Support Raw Milk Cheese

   
 
Slow Food members have been rallying in support of the Raw Milk Cheese Project with members and industry signing the petition for the right to produce raw milk cheeses in Australia.

Slow Food Australia will be petitioning parliament to overrule the FANZ report which restricts the production of raw milk cheeses. Its goal is to get 50,000 signatures to present to parliament in August.

Many countries are increasingly allowing sale and production of raw milk cheese, with artisan cheeses of high quality now being produced most notably in Ireland, the UK and US.

The New Zealand government is now lifting bans on producing unpasteurised cheese and local artisan producers are already gearing up for the production of brie and camembert.

Some of Australia’s most acclaimed talent has come out in support of the campaign. Tetsuya Wakuda, Neil Perry, Justin North, Peter Gilmore, Will Studd, Margaret Fulton, Pete Evans, Sean Connelly and Alex Herbert share their thoughts on camera.

To support the right to produce raw milk cheeses in Australia, you can sign the petition by going to: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/m0i9l10k/

Source: Slow Food

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Crystal Bay Prawns Make Final Ten at the Seafood Prix dElite

Australian Crystal Bay sashimi grade prawns have made it into the world’s top ten Best New Seafood Products in the Prix d’Elite International Seafood Competition being held in Brussels, Belgium, this April.

The competition, which is held in conjunction with the European Seafood Exposition 2010, is the largest of its kind in the world.

Crystal Bay Prawns Marketing Manager Scott Walter says, “We are so excited about making the finals in the new products division. The Prix d’Elite is the Olympic Games of the seafood industry so to even get a nomination is Generic Levitra outstanding.”

The other finalists are:
• Kaipara Oysters
• Prawn Lollipop from Dish Hospitality
• MacKnight’s Smoked Salmon Bacon from Grants Smokehouse
• Cavi-art Balsamico, Ginger, Chilli, Wasabi from Jens Moller Product ApS
• Salmon Quesadillas from Pacific Andes
• Filled Tuna Tender Loin Stuffed with Dates and Bacon from Procesados Pesqueros
• Sushi Toppings from Royal Greenland
• Eski Saumon from Marcel Baey

The winners will be announced at an awards reception in Brussels on Tuesday 27th April, 2010.

Please visit the Crystal Bay Prawns website for further information and recipes – http://www.crystalbayprawns.com.au/home

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Commercialise Your Food Product

TWO DAY WORKSHOP

Are you an existing food processor
or
considering value-adding your product
or
have an idea to create a line of gourmet foods?

Here is a workshop for you!

This workshop is the result of a survey sent out to food processors to identified areas of
skills and knowledge required by the  food processing industry

The workshop brings four guest speakers from Brisbane and case studies of the region

Janette McDonald (Foodstream Pty Ltd)
Senior Food Technologist, highly experienced in Food product development and product commercialisation.

David Lewis (Director Food Stream)
David Lewis deliver the factory layout presentation on the second day. Food Engineering Case Study-Advanced Design Tools and Applications -This is based on the tea dryer design using FEA, CFD and CAD/CAM to achieve outcomes in systems design. Food Plant Design Considerations. What do I need to know to set up a processing facility? Should I use a co-packer or do it myself?

Renee Weaver (Evolve Brand Design)
Graphic Designer, services in brand creation and design, packaging design, visual identity.

Paul Westbury (Westbury Consulting) 
As a business consultant Paul Westbury has helped many businesses to grow from a small business to a medium sized enterprise primarily through the following two changes to their business:  (1) the development and implementation of systems for the management of people, finances, sales and marketing, supply chain and business operations; 
(2) for the owner of the business to stop working in the business and start working on the business.  Using systems that Paul has developed as tools for small businesses, his clients are greatly satisfied with the results.

DATE:                  Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd March 2010

TIME:                  Monday 9:00am – 4:30pm    Tuesday 9:00 – 3:30pm

VENUE:              Serbian Club 
                              Greenslope Street, Edgehill.

