Contributing to the company’s failure has been two chemical oversprays from nearby properties, last year’s floods, and low prices since 2001.  The company put more than 1160 hectares of farm land and four homes at Childers on the market last December as the company’s owners battled to keep the business running.

According to industry representatives, higher prices for electricity, labour and fertilisers have also contributed to SP’s failure and is make growing less and less viable with many growers considering leaving the industry.

Meanwhile, other stakeholders spoke of the impact of the latest round in the Coles-Woolworths price war as being a contributory factor in SP’s demise and said there were likely to be other, similar casualties.

Growcom, the peak Queensland horticulture, is hopeful the company could survive.

‘‘We’re hoping that SP can trade its way out, sooner rather than later,’’ said chief executive Alex Livingstone.

‘‘Just a couple of weeks ago there was a major glut of produce on the market.

‘‘Growing conditions along the east coast have been pretty good and that’s led to an abundance of product, and as the supply increases the price goes down.’’

Mr Livingstone said the fruit and vegetable industry has been erratic this year.

‘‘It’s up and down, it depends on the commodity, and it depends on the week and it depends on supply not only from your own area but other areas as well.

‘‘I couldn’t say it’s abnormal but in some areas people are not getting a decent return for their product,’’ he said.

With debts around $31 million, preliminary investigations indicate unsecured SP creditors are owed around $12.5 million and secured creditors are owed $18 million. Employees are owed in excess of $500,000.

 For further information and registration go to: http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/

A short discussion covering the latest developmentsw in fertilisers, will also be presented by EE Muir & Sons. A barbecue and beverages will be provided at the close of the workshop.

For more information contact: Helena Whitman Ph: 0407 772 299 Email: idowest@vgavic.org.au, or John Runting Ph: 0417 356 364 Email: idoeast@vgavic.org.au

 The Cost of the course is A$1,950 and it is accredited under FarmReady (Course no FRTC 1060). Eligible primary producers can claim up to 65% of their training course costs ($1267.50), as well as up to $500 in expenses for people in remote areas (go to www.farmready.gov.au  for application details).

The short course to designed to assist greenhouse growers in getting the best production out of their system and planning for the future. Presenters will be Graeme Smith (Graeme Smith Consulting) and Rick Donnan (Growool Horticultural Systems and regular contributor to Practical Hydroponics and Greenhouses)

The course currently consists of the following 12 topics and are part of every course to ensure sound greenhouse and hydroponic principles are understood by all participants.

• Greenhouse Plant Physiology
• Water Quality, EC & pH
• Greenhouse Environmental Management
• Plant Structure, Nutrition & Nutrient Management
• Irrigation – Media’s Manager, understanding irrigation in protected cropping and soilless culture
• Media Types & Characteristics
• Crop Registration & Plant Balance, A Professional Approach To Growing.
• Common Greenhouse Pests, Diseases, & IPM
• CO₂ Enrichment of Greenhouses
• Recirculation, How To Convert To A Closed Hydroponic System.
• Greenhouse Crop Protection Principles
• Implement a Hydroponic Maintenance Program

Other topics that could be covered (time permitting) would include the following:

• Location, Siting & Layout of Greenhouse Systems
• Greenhouse Structures & Environmental Management
• Basic Hydroponic Systems & Components
• Quality Assurance, OH&S, IT & Production Plan
• Tomato Plant Management, Physical & Cultural Requirements.
• Implement a Plant Establishment Program
• New Greenhouse Investment & Technology Considerations

(NB: The above seven topics could be considered by newer entrants into the hydroponic and greenhouse industry)

The proposed timetable for courses in other states are as follows and venues will be advised closer to the dates.

Numbers for the course are strictly limited.

For further information and registration contact: Leigh Taig, Controlled Environment Horticulture, Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE, Fryers St Shepparton VIC 3630

MB: 0438 381 834   Ph: (03) 5833 2851   Fax: (03) 5833 2881

Email: Ltaig@gotafe.vic.edu.au

“As we celebrate the Australian Year of the Farmer in 2012, it presents a fantastic opportunity for us to sit up and take note of the amazing produce Australian farmers are providing each day. Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to make the most of the fresh ingredients on offer, and create a wholesome, home cooked meal for your loved one,” said Sara Leonardi-McGrath.

“Cooking at home is a huge part of our lives and we put an extra focus on purchasing local ingredients wherever possible. I hope my recipes inspire others to continue this tradition long after Valentine’s Day.”

