.
Our new Chairman Mike Reid who took up the position in 2002 was forced to seek leave of absence from his responsibilities and later found it necessary to withdraw from the board due to a debilitating illness. Council representatives on the board were defeated at municipal elections and were no longer representatives of their communities. Other long term members were unable to continue support at board level and were forced to withdraw. Kate Stoney DPI regional marketing officer, who provided an enormous support to the board became the manager of Victorian Agribusiness Network VAN and was unable to continue to provide that essential support.
THE NEW BEGINNING
The board was able to fill four casual vacancies with well qualified enthusiastic and committed members, some of whom, along with other new members are standing for election tonight. We sought secretarial support provision from within the region and engaged Anne Shaw who provided excellent support until her commitments to other community activities saw Claire Griffiths provide a perfect replacement for Anne. Kristy Lorden replaced Kate Stoney as DPI Regional Marketing Officer
VICTORIAN AGRIBUSINESS NETWORK FUNDING
In line with our business plan, members of the board conducted meetings with members of the five GI's in the North East Zone of the Wine Industry to identify what if any were the constraints to industry growth. Meetings were also conducted with other agribusiness grower groups in the region to establish what projects would be most suitable to improve marketing for each group.
Two projects were selected one from each of those meetings. The Wine Industry required a Strategic Analysis to be undertaken of the five GI's in the North East Zone - the findings of which will be presented to us later this evening following this meeting.
The second project was to assist some ten agribusiness grower groups to improve their marketing effort.
Two applications were submitted for VAN Funding. Some $68,000 was sought for the Wine Industry and $50,000 was requested for assistance to the grower groups with their marketing.
The DPI VAN Steering Committee had power to approve up to a total value of $50,000 for each project so there was a shortfall in our funding requirement for the Wine Industry project initially. The first funding for this project was received from VAN on December 19, 2002 with the final payment banked in late August.
A steering committee of members of the five GI's namely Alpine Valleys, Beechworth, Glenrowan, King Valley, and Rutherglen, the EDO's from each of the municipalities incorporating those GI's, Regional Development Victoria and board members of Alp Valleys had been formed.
This group assisted in the development of the consultancy brief, selected some ten suitably qualified groups to tender for the work and have managed all facets of the project from start to its launch tonight. I wish, on behalf of the board, to express my sincere thanks to each and every member of that committee for their individual input of time and energy and for their regional focus. The committee was able to negotiate a reduction in the tender price and secure additional funding to cover the shortfall from DIIRD.
GRASS ROOTS ACTIVITIES
Marketing assistance for the Grower groups was managed through a small committee of members of the AlpValleys board. Their application for $50,000 was approved and the first payment was paid into our bank account on the 31 January 2003. Final project payment was received on the 16/10/03. With assistance from the DPI and a consultant some ten groups covering The North East Olive Growers, Chestnut Growers of Australia, Rutherglen Lamb Group, Summer Fruit growers, Hi Country Fruits, the Black and Coloured Sheep Breeders, King Valley Vignerons the North East Valleys Wine & food Group, Fforne Hardwood Group, and Rutherglen Wine Experience Centre were identified for assistance with this funding.
A marketing dinner at Milawa in April was attended by more than 40 producer representatives from these 10 agribusiness groups.
The evening, facilitated by Pickett Agricultural Services, helped initiate more effective communication between the groups in relation to their objectives, activities and issues. Groups were also able to communicate to AlpValleys their needs in relation to specific marketing assistance. The 10 goups were representatives of some seven hundred and forty individuals involved in agribusinesses in the region.
Alpvalleys also supported a Supply Chain Workshop series, run by the Department of Primary Industries. The workshops were not well attended, however information from the workshop was distributed to AlpValleys members via the DPI Regional Marketing Officer for NE Victoria, Kristy Lorden.
A concluding seminar involving this group was held in Beechworth on the 22nd of October. Facilitator Kevin Bascomb of Quercus Marketing used the theme "Achieving business growth through practical marketing." The group was asked to focus on the four pillars of marketing. Consumer markets, Consumer needs, coordination & profitability. Case studies were employed to develop the messages.
Following Kevin's presentation and discussions, each group reported on the application of their support funding and the outcomes of each of their programs, and what they saw as the next steps.
For those who are interested a report of this seminar is available from Claire.
OTHER INITIATIVES
We have continued our extremely valuable alliance with The Centre in Wangaratta. They are organising all our meetings with Grower Groups, do all our mail outs, and have recently established, with the permission of each individual, a database of e-mails which has now become our method of providing you with an update of Alp Valleys activities via our electronic Newsletter.
Two additional funding applications have been made to the Victorian Agribusiness Network for 2004. A total of between $90,000 to $100,000 will be sought for the following projects.
The first application is to undertake an audit of the extent and nature of Agribusiness in the region. Work similar to this was last conducted by Margaret Bright in 1995. As a result of that work the Australian Alpine Valleys Agribusiness Forum Inc was formed. As a matter of interest when that audit was conducted there was no Olive Industry in the region. To-day it is a thriving industry with M's$ being spent in its development
North East Catchment Management Authority and Wodonga TAFE have both expressed an interest in being involved in this work and wish to provide funding to support its satisfactory completion. Our thanks go to both these organisations and to Kristy Lorden in negotiating their involvement. We look forward to working collaboratively for enhanced outcomes for all. Our Business Plan for 2004/5 will be formulated during the completion of this work.
The Second Application will be to continue marketing assistance to some existing and new grower groups.
During the concluding Seminar of the Grower Groups there was a feeling that some groups would have obtained better value for money had they been more strategic with their approach by the development of business and marketing planning before concentrating on "selling their products". The identification of issues such as supply chain development, quality assurance, consistency of supply, group cooperation and cohesion had to be developed for satisfactory results.
"The Olive Industry Exposed" was the title for a Dinner Forum that Alp Valleys organised at the Rutherglen Wine Experience Centre on the 28th of August. The dinner was attended mostly by Olive Growers with industry experts Simon Field, Managing Director of Salsi Pty Ltd and Mimmo Lubrano, General Manager of Sandhurst Fine Foods.
Salsi has a 4500 tree organic olive grove near St Arnaud and markets the Salsi brand of extra virgin olive oil. The family company has interests in organic olive enterprises, table olive processing, publications, internet services and consulting services to the retail industry
Sandhurst Fine Foods is a leading importer of olives into Australia. In 2002 it handled over 1.3 million kilos of Olives from Spain, Greece, Italy, Turkey and Australia. In 2002 the company supplied finished goods and raw materials to every major food company in Australia. The hands-on family business is set on sourcing local products to replace imports.
Speakers with such wide and complete experience in the Olive Industry we able to answer a variety of questions to the local industry players.
THANK YOU
I take this opportunity to thank the team of people who have made this year and its achievements possible. Firstly previous long term members of the board who through one circumstance or other were unable to complete their full term. Mike Reid, John Brown, Marion Rak, Ken Whan, Roy Baird, Jan Palmer. Thank you sincerely for your contribution in many cases over long years. We would not have been able to achieve without you. To current members of the board Julie Carrol, Simon Quilty, Ken Gaudion Lachlan Campbell, Jane Casey and Kevin Ritchie and ex-officio Kristy Lorden and Claire Griffiths. The road has not been easy but you have made it happen thank you.
Peter J. Long 2003
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