Get in touch

Tayla Field

VegNET Tasmania Regional Development Officer

  • Get in touch with Tayla: taylaf@rmcg.com.au or 0429 391 538

  • B.Ag.Sci. (Hons), Dip.Hort.Bus.

    Tayla is an agricultural scientist with experience across farming, manufacturing and FMCG account management. She has worked within a range of food supply chains in various management positions within the agriculture sector including working across fresh produce, dairy, meat and has a strong relationship with growers and producers nationally.

Prue Rothwell

VegNET Tasmania Regional Support Officer

  • Get in touch with Prue prudencer@rmcg.com.au or 0477 182 408

  • B.Env.(Env.Sci). MFSG

    Community food systems, regenerative agriculture, short supply chains, direct marketing.

    Project management, stakeholder engagement, workshop design and facilitation.

Check out the latest VegNET updates and sign up to the newsletter here

  • 30 Oct 2024

    Devise a biosecurity plan that is tailored to your needs. Work through the risks and actions to take to minimise biosecurity risks using this tool from the Farm Biosecurity website.

    Download

    29 Jan 2025

    AUSVEG has put together a Back to Basics guide for the Potato Industry that outlines why an up to date on-farm Biosecurity Plan is essential for your business and risk mitigation.

    Download

  • 29 Jan 2025

    AUSVEG has partnered with Onside to invite vegetable growers to access Onside’s biosecurity and visitor management technology to improve biosecurity across the industry. This is available to vegetable growers through the levy funded VegWatch project.

    Find out more here

    Listen to Victorian vegetables growers on their experience of using technology for improved on-farm biosecurity and traceability:

    Mike Fielden, Boratto Farms

    Rick Butler, Butler Market Gardens

    12 Jul 2022

    This factsheet details some of the available options to utilise smart phones and other devices as part of your biosecurity program.

    Download

  • 21 Jul 2022

    This page shares resources for service providers to implement biosecurity plans and best practice in their business.

    Download

  • 12 Jul 2022

    Plant biosecurity is a series of measures that aid in protecting production areas from harmful insects, weeds, and various plant diseases. On-farm biosecurity best practices play a pivotal role in maintaining Australia’s reputation of producing high quality products.

    Watch

  • 12 Jul 2022

    This factsheet provides some lessons for service providers who are looking to implement or improve their biosecurity plans.

    Download

  • Developed February 2025 by VegNET Tasmania

    Download

Biosecurity: Planning and Preparedness

  • 12 Jul 2022

    Chemicals play an important role in vegetable production and are regularly used to control insect pests, diseases and weeds. Poor spray application techniques can result in reduced control of pests, yield reduction, wasted chemicals, and lower returns to the grower.

    Watch

  • 23 Jan 2023

    This factsheet details strategies for minimising resistant weeds in high rainfall areas.

    Download

  • 21 May 2016

    Description: This webinar covers a range of topics relating to minor use permits for agrichemicals.

    Including:

    - A brief overview of minor use permits; what they are for, when they are appropriate, what would be considered minor use, minor crops vs major crops, and how APVMA treats them

    - The process for submitting an application, the supporting information required & common pitfalls to avoid when applying.

    - How regional differences and existing information is considered in reviewing the applications for Minor-use permits.

    Watch

  • This webinar includes:

    • Review of the resistance basics

    • Review of best-practice management for herbicide resistant ryegrass

    • Seasonal challenges, and their management

    Peter Boutsalis has over two decades of experience in herbicide resistance. He completed his PhD in 1996 at The University of Adelaide in the field of herbicide resistance. He was previously employed overseas by an international chemical company for 8 years investigating herbicide discovery and herbicide resistance. Currently employed with The University of Adelaide, Peter is investigating methods to combat multiple resistant ryegrass and brome grass resistance. Director of 'Plant Science Consulting Pty. Ltd.- www.plantscienceconsulting.com' which conducts commercial herbicide resistance testing on plant samples and seed samples.

    Watch

Herbicide Resistance & Weed Management

  • This video shows the Strip-till machine in action. Watch

    This factsheet details some of the benefits of strip tillage. Download

Precision Agriculture & Ag-Tech

Soil & Nutrient Management

  • Watch industry leading researchers, practitioners and growers who tackle some of the most important questions about carbon management on vegetable farms during this webinar.