Australian Year of the Farmer celebrates the contribution farmers and rural communities make to our nation. As part of the program, a range of events, initiatives and educational programs will be rolled out across the nation throughout 2012. With support from sponsors and ambassadors, Australian Year of the Farmer will focus on heightening consumer appreciation and understanding of Australian produce such as food, clothing and building materials, and make the connection between rural and urban Australia.

Those interested can follow the McGrath’s Kitchen blog, which is a meeting place for families alike who enjoy cooking together! The scope of the blog is to share recipes with others who like to cook everyday and care for the health of their family.

http://themcgrathskitchen.blogspot.com.au/2011/09/skinny-bbq-ribs.html

“Food Connect and CERES Fair Food are Community Supported Agriculture enterprises who directly pay farmers as much as 40 cents in the retail dollar for their produce. As a result of these fair farm gate prices hundreds of farmers in Queensland, NSW and Victoria have stayed on the land.

“In stark contrast, the last 12 months has seen 30 Queensland dairy farmers abandon their farms as a direct consequence of the milk price wars initiated by the supermarket duopoly.”

“The ACCC should be holding the duopoly to account. Predatory pricing practices are not only illegal, but un-Australian. We say to the ACCC, are you prepared to take this on, or are you too intimidated by the duopoly?

“We call on more Australians to vote with their forks, and help to create a food system fit for the future. By supporting smaller-scale and local enterprises, consumers benefit, receiving seasonal produce that is healthier and more nutritious. Farmers get a fairer price for their work. Ultimately, society and the planet will benefit long term.

“This is the tip of the iceberg”, says Pekin, “if we don’t act now, we risk compromising our food security and it will be our children who will wear the costs down the track.”

There is growing evidence of a fair food movement in Australia with an increasing number of farmers markets, farmer-direct enterprises and eco-social food businesses entering the market. Food Connect (www.foodconnect.com.au) and CERES Fair Food (www.ceresfairfood.org.au) are eco-social enterprises providing local, ethical food delivery services to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. All Food Connect and CERES Fair Food farmers use ecologically sustainable practices and are paid a fair price for their produce.

“The Gillard Government and more disappointingly Wayne Swan, as a parliamentary representative of Queensland, have turned their back on Queensland dairy farming families being impacted directly by the ongoing milk price war,” Mr Tessmann said “They have shown complete disregard for the future sustainability of the dairy industry that supplies Australian consumers with fresh milk and dairy products every day of the year.

“The Government has been repeatedly presented with clear and incontestable evidence that Coles’ marketing tactic is adversely affecting dairy farming families and action needs to be taken now.

“They’ve also been presented with clear evidence that in the long run there will also be a negative impact on consumers, via the experience of shoppers in the United Kingdom.

“The Coles lead milk price war has already impacted many Queensland dairy farming families and has contributed to the loss of some 30 dairy farmers from the industry in Queensland since January 2011.

“The next wave of impacts from the milk price war is now hitting farmers with some half of Queensland dairy farmers having their milk prices and incomes cut on average by some $30,000 to $40,000. This follows the other half of Queensland dairy farmers having their incomes slashed by 15 to 20 percent the previous year.

“These mounting impacts will put many dairy farmers into the red and will see more farmers leave our industry when we can’t afford to loose any. Already I know another five farmers have their herds booked for sale.

“We have been short of milk in Queensland this year and we need to produce another 100 million litres to meet the needs of our growing population of Queenslanders over the next decade.

“In the Government’s response quietly issued by Wayne Swan’s parliamentary secretary last Friday afternoon, they have failed to commit to the Senate Inquiry recommendation of a review into the impacts on the Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland dairy industries and have chosen to pass the buck and hide behind the ACCC, which has time and again proven itself to be ineffective and powerless against the tactics of the major supermarkets

“For the Government to rely on the ACCC defies logic when we all know it does not have the necessary power to counter the tactics of these major retailers.”

During the Senate Inquiry the ACCC admitted in evidence that it had “not done any monitoring of the other items” in reference to the approximately 15,000 other items in a supermarket that Coles may be increasing the price of to offset the price cuts on staples such as milk and that they had not checked if Coles was selling below cost in regional areas.

“Even Coles’ major competitor, Woolworths stated a year ago that the price cut was unsustainable and would lead to farmers being impacted,” Mr Tessmann said

“The Federal Government continues to fail to recognise the difference between the export based states such as Victoria and primarily domestic consumption states such as Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland.”

