Industry Update ~  Issue 42 ~  September 2019
Industry Update is a monthly e-newsletter that forms part of the 
Industry  Communication project. I f you think we have missed anything, or you have any feedback on the articles,  we would be more than happy to hear from you.
Australian Mushrooms advertising now underway

The next wave of advertising for Australian Mushrooms is underway, having commenced on 1 September. The approach targets a younger audience and takes into account consumer behaviour in terms of shopping and meal planning. A targeted approach to regional and metropolitan media buying has also been undertaken.

A full outline of the marketing program is included in the most recent edition of the Australian Mushrooms Journal. The reports include:
  • An outline of the current marketing program with its focus on Television; Out of Home - Street and transit (bus) / retail; Audio - Radio / Spotify and Podcasts; and Digital channels.
  • Public relations and social media activities.
  • A recap of activities undertaken over the past 12 months.
  • Coverage of projects designed to deliver the mushroom message to children, teachers and parents and health professionals.
To read more, please download a copy of the Australian Mushrooms Journal HERE.


Just a taste of what consumers are seeing when the visit their local retail outlet.
The ultimate Australian Masterclass

Time is running out to attend the ultimate Australian Masterclass, with registrations closing on Friday 27 September 2019.

The two-day Masterclass - Bridging the Compost / Growing Divide will be presented by Judy Allan, Mike Hill and Geoff Martin, at four locations over the following dates:
  • 10-11 October - Windsor, New South Wales;
  • 15-16 October - Melbourne, Victoria;
  • 17-18 October - Adelaide, South Australia; and
  • 22-23 October - Location to be confirmed, Queensland.

For further details please contact the AMGA via email - [email protected]
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Save the Date - Hort Innovation AGM - 22 November 2019

Hort Innovation's AGM 2019 will be held on 22 November in Sydney. 

All Hort Innovation members that pay a statutory or voluntary levy have the right to vote at the AGM. In order to secure voting entitlements, members must first complete an Annual Levy Return form. The Annual Levy Return process is now open, and will close on Friday 27 September 2019.

Further information about the AGM and how to secure voting entitlements is available HERE.
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Strategic Investment Advisory Panel

The SIAP met recently in Melbourne from 30-31 July 2019. A summary of the meeting will be made available on the Hort Innovation website shortly.

To stay up to date with SIAP activities, please use this  LINK  to view a full list of meeting summaries.  If you have any questions related to the operations of the SIAP please contact Hort Innovation Industry Relationship Manager, Bradley Mills - 0408 635 465 or  via email .  

A snapshot of mushroom news

Mushrooms in the News is a quick snapshot of news relevant to mushrooms. It could be a great recipe, a healthy reference, some research findings or some mushroom industry coverage. When we find it we will post it to the site and include it in the Monthly Update. If you have any comments or find anything that has been missed, please email and let us know.

Place Mushrooms in Sunlight to Get Your Vitamin D -  Okay. So the news that you can place mushrooms in the sun to gain your vitamin D is not exactly new to many Australian mushroom lovers. But if you are looking for a detailed article, then this may be one for your files, even though it quotes a range of American sources.
 
Fine-tuning a tree change with mushrooms and music in Mudgee -  The media has a seemingly endless fascination for mushroom growers, particularly smaller growers of exotic mushrooms. Uschi Rowlands turned to mushrooms when she found she could not kill her beasts on her farm at Mudgee and now produces about 50kg per week. When she is desperate for mushrooms, she plays music and says they prefer rock over classical, growing more mushrooms with AC/DC. She supplies her fresh mushrooms to local restaurants and markets.

Add This Ingredient to Your Grocery List, Stat -  September in the United States is National Mushroom Month, and the Mushroom Council is spreading the word that mushrooms should be a staple ingredient - adding texture, nutrition, and umami depth of flavour to nearly every dish. The article explains that mushrooms support a plant-based diet, are a sustainably produced food, and can boost flavour while adding nutrition.

Garlic grower Letetia Ware jailed over 'outstandingly dangerous' illegal bulb imports -  At a time when biosecurity is top of mind for many rural industries, this article highlights the need for continued vigilance, with a Tasmanian woman jailed for two months for illegally importing garlic bulbs marked as "office supplies" to avoid detection. Letetia Anne Ware, 53, the former chairwoman of the Australian Garlic Industry Association was jailed for a total of 11 months for illegally importing more than 2,000 garlic bulbs which could have been infected with a disease considered to be the biggest threat to Australian biosecurity.

Log-dropping, hammer-wielding mushroom growers crowdfund to expand their business -   A Sunshine Coast couple is crowdfunding in a bid to expand their mushroom farm, currently growing grow shiitake, oyster and lion's mane mushrooms under the business name , Mountaintop Mushrooms. Katrina Atkinson and Daniel Tibbet are looking to use the funds to double the size of their grow room, where they are currently producing 20-25 kilograms per week. This story also includes comments from Australian Mushroom Growers Association chairman Tim Adlington who said while white button mushrooms, scientifically known as Agaricus bisporus, dominate the Australian market, in China, so-called gourmet mushrooms were the most common commercial crop.
 
Mushroom Benefits: Nutritional Value Of Mushrooms -  It is always pleasing to see the mushroom message in major Australian media and this time it is the well-known women's magazine New Idea telling its readers about the nutritional value of mushrooms. The article informs readers that mushrooms are packed with protein, full of fibre and loaded with vitamins and minerals. They also touch on the potential for mushrooms to assist in disease prevention and round it out with some advice on how to store mushrooms.

Additional links of interest:

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