ASSOCIATION UPDATES
REPORT FROM TURF AUSTRALIA By Liz Mecham
Australia’s turf industry is making the most of its compulsory grower levy funds by trying to solve some of the biggest industry issues and questions.
Newly funded research and development projects are looking at fully understanding the value of the turf industry—both on-farm and beyond the farm gate—turf mites and couch smut. Funded projects are also looking at how to best communicate with growers and deliver them industry information and educate the consumer of the value and benefits of natural turf.
“Te Australian industry has been aiming to use its levy in the best way for growers,” Turf Australia’s Market Development Manager Jenny Zadro said. “Tere are some complex production issues in our industry where we have growers in the Eastern States struggling to keep up with supply because the demand is so great, while at the same time there are severe drought conditions beginning to encroach on our production regions. Meanwhile, an economic downturn and water shortages in metropolitan areas has seen our growers in Western Australia really challenged to sell turf and sell the benefits of this great product.”
Te compulsory levy paid by growers (1.5c per square metre of turf sold) is used to undertake research and development projects—which also receive dollar for dollar funding from the Australian Government—and industry marketing projects (which do not receive additional government funding).
In the last year, research and development projects funded by the levy have included:
• Economic, environmental, social and health impact and benefits of the Turfgrass and Lawncare Industries in Australia - this project aims to identify the direct and indirect benefits the turf industry and lawncare industry generate from the production of, and access to, turf products.
• Turf Industry Research and Statistics 2016/2017 project – this project identified the direct economic value of turf production and the scale of production in Australia by farm, state, variety and a number of other datasets.
• Integrated Pest Management of phytophagous (plant- feeding) mites on turfgrass – this project will investigate a sustainable control strategy for invertebrate pests
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in turf and look at options for an integrated pest management approach.
• Improved capacity for integrated disease management of couch smut (Ustilago cynodontis) in turf – this project will develop an improved integrated disease management plan for couch smut and will include researching the fungus to better understand its distribution and transmission, as well as evaluating its control through fungicides and the potential for resistant couch varieties and hybrids.
• Turf Industry Communications Project – this project delivers the industry magazine, a monthly e-newsletter, a Facebook page and part of the Turf Australia website to give information about industry projects to growers to increase the uptake of the funded project outputs.
• National Market Development Program for the Australian Turf Industry - Tis program is developed to drive an increase in the value of turf as perceived by turf growers, industry stakeholders, key influencers, consumers and the community.
• Turf industry marketing program – this project has recently created a new consumer website
www.lawnspiration.com.au to help sell the benefits of turf to the wider community. Te website itself does not sell turf, but links consumers with growers and delivers information on turf varieties and lawncare tips.
Te Australian industry also has undertaken the development of a safety railing system for hand stack harvesters in a bid to improve the safety of workers in the industry. “Te safety railing system is something Turf Australia funded the development of because of the importance of safety on our turf farms,” Zadro said. Te railing system has been developed with growers, an engineering firm and the government workplace health and safety authority to ensure it meets all standards for creating a post-market alteration to a harvesting machine.
Turf Australia’s NxGen Forum is designed for the new generation of turf producers. Te very successful 2018 NxGen Forum was held in Cairns, North Queensland, in June. Plans are underway for new events and opportunities for continued development of turf production as well as working closely with the end users of turf, promoting the many benefits of turf on our communities, environment and health and wellbeing.
Liz Mecham is communications manager for Turf Australia.
TPI Turf News September/October 2018
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