    What is the importance of soil carbon in vegetable production systems?

    Why should vegetable growers care about reducing carbon emissions?

    How do you calculate an emissions profile for your vegetable farm?

    What are the opportunities for vegetable growers under the Emissions Reduction Fund?

    When could participating in the ERF be viable for annual horticulture?

    This session is complemented by a range of useful podcasts and articles as part of the Soil Wealth ICP project team's global scan and review.

    Watch

  • The Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection (ICP) projects provide research and development (R&D) extension services, products and communication on improved soil management and plant health to the Australian vegetable industry.

    Link

  • This factsheet details how you can get more value from your applied fertiliser.

    Download

  • This factsheet from the Soilwealth project and VegNET Vic looks at how Precision Ag data can be utilised for on-farm decision making.

    Download

  • This document provides an update on the progress of the Cover Crop demo site at Hagley Farm School. This TAPG project is funded by a Smart Farms Small Grant and delivered with support from TIA & Serve-Ag.

    Download

  • Nitrogen is a key input in our farming systems. These resources assist growers and agronomists ensure they are using it efficiently

    Download NUE Calculator

    User Guides

    Please download the user guide to assist you with using the calculator and understanding nitrogen use efficiency

    NUE User Guide V1
    NUE User Guide V1 - Print Friendly

tRAINING mATERIALS & oPPORTUNITIES

  • Do you need help booking or getting a chemcert?

    We have previously worked with TasTAFE to organise chem cert sessions for growers across the state.

    Reach out if this is something you need to arrange for you or your team!

    Apply now for fee free TAFE slots:

    https://www.tastafe.tas.edu.au/courses/course/ahcss00074

  • Do you need help to arrange training for forklifts or telehandlers?

    Let us know and we can see what we can do to arrange training through a certified provider.

  • Do you have a farm safety plan in place?

    If not, or it’s time for an update, we can connect you with Safe Farming for the development of a FREE farm visit and safety plan for your business.

    Book a farm safety visit

    Call Stu Beams, Senior Health And Safety Advisor to have a positive safe farming conversation:

    0400 140 146
    stuart.beams@safefarming.tas.gov.au

    Access Farm Safe Tasmania resources: Induction handbook and videos, farm safely in Tasmania guide, farm safety videos and quad bike safety.

    View resources here

  • Request support at no cost

    If you need help during one of life's harder seasons, or are concerned for someone you know, we encourage you to reach out to RAW.

    No matter if you are out on the potato harvester, knee deep in mud or navigating rural living with a newborn, RAW is available.

    Contact 1800 RAW TAS (1800 729 827)

    How’s your temperature gauge look?

    Rural Alive & Well have temperature gauge test that can help explain the impact of situational stressors on our mental health and well-being.

    Take the test

    It's natural for your gauge to move up and down, but if you spend too much time between 250°C - 300°C, consider contacting RAW.

VEGNET RESOURCES

  • The Tasmanian VegNET project provides a monthly email update to the vegetable industry. The update provides relevant news, resources, information on upcoming events and training. To subscribe, head to this sign up sheet.

    View and sign up to our newsletter here

  • Strip-till in Tasmania; A reduced till faming system - Watch

    Integrated Pest Management of vegetable pests - a more sustainable approach (webinar recording) - Watch

    Spray technology for vegetable growers: a guide to getting it right (webinar recording) - Watch

    Future focus - robotics and intelligent systems in Australian vegetable production systems - Watch

    Biosecurity lessons in planning and response for the vegetable industry (webinar recording) - Watch

    Precision agriculture technology in vegetable production systems (webinar recording) - Watch

  • Fall armyworm - Download

    Spinach Crown Mite - Download

    Group A Herbicide Resistance - Download

    Precision Agriculture - Download

    Mechanisation in the

    Vegetable Industry - Download

    Fungicides and Fungicide

    Resistance - Download

    Sustaining Vegetable Production

    with Subsoil Manuring - Download

    Optimising soil health and

    yield with biofumigants - Download

    Strip till - Download

    Pest and Disease Identification - Download

    Pea Season Debrief - Download

    • Allison Clark - Where does the consumer fit?
      Presented at the Women in Vegetable Businesses Lunch April 2018
      Allison provides an overview of innovative product development, consumer insights, and data available.

