Nick Xenophon officially launches AUSVEG South Australia

Senator Xenophon officially launched the new offices on Thursday (12 June) at an event attended by growers and industry leaders at the Arkaba Hotel in Adelaide.

"South Australian vegetable producers contribute almost $550 million in gross value to the economy each year, providing jobs and spending vital to sustaining our regional communities," said Senator Xenophon.

"With the launch of AUSVEG SA, the South Australian industry will benefit from the extension of the excellent work AUSVEG is conducting on critical issues such as country-of-origin labelling and alleged misuses of market power by the supermarket duopoly," said Senator Xenophon. 

AUSVEG Chief Executive Officer Richard Mulcahy welcomed the Senator's attendance at the event, saying that AUSVEG SA looked forward to working with the Senator on challenges facing the South Australian industry.

"AUSVEG SA will play a vital role in representing potato and vegetable producers throughout the State providing on-the-ground support to link them with services and comprehensive representation of South Australian industry interests with government", said Mulcahy.

Mulcahy said that the establishment of the AUSVEG SA Office would greatly enhance access to industry advocacy and industry programmes delivered through AUSVEG.

"The new offices will provide an on-the-ground presence to assist growers with services such as export development assistance, policy expertise and the communication of research and development," said Mulcahy.

"Our priorities for the coming period are to establish meaningful advocacy for industry with the recently-elected South Australian government and help the SA industry capitalise on opportunities in areas such as export development," said Mulcahy.