april 2017 newsletter - wildflowers australia april+2017+newsletter.pdfmaterial being bunched. check...

April2017Newsletter

WILDFLOWERINDUSTRYNETWORKNSW.Inc.

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2017Committee

President:GordonMeiklejohnVicePresident:DavidRobinsonSecretary:FrankAllattTreasurer:RosemaryViggersCommittee:BrianParry,SueStewart,CraigScott,SandraCrockett.

NextMeetingSaturday,6thMay,2017-FarmVisit

AtGrowwild,thepropertyofPeterandSueStewart,

916OldHumeHighway,Alpine.NSW2575.

Phone:48894353Email:[email protected]

Agenda:10.30am–morningtea-supplied11.00am–GeneralmeetingandDiscussion12.30pm–Lunch.BringownlunchandChair1.15pm–FarmWalk)2.30pm–afternoonteaTopicforDiscussion–RIRDCandtheWildflowerIndustry.SeearticleP5inthisNewsletter.

Pleasejoinus.

President’sReportfor2016

CongratulationstotheOfficeBearersandCommitteeelectedfor2017.

HighlightsandLowlightsof2016• Afterlastyear’sAGMheldatBrimstone

Waratahswewerehitbyamassivehailstorm,thelikesofwhichwehadnotseeninover25yrs…………alowlight!

• TheSeedBankattheAustralianBotanicGardensMt.AnnanwasthevenueoftheMaymeeting.Persooniaswerethefocusofthismeeting.

• TheJunemeetingwasheldatBrianandYvonneParry’swhereasusualwelearnedagreatdealaboutgrowing

organically.• JustbeforeChristmaswemetatPeter

andMargOlde’s.Itisinmyviewthebestprivatelyownednativegarden.ThegardentourgivenbyPetersawnewvarietiesofnativessuitedforcutflowers.

• Thankyoutoeveryonewhoallowedustovisittheiramazingfarms.

ProjectssupportedbyWINin2016were: WFAFloristryCompetition

Mt.TomahWaratahFestival–specialthankstoRosemaryandFrankfortheireffortshere.

WalkingontheWildSide–agreatopportunitytomeetthefloristswhobuyourproducts.

Significantfor2016wasthefactthatwelobbiedpoliticiansregardingtheBiodiversityConservationBill.2ofourmembersBrian–WFAandCraig–WINwillrepresentusinfurtherdiscussions.ThanksBrianandCraig.

TheWaratahFloweringprojectiscontinuingatBrimstoneWaratahs.Notcertainastowherethefundingisbeingsourced.ButitiscontinuingwithanewMaster’sDegreestudent,Evan.

ThankstoCraigforhiscomprehensivemarketreport.Valuableinformationhere.

Overallmembershipisdown1.Wehad2newmembersjoinand3resigned.

Ineedtoemphasizetoallgrowersnottobeoverwroughtaboutremovingnon-productivecrops.Ifcropsarenon-productivethentheyneedtobereplacedwithmorecommerciallyviableones.Returnsforthosestillgrowing,inmyopinion,aregood.

Thankyouforyourcontinuedsupportofthecommittee.Thisismylastyearaspresident.

Finally,I’dliketothankDelandCraigforbeingourspeakersheretoday.


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ValePeterAbell

December1963,-March2017LovinghusbandofSue.Devotedfatherto

Oliver,Claudia,Riley.Tragicallydiedfollowingasurfingincident

nearCoffsHarbour.Passionateaboutplants,especially

Australiannativeflora.RIP

DecorativeFoliageFoliageisusedbyfloristsonitsownfordecorationorforfoliagearrangements.Foliageisalsousedinarrangementsasfillerortohighlightfocalflowers.

Qualityfoliage:

• hasminimum60–70cmstemlength• isclean,freefromdiseasewith

minimumblemish(chewinginsectattack,etc).Somefoliagespeciesarepronetobothfungalandinsectattack,moresoinsomelocationsthanothers.

• hasaminimum7–10daylifefromtimeofpicking.Nosofttips.Stemsneedtohavehardenedoff.Duetosoftgrowth,thereislessfoliageinthemarketsinthesummermonths.

• Isnotweedy.Appliesparticularlytograsses.

