NOTICE: Hard copies of the Australian New Crops Newsletter are available from the publisher, Dr Rob Fletcher. Details of availability are included in the
Advice on Publications Available.This is the sixth issue of the Australian New Crops Newsletter. Circulation has now exceeded 1250 within Australia, with a further 370 recipients in 30 overseas countries.
Thanks to those who have sent us comments, information and corrections. We welcome Letters to the Editors.
The current issue will be released to coincide with the First Australian New Crops Conference, from 8-11 July, 1996 at the University of Queensland Gatton College.
We have been interested to read an article on 'Co-op Fever' in the recent edition of BioOptions, the Newsletter of the Center for Alternative Plant and Animal Products at the University of Minnesota. The article referred to the large numbers of farmer cooperatives being formed in states like Minnesota and North Dakota. Fifty new local farmer co-operatives have been formed in these states in the past six years.
These co-operatives, which often involve a large group of farmers in a joint venture operation with a processor, provide an opportunity for adding value to farm crops, increasing net returns from farming and stimulating local employment.
Our interest in this article stems from a more recent development in Australia which also seeks to foster regional development through the Commonwealth Department of Housing and Regional Development.
The objective in Australia has been to establish regional groups, known as Regional Development Organisations or ReDOs, which look at ways to increase business investment in their regions. These groups are identifying the strengths and weaknesses of their regions and the opportunities for sustainable economic development.
This information is then utilised in preparing strategic and implementation plans for development. The Federal Government has been providing some assistance in establishing the ReDOs and in funding feasibility studies. In all, 27 ReDOs are now operational and a further 17 are in the process of formation.
Preliminary details of the plans for several of the ReDOs indicate that diversification and the development of new crop industries are seen as playing an important role in future development. In this issue, we have included a brief article on one regional initiative based in Ipswich, to illustrate one approach being adopted.
We invite further contributions for the next issue of the newsletter about the role of such organisations, particularly in the development of new crops.
We have received very favourable responses to our crop profiles and in this issue we profile ginseng, licorice, Pinus pinea and sweet basil. The development of the ginseng industry itself is reported upon, along with a personal account of the manner in which the Archers of Olives Australia chose their crop in which to specialise.
Some articles from earlier issues of the Newsletter, with the authors' permission, have been incorporated into a CD-ROM distributed by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Dr Allen Hibberd of the QDPI explains how these CD-ROMS are being utilised.
The subject of our Developer Profile, Jim Hughes, comes from the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) in Northern Western Australia. Agriculture in the ORIA, so often portrayed by the media as a failure, is now booming and Jim Hughes can rightly claim some of the credit for this success.
Ian Wood and Rob Fletcher Editors
It is indeed with considerable regret that we must report that this will be the last issue of the Australian New Crops Newsletter to be edited by Mr Ian Wood. The original plans for Project UQ-33A, which has been funding the publication of the Newsletter, were to employ Ian as a consultant to assist with the establishment phases of the project.
Ian has acted as Editor for the Newsletter for the first six issues and has indicated he wishes to bow out with the current issue. Rob Fletcher will continue as Editor and Mr Gerry Kregor will be Associate Editor for future issues.
We wish to acknowledge the wise counsel and generous assistance rendered by Ian in so many ways over the past three years. We trust we can emulate his high standards and we wish him well in his many continuing new crop adventures.
Any claims made by authors in the Australian New Crops Newsletter are presented by the Editors in good faith. Readers would be wise to critically examine the circumstances associated with any claims to determine the applicability of such claims to their specific set of circumstances. This material can be reproduced, with the provision that the source and the author (or editors, if applicable) are acknowledged and the use is for information or educational purposes. Contact with the original author is probably wise since the material may require updating or amendment if used in other publications. Material sourced from the Australian New Crops Newsletter cannot be used out of context or for commercial purposes not related to its original purpose in the newsletter
Contact: Dr Rob Fletcher, School of Land and Food, The University of Queensland Gatton College, 4345; Telephone: 07 5460 1311 or 07 5460 1301; Facsimile: 07 5460 1112; International facsimile: 61 7 5460 1112; Email:
r.fletcher@mailbox.uq.edu.au[
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GK; latest update 6 June 1999 by: RF