PAT McNamara says Voice of Horticulture has been lobbying to get small producers heard as frustration grows in the horticulture sector.
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The creation of Horticulture Innovation Australia – and sudden axing of its predecessor Horticulture Australia Limited – has left a bitter taste for many who worry a loss of input and access to funding will benefit only big players.
Stanley chestnut grower David McIntyre fears HIA will cut current projects early and re-direct its research and funding elsewhere.
The chestnut industry has a large number of small, family owned farms and Chestnuts Australia is two-thirds of the way through a five-year investment plan.
“It feels like peak industry bodies associated with big international or national growers are taking over the industry,” Mr McIntyre said of HIA, “they have the ear of the minister (Barnaby Joyce).
“There was no consultation with ‘weaker’ industry bodies.
“All we can do is run with our current five-year plan. We’ve got projects in progress but they want to stop them and start new ones.”
Mr McNamara, a former Victorian deputy premier who grows walnuts at Nagambie, is on the Voice of Horticulture board. It has more than 40 horticulture organisations under its banner.
About $50 million in horticulture levies goes to HIA, which then uses the money for research, marketing and development programs.
“I think everyone has acknowledged it hasn’t been a perfect transition,” Mr McNamara said.
“Growers, and our organisation, want some certainty about the programs already in place, and plans for future programs.
“Initially they (HIA) said they would roll projects over until November this year. We’re sure about 98 per cent of projects will roll over.”
HIA’s first annual conference is scheduled for November and Mr McNamara urged growers to register with HIA to be eligible to vote.
Four of the HIA board members come up for election.
“The grass roots growers should have more control over how and where their levy money is spent,” he said.
“Growers need to register to vote, then votes are based on the value of your levy. A minimum levy of $200 gets you a vote and it goes up from there.”