      Download

    • VegNET Tasmania
      Presented at Simplot
      Roberts Industry Forum July 2017
      The presentation focuses on cover crops in vegetable production systems, including the risks, benefits and considerations.

      Download

    • Australian Onion Industry Overview
      Donna Lucas, RMCG, July 2019

      Download

    • Australian Potato Industry Overview
      Doris Blaesing RMCG, May 2019

      Download

Industry RESOURCES

  • Hort Innovation - https://www.horticulture.com.au

    AUSVEG - https://ausveg.com.au

    Soil Wealth | ICP - https://soilwealth.com.au

    Postharvest management of Vegetables - https://www.postharvest.net.au

  • Healthy soils for vegetable sustainable farms - Download

    Soil Health For Farming In Tasmania - Download

    Postharvest management of vegetables - Australian supply chain handbook - Download

    Industry Biosecurity Plan for the Vegetable Industry - Download

    Farm Biosecurity Action Planner The essentials - Download

  • Matthew Wilson: Innovative packaging for horticultural products - Watch

    Water for Profit Overview | Sue Hinton - Watch

    Bill Cotching | Diagnosing Soil Health | Water for Profit - Watch

    Five Steps to Develop a Water Budget | Water for Profit - Watch

    Will Bignell | The Drone Revolution | 2017 Water for Profit State-Wide Event - Watch

    Vongai Dakwa 2017 - Improving the shelf life of baby leafy salad vegetables - Watch

    Tomato Potato Psyllid Surveillance and Training Program | Raylea Rowbottom - Watch

    Forthside Open Day 2017 - Tim Neale, Data Farming - Watch

  • Final reports of the following research and development projects can be found at http://www.ausveg.com.au/infoveg/index.htm. You will need to log in or create a free account before searching for each project using the 'VG' code or project title. Other resources such as fact sheets and handbooks will be uploaded to this website and can be found by clicking the links under each project title.

    • PRODUCTION / POSTHARVEST

    • PEST AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT

    • MARKETING / SUPPLY CHAIN

    • FOOD SAFETY, HEALTH & NUTRITION

    • EXPORT FOCUS

    • ENVIRONMENT

    • COMMUNICATIONS

    • BIOSECURITY

Irrigation Resources

  • The weatherwise email sends you a weekly forecast daily to your inbox to help plan your potential irrigation requirements.

    Download Example

  • As the weather begins to warm up and we look towards the summer growing season, it’s a good time to prepare for your upcoming irrigation requirements. In this article, SWAN Systems shares some key considerations to get the best results from irrigation scheduling software over summer, as well as insights from a trial at Harvest Farms in Richmond, Tasmania.

  • While checking on the precision agriculture trial at our Koo Wee Rup demonstration site, team member Carl Larsen recorded a short video to share how a remote weather station and attached soil moisture probe are providing practical insights to inform irrigation scheduling decisions.

    Watch

  • A program to help Tasmanian farmers maximise their return on investment in irrigation Funded by the Tasmanian Government, the Water for Profit Program was designed to ensure farmers are equipped with the right skills and information to increase profits and sustainability from their investment in water. The project concluded in 2018. There are some great resources here to ensure you’re getting the most from your irrigation set up.

    Learn more

Keep up to date

The Tasmanian VegNET project provides regular email updates to the vegetable industry. Content includes relevant news, resources, information on upcoming events and training.

Sign up to newsletter here

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View news archive here

VegNET, is the national vegetable industry extension program that is run by growers, for growers.

The VegNET program will be led and coordinated by AUSVEG, with on-the-ground extension to be undertaken by trained and experienced regional development officers in organisations with strong grower networks in vegetable producing regions.

VegNET is funded by Hort Innovation, using the vegetable research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

The VegNET 3.0 project will run for five years and involves AUSVEG working closely with regional development officers who have strong grassroots connections with local growers. These officers will increase industry’s awareness of and engagement with best practices in high priority areas, and will help growers adopt practice changes to improve the productivity, profitability and competitiveness of their businesses. For more information on the national project head to their website here.

In Tasmania, VegNET will be delivered RM Consulting Group.

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