• Highvaluefoliageisspectacularinsomeway/s:

• Oftentodowithleafcharacteristicssuchasleafcolour,leaftipcolour,leafshape,leafdensity,leaflength,leafarrangement,leaftexture,contrastingleafcoloursoracombinationofthesecharacteristics.

• Sometimesstemcharacteristicssuchascolourandtexture,

• Sometimesfruitsuchaswoodyfruitonadrystem;oragall.

• Grasses/sedgeswithspectacularseedheads.

• Suchfoliageisusuallyinhighdemandalthoughtrendschangeandsomeitemsareinandoutoffavourovertime.

Bunching-Stemsaretrimmed(madepresentable),cuttolengthandusuallybunched.Bunchsizesvaryaccordingtomaterialbeingbunched.Checkwithwholesaler.Australianfoliageusedinfloristrycomesfrommanyspecies.Highvaluefoliagespeciesaremostlyplantationgrown.Theplantsgrownareoftenspeciallyselectedfromplantsinthewild(naturalvariation)orhavebeenmanipulated(handpollinated,hybridised)toachievetheirparticularcharacteristic/s.Pleasenote:manyNSWfloraspeciesareconsideredeithertobethreatenedorendangeredandatpresent,alicenseisrequiredtobushpickandsellorforagrowertosellspecimens.


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Attherecentfarmdayvisittherewereasignificantnumberofspeciesorspeciesvariationsondisplayanddiscussed.ThediscussionledbyCraigandDelconsideredeachfoliageitem.Someoftheitemswerespectacularandothersconsiderednotso.Beforeplanting,speaktoaflowerwholesaleraboutwhichspeciesaresaleableandofhighvalue.

Foliageconsidered.Myrtaceae

• Syzygium-LillypillyRainforesttree,smalldemand,butOK

• Leptospermum-Tea-treeespeciallythevarietywithpurpletips.(?)

• Eucalyptus–pulverulenta(silver-leavedmountaingum),alsocinerea(Argyleapple)stemswitheitherjuvenileormatureleves.Indemandbecauseofleafcolourandleafshape.Othereucalyptswhichappearspectacularbecauseofleafsize,shape,colour,arrangement,densityandholdfor7–10daysafterbeingcut.Eg.piperita(Sydneypeppermint).BudsofScribblyGumandBloodwoodgood.Note:manyeastcoasteucalyptsaresitespecificiehaveadaptedtogrowingunderparticularconditions.

• Callistemon–Calothamnusquadrifidus(onesidedbottlebrush)hasgoodfoliagepotential

• Agonisflexuosa‘JervisBayAfterdark’(WillowPeppermint)

• MelaleucaBracteataRevolutionGold–veryattractive

• RegeliaCiliata–fromWA.Looksspikeybutissoft.Floristslikeit

• NOTE:MyrtaceaespeciescanbeaffectedbyMyrtleRust,particularlyincoastalareas.Ifanoutbreakiscaughtearly,MyrtleRustcanbemanagedwithasprayprogram.

Proteaceae

• Banksia–Ericifolia,formerlyverygood,butnotusednow;thereisamarketforIntegrifolia,Marginata(likebranchstructure),Robur,Serrata,Spinulosa.

• Hakea–HakeaSalicifolia(willow-leafedHakea)-good,especiallywhenleucodendronisnotavailable.

• Petrophile–haspossibilities,butnottoomuch

• Isopogan–alowsellingline• Grevillea–GrevilleaIvanhoe(hybrid).

Brightgreenfoliagewithsturdydarkcolouredstem.Foliagedevelopssubtleredhighlights.

• Persoonia–PersooniaPinifolia(pineleafedgeebung)haspossibilities.

• Lomatia–Lomatiasilaifolia(crinklebush)-attractive,butnotwellknowntoflorists.

• Adenanthossericeus(WoollyBush)-Attractiveandamarket exists.

• Stenocarpus–sinuatus(fireWheeltree).Foliagedoesnotsell.

Fabaceae–sub-familyMimosaceae

• Acaciaaphylla(Reindeerwattleorleaflessrockwattle)–goodat


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Christmas.AcaciaPravissima(Ovenswattle)hassomepotential.

• OtheracaciaswithunusualfoliageandsoldattheFlowerMarketarecavenii(Grey-greenfoliage),baileyanapurpurea(aCootamundrawattlewithpurpletips),cognate(riverwattle)var.Lmelight(softlushfoliage),cultriformis(knife-leafwattle,hasgreyfoliage),glaucescens(Sallywattle,leavespoisonoustosomeanimals,hasdistinctgreyfoliage,x’savailable).