“The QDO again calls on the Government and all parliamentarians to support the dairy industry’s recommendation for an enforceable and mandatory Code of Conduct for supermarkets that covers the entire value chain, from farmer to retailer, headed by a Supermarket Commissioner or Ombudsman to investigate complaints and strongly enforce the new code.

“The cut throat price cuts are unsustainable and the plain fact is milk priced at 1992 levels does not bring in enough money to support farmers, processors and retailers.

“The dairy farming families – and also all Australian consumers who enjoy fresh milk and wish to continue to do so over the long term – deserve much better then the current complacency of the Federal Government. Action is needed now.”

AUSVEG is the National Peak Industry Body representing Australia’s 9,000 vegetable and potato growers.

“With this new scheme being implemented not too long after the Woolworths fixed pricing scheme last year, we can see that the supermarket wars have well and truly arrived in the fresh produce industry and
this fight will get savage,” said Mr Churchill.

“The drive by the major retailers to capture market share will place an untold amount of pressure on many other growers who aren’t supplying Coles, as competitors try to replicate this kind of offer to their customers,” said Mr Churchill.

“The scheme provides some select growers the opportunity to sell higher volumes of produce at a discount and still maintain a successful business – but not all growers are in a position to supply the enormous volumes required to make a profit from these discounted sales,” said Mr Churchill.

“The adverse impacts of this kind of campaign will become evident in time particularly for growers who are committed to supplying Woolworths, independent retailers or wholesale markets as customers shift to Coles stores. Ultimately, growers who don’t supply Coles will be left in limbo,” said Mr Churchill.

“There are severe risks to producers, their businesses and their families all around the country from moves like this and it forecasts a disturbing price war where growers will be unable to sustain these sorts of
discounts, running themselves out of business,” said Mr Churchill.

“What the industry would like to see is some substantiated evidence that this sort of discounting is not adversely affecting Coles growers and be able to demonstrate the benefits of this risky promotion,” said Mr Churchill.

“Tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are all a little ahead of last year. Market demand for high-tech greenhouse vegetables looks strong going into the first two quarters of 2012,” he says.

He reports that prices have been stable, though there was a slight disruption with a freeze in Florida which affected short-term prices for a couple of weeks. Overall, he says that consumers are becoming more aware of greenhouse produce.

“A number of factors have gone into rising consumer demand. One of them is safety and quality considerations that have arisen in the produce industry in general. We also have consistency of supply because we’re not subject to weather factors. There’s also been more consumer awareness because of trends toward knowing where produce comes from. People want to know where their vegetables come from and that they’re grown sustainably.”

He says that these factors have contributed to a steady growth in popularity. He adds, “there’s been slow, growing awareness of greenhouse produce.”

“While self-proclaimed ‘Chop Star’ Sam Kekovich has been promoting lamb as an essential part of Australian culture, we are reminding Aussies not to chop locally grown vegetables off the menu this Australia Day,” said AUSVEG spokesperson Hugh Gurney.

“Australia Day has long been associated with meat-laden barbeques and we urge people to complement this with fresh, in-season, Australian-grown vegetables,” said Mr Gurney.

AUSVEG is the National Peak Industry body representing around 9,000 of Australia’s vegetable and potato growers.

“Locally grown vegetables are produced to some of the highest standards of quality in the world and there is no better day than Australia Day to show support for the local industry and include some Aussie vegetables in your celebrations.”

“Vegetable industry research has consistently shown that vegetables like carrots, zucchini, capsicum, potatoes and pumpkin are amongst the most popular vegetables in the community,” said Mr Gurney.

“A nice piece of char-grilled capsicum, eggplant or zucchini adds some much needed colour to the barbeque grill and tastes great with a lamb chop or sausage in bread,” said Mr Gurney.

Australian-grown vegetables which are in-season at the moment include sweet corn, potatoes, capsicums and eggplant. Salad vegetables such as lettuce and cucumber are also currently in-season.

“The high standards of Australian grown vegetables should be seen as a source of national pride at barbeques around Australia this Thursday.”

“Australian vegetables do not only taste great but are also good for your health,” said Mr Gurney.

Industry research has highlighted the health benefits of a balanced diet, which includes plenty of fruit and vegetables.  Vegetables are rich in antioxidants and contain essential minerals and vitamins which are
beneficial to the health of both the body and the brain.

“We are urging Aussies to be patriotic and support local vegetable producers on the date that celebrates all things Australian,” said Mr Gurney.