A strong voice for South Australian growers

At AUSVEG SA we strive to improve the lives of South Australia's hardworking growers. We welcome anyone to join us, no matter their role in horticulture and work everyday to ensure that government and the broader public appreciate the $2 billion contribution that South Australian vegetable and horticulture growers make in feeding our great nation. 

AUSVEG SA was established in 2014 to be a strong and unified association for South Australian Growers. At the time a number of groups had wound up and horticulture in particular was fragmented and AUSVEG national lacked a state member at the time.

Since establishment AUSVEG SA has grown to be a strong and respected voice within South Australia advocating with governments of all levels to improve the livelihoods of local growers and grow the industry.

Key advocacy achievements include:

  • Supporting SA growers to navigate a challenging environment with COVID-19 and working with the SA government to ensure our industry remained open and trading as an essential industry.

  • Successfully lobbying for the implementation of a $5 million SA government package to support our SA growers access labour due to the loss of key international workers.

  • Successfully supporting key members to access more than $3 million in support for on-farm infrastructure as part of the SA government Regional Growth Fund.

  • Successfully advocating for $9 million in proposed flood mitigation works along the Gawler River to protect industry from periodic flooding causing over $50 million damage each event.

  • Ongoing work with Biosecurity SA on a number of key threats and incursions such as Onion Smut, Serpentine Leaf Miner and Fruit Fly to ensure the ongoing protection of our key industries and successfully ensuring growers could continue to access key interstate markets.

  • Significant crisis management efforts to support growers impacted by regional disasters such as fire and flood and working with government and not-for-profit partners to ensure disaster grants, financial support and mental health assistance was reaching affected growers.

  • Successfully advocating for a group of around 50 growers on mains water to achieve price reductions from $3,000/ML to $500/ML by arranging group access to a new water scheme . This initiative saved growers $30,000 each and some businesses over $100,000 per annum.

  • Working with larger growers to address business-level issues such as migration applications, water negotiations and other key issues to build trust and support in our association.

  • Advocating for local growers to achieve equitable access to the $150 million Northern Adelaide Irrigation Scheme and continued work to ensure an economically-viable pricing structure for industry.

  • Successfully fighting a proposed increase to the NRM levy which would have cost growers an additional $2,000 per annum to commercial water costs.

  • Successfully fighting a proposed Playford Council rate increase in 2017 which would have cost a large number of growers in the state from $30,000 to $70,000 in additional rates and hampered jobs growth.

  • Standing up for industry interests with governments, supply chain and the unions on key issues such as labor, competition policy and planning reform.

AUSVEG SA stands shoulder to shoulder with industry and we take seriously our commitment to advocate for the growers of our great state. We maintain regular contact with governments of all levels and no matter which party and work closely to deliver key outcomes for our members.

An important part of what we do involves media campaigns and putting forward industry views in the media. This has been instrumental in securing key objectives for the South Australian industry and in ensuring that people in urban areas understand the issues facing our industry.

If growers have any issues they can raise these with the AUSVEG SA Chief Executive Officer at anytime on 0404 772 308.