Scrophulariaceae

• Erimophila–mostlylikedrierclimates.alternifolia(?)(emubush).Indemand.

Ferns

• Gleicheniadicarpa(coralFern).Growsinwetplaces.Asmalldemandforthisproduct.

Cyperaceae(sedges)

• Caustis–blakei(good,veryattractive),flexuosa(oldmans’whiskers,attractive,butnotpopular).

• Gahnia–melanocarpaBlack-fruitsaw-sedge,needstobeadequatelyprepared.Attractive,butnotinfavour).

• Poaceae(grasses)

• Miscanthus–cult.‘morninglight’.Sterile.Spectacular.Untriedasacommercialproduct.

Xanthorroeaceae

• Xanthorrhoea–australis,alsoresinosa,bothfoundintheSydneyarea.Leavesharvested,licenserequired.Attractive,butnotcurrentlyinfavour.

Rutaceae

• Philotheca–myoporides(longleafwaxflower).Doesnotsellasfoliage.Stemswithflowers½openwillsell.

Asparagaceae

• Cordyline–stricta(selectedforms).Berrieswillsell,butinsmallnumbers.

Prostantheroideae

• Westringia–fruticose(Nativerosemary).Hascontrastingleaves.(marketpotentialunknown)

Doryanthaceae

• Doryanthes–isthesoleplantinthefamilyDoryanthaceae.2specieswithExcelsbeingthemorespectacular.Smalldemandforleaves.

Cunoniaceae• Callicoma–serratifolia(blackwattle).

Hasattractivecontrastingfoliage,butunfortunatelystemsdonot‘hold’afterpicking.

Bachia(?)unsaleablelastChristmas.


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AlsoseewhatAngusStewarthastosayaboutplantsfordecorativefoliage.Gotohttp://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/anguss-top-ten-australian-plants-for-decorative-foliage/

SoftFlowerFarm

WINmembersvisitedasoftflowerfarmatBilpinwheretheownersspecialisedingrowingdelphiniumsanddecorativekale.Photoshowssomeoftheyoungkaleplants

ChecktheWFAwebsiteunderNewslettersforfurtherIndustryupdates.TheWFAnewslettersareverycomprehensive.Goto:http://www.wildflowersaustralia.com.auThisisanextractfromanarticlebyBettinaGollnow.Thefulltextcanbefoundatwildflowersaustralia.com.auundercurrentwildflowersAustraliaNewsletter.February March 2017 newsletter website.pdf

RecentChangesatRIRDCandtheWildflowerindustry

FederalGovernmentbudgetcutsin2014resultedinasignificantrestructureofRIRDC.Staffnumbersweresignificantlyreduced,andwithcontinuingannualbudgetcuts,RIRDChadtomakemajorchangestohowitsupportsthevariousruralindustriesinitsportfolio.Toguidethesechanges,industrieswereassessedintwoways-theirpositionintheirdevelopmentlifecyclewasdefinedandbenefitcostanalysesofcompletedprojectswerecommissioned.

Industrieswhichalreadyhaveastatutoryorvoluntarylevyinplace(teatreeoilandfoddercrops)andarethereforemakingasubstantialfundingcontributiontotheirRD&Eobjectives,

havebeenprioritizedformatchingfundingfromRIRDCforR&Dprojects.Inthemediumtolongterm,significantlylessfundingwillbeavailabletonon-levypayingindustriesandprogramswhichrelyonRIRDCcorefunding.

Thismeansnew,smallanddevelopingindustries(includingwildflowers)areimpactedbyfewerfundstoserviceanevergrowingnumberofindustries.Availablefundsarereservedforstrategicinvestment,ratherthanongoingprojects.Withthetotalbudgetthisyeararound$300MforALLtheindustries,RIRDCaskedstakeholderswithintheseindustriestoprioritisetheuseofRIRDCfundstoincludeonly‘large’projects,focussedonhighimpactR&D(identifiedasofthemostimportancetoindustryandgovernment).NewprojectsmustincludematchingfundsfromindustryandalignwiththeobjectivesoutlinedintheNewandEmergingPlantIndustriesThree-YearRD&EPlan(2015–2018).

Attemptsduringthepast3yearstoidentifyaprojectlargeandbroadenoughtomakeanimpactacrossthewildflowerindustry,andattractiveenoughforindustrymemberstocommittheirmoneytofundit,havefailed.Indeedtheindustryhasstruggledtoraiseenoughfundsforeven‘small’projects–forexample,thecurrentcommunicationsprojecthasrequiredanindustryinputofjust$14,500peryearfor3years.

Aswell,projectswitha‘small’budget(likethecommunicationsprojects)takeadisproportionatetimeto‘manage’–bothbyRIRDCandtheresearcherwho,aswellasdoingtheprojectwork,isrequiredtotrackthebudgetandreporttoRIRDC(2projectupdatesperyearandadetailedfinalprojectreportattheend).

a.IndustrylifecyclesandleveloffundingsupportRIRDCanalysedthevariousindustriesithasbeensupportingtodeterminewheretheywereuptointheir‘developmentlifecycle’.This'lifecycleapproach'wasthenusedtoguidethelevelofgovernmentinvestmentinnewanddevelopingindustries.‘New’referstosmall


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plantindustriesthat,thusfar,haveachievedlimitedgrowth,‘emerging’plantindustrieshaveacceleratinggrowthandcanbesmalltomediuminsize,while‘mature’industriesarewellestablishedandexpectedtoprovideavoluntarycontributionofprojectfundsequalto50%ofeachprojectbudget,withRIRDCmatchingthatamount.RIRDCconsiderswildflowerstobea‘mature’industry.Astheyprogressthroughtheirdevelopmentlifecyclewithinthisframework,RIRDCexpectsindustriestosteadilyincreasethelevelofvoluntarycontributionstheymaketowardstheirRD&Eneeds.RIRDCwillalsosupportindustriesintheireffortstoestablishlongtermRD&Efundingarrangements-suchasthroughanindustryvoteandapplicationtotheFederalGovernmentforalevy.

b.CostbenefitanalysisofcompletedprojectsRIRDCcommissionedindependentreviewstoassesstheimpactofRIRDCsupportedR&Dprojectsforseveralindustriesincludingwildflowers.Thiswasabenefit-costanalysisofinvestmentinvariousprojectsandindustryprograms.In2014AgtransResearchreviewedallcompletedprojectscontractedbytheWNPProgramwithinthefiveyears2008-2013.Thisidentifiedawiderangeofbenefits,predominantlyeconomicinnature.

Forseveralprojectsthesebenefitswereassignedadollarvaluewhichtotalled$2.75million(inpresentvalueterms)andproducedaggregatetotalexpectedbenefitsworth$8.53(presentvalueterms).Thisgaveanetpresentvalueof$5.78million,abenefit-costratioof3.10to1andaninternalrateofreturnof13.3%.Butwhenbenefitsforthesesignificantimpactprojectswerecomparedtothetotalinvestmentinallprojectsfundedduringthistime,thereturnsweremuchlower.

Fundingforallprojectstotalled$5.38million(presentvalueterms).Whencomparedtothesamevalueofbenefitsasforthefirstanalysis,thisinvestmentproducedanetpresentvalueof$3.15million(presentvalueterms),abenefit-costratioof1.59to1andaninternalrateofreturnof8.3%.

The7projectswheresignificantbenefitswereidentifiedandvaluedwere:•PRJ-000469:Maximisingrootqualityofwaxflowertubestocksuitableforfieldplanting•PRJ-000509:On-farmevaluationofgraftedwildflowersforcommercialcutflowerproduction•PRJ-003984:Developcanopymanagementstrategies•PRJ-003115:ImprovedexportmarketaccessforAustralianwildflowersthroughIntegratedPestManagement•PRJ-000331:QualityspecificationsforAustralianwildflowersandrevisedmanualofpostharvesttreatmentsforwildflowers•PRJ-002409:IncorporatingAustralianwildflowersandnativeplantsintotheNationalFloristryCurriculum•PRJ-003913:EducatingtheAustralianfloralsupplychain.

Assessingtheactualimpactoftheseprojectstothewildflowerindustrywouldhavebeendifficultfromtheperspectiveofaneconomistwithalimitedunderstandingoftheindustry.Assessingimpactsoverashorttimeframeandintheabsenceofreliableindustrydatawouldhaveaddedtothedifficulty.Nevertheless,inthecurrenteconomicclimate,RIRDCneedstorelyonsuchanalysesaswellasthe‘Fosterreview’ofnewandemergingindustriestoguidefutureinvestment.

Case study: the 32 wildflower quality specifications and supporting postharvest manual IundertooktoassistAgtransinreviewingthisprojectwhichIcompletedin2010.Thisprovidesaninsightintothedifficultiesofmakingacostbenefitjudgement!

IaskedindustrymemberstoanswertwoquestionssetbyAgtrans:towhatextenthavethequalityspecificationsandpostharvestmanualbeenadoptedthroughouttheindustry,and,sincetheirpublication(November2010),hastherehasbeenanyobservableimprovementinthequalityandconsistencyofAustralianwildflowerspresentedtothemarket.Ireceived19repliesfromthewhole


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industry(growers,wholesalers,exporters,floristsandfloristrytrainers);I’dsenttheemailtoover130people.

Whilethefeedbackprovidedadetailedlistofwaysindustrymembershadbeenusingthepublications,therewasnogooddataonhowwidelytheywerebeingusedandthe(few)floristswhorepliedwereunawareofthem.

Whileindividualsreportedincreasedproductconsistencyandquality,therewasnoclearevidenceofanobservableimprovementinqualityacrosstheindustry.

Disappointingdoesn’tsumitup!Alargenumberofindustrymemberswereinvolvedinresearchingtheinformationforthisproject,attendingworkshopsandconferences,andreviewingdraftdocuments–soI’dhopedthiswouldincreaseindustryawarenessandadoptionofthefinaloutputs.

However,it’snoteasytoquantifytheimpactofanyproject,especiallynotincleareconomicterms.Therearesoundbusinessreasonswhypeopledon’timplementthefindings,eveniftheythinktheyarevaluable,forexampleiftheyfeeltheywon’tachieveahigherpriceforaqualitybunchwhichmayrequiremoreinputsoftimeandmaterialstogetflowersreadyforthemarket.

Futurefocusison‘highimpactR&D’Thebenefit-costratiosofvariousindustryprogramsshowawiderange,butinthesetimesofreducedfunding,RIRDCexpectsabenefit-costratioofatleast5:1.Somesmallandemergingindustrieshaveachievedatratioof10:1ormore,butwildflowerprojectstodatehaveachievedabenefit-costratioofonly1.59to1.

Tomoveforward,RIRDCwantsthewildflowerindustrytodefineits‘upside’-whereisitsfuturegrowth,whatstepswillittaketogetthereandwhatquestions/issuesneedtobesolvedthroughresearchtoprovideasignificantpositiveoutcome?

RIRDCalsowantsthewildflowerindustrytomakegreatereffortstobuildcohesivenessandcollaboration-moreindustrymembershaveto

pitchinandgetinvolvedinsettingavisionforthefutureandfundingit.

Theindustryalsoneedstolookattheprosandconsofalevymoreseriously.Pastinternalindustrydiscussionsaboutacompulsoryorvoluntarylevydidnotreachanyconsensus.Otherindustrieshave‘takenthelevyplunge’andthisisseenasaplusbystateandfederalgovernmentagencies.Suchindustriescanplanaheadoveralongertimeframe,andresearchandserviceprovidershaveareasontostayaround,sotheirskillsandservicesareretainedbytheindustry.Thelackofalevyandapoorfocusonfutureneedsiswhystatedepartmentsofprimaryindustriesnolongersupporttheflowerindustry.

ForrecentRIRDCWildflowerPublications,gotohttp://www.rirdc.gov.au.ChoosePublications,thenin,“SelectaCategory”,scrolldowntoWildflowersandNativePlants.

FarmDiversitywebsite

FarmDiversity.com.auisthefirststepinexploringsomethingnewforyourfarm.ThisinitiativeoftheRuralIndustriesResearchandDevelopmentCorporationallowsyoutosearchcropandanimalproductionenterprisealternativesbytypeorlocationtodiscoverwhichmaybebestsuitedtoyourfarm.

Reminder

WINMembershipSubscriptionfor2017isdue.Refertoinvoicepreviouslysentfordetails.

Newsletter compiled by Frank Allatt mailto:[email protected]

april 2017 newsletter - wildflowers australia april+2017+newsletter.pdfmaterial being bunched. check...

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