COST:                  $50.00 + gst (Subsidised discount price)

RSVP:                  Friday 12th  March, 2010.   COB
                               info@australiantropicalfoods.com

commercialise-your-food-product-workshop-program-topics

This is an initiative of Advance Cairns and funded by the Queensland Government Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

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Regional Branding Workshops

As part of a project for the Development of the Tropical North Queensland Food Industry funded by the Queensland Government Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, Advance Cairns  has engaged a recognised marketing and brand scientist Peter Singline from BrandDNA in Melbourne to develop a Regional Food Brand.

A Regional Food Branding will underpin all the activities of the $446,000 TQUAL funding project to Develop and Position TNQ as an Emerging Agri-Food Tourism Destination that will raise awareness of our great regional agri-food industry.

Peter Singline will be conducting Branding Workshops in four areas of the region  (Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Tablelands and Mossman) to gather the thoughts and ideas of the people and industries of the area, and to identify a shared mindset of values and behaviour. This process will create a language to clearly describe each region and its produce and defines its point of difference, that together will create a brand that will encompass the whole region.

If you would like to be a part of the workshops

Cairns                        Monday 15th March   Morning

Mossman                  Monday 15th March   Afternoon

Tablelands               Tuesday 16th March   Morning

Innisfail                     Tuesday 16th March   Afternoon

Contact Nola Craig   – info@australiantropicalfoods.com

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Future Organics Opportunities Forum

Wednesday 17th March, 2010

Platypus Bend Eco-Retreat
Malanda

This forum is being held to bring together commercially minded existing or potential primary producers of organic, bio-dynamic, permaculture and other sustainable and diverse agriculture, to assist in the development of a feasibility study to identify future organic opportunities for the region.

Key Note Speaker – Andre Leu, Chair of the Organics Federation of Australia

A Food Industry project initiated by Advance Cairns and funded by the Queensland Government Department of Education, Economic Development and Innovation, has engaged Bob Cobavie to produce a feasibility study into the Future Opportunities for Organics (and other Alternative Agricultural Methods of Farming) in the region.   Your contribution will be greatly appreciated.

Who should attend: Exiting or Potential Commercial Organic, Bio-Dynamic, Permaculture, growers and food producers, retailers and  suppliers to the industry.
   
RSVP: Nola Craig
 info@australiantropicalfoods.com
 Numbers are limited.  RSVP Essential
 By Sunday 14th March 2010.

For more information click here flyer

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Planning to succeed using your manufacturing strategies

Seminar in Cairns – Wednesday 17th March

According to the latest survey conducted by the Australian Industry Group, a significant number of Australian manufacturers are experiencing a negative impact on their sales, a decline in production and a severe dip in new orders – even though the rate of decline is now slowing.
You are invited to our breakfast seminar to learn how QMI can assist you with your manufacturing strategies, so that  you are better equipped to strengthen your business for the journey ahead. This seminar is part of QMI’s “Toward Q2:
Tomorrow’s Queensland” partner activities.

Time:           7.00 – 9.30am
Date:           Wednesday 17th March
Venue:        Rydges Esplanade Resort
                       Cnr The Esplanade and Kerwin St CAIRNS
Cost:            $25.00 (inc GST)
                      (Breakfast provided)

For more information click here: planning20to20succeed20using20your20manufacturing20strategies_cairns_flyer_

To register for this clinic visit the Events page on QMI Solutions website at
www.qmisolutions.com.au or call Vineeta on 3364 0607

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Your Chance to Improve Food Labelling

2nd Round of Public Consultations to Commence on 5 March 2010.

February 25, 2010
The Committee conducting the Independent Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy is about to embark on the planned second round of public consultations in Australia and New Zealand.

This Review, chaired by Dr Neal Blewett AC, is being conducted at the request of the Council of Australian Governments and the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council, representing Australian and New Zealand Governments.

This public consultation period is an important opportunity for people to provide the Review Committee with specific information about ways to improve food labelling in Australia and New Zealand.

The Food Labelling Review Issues Consultation Paper summarises the issues that have been raised in the first round of submissions to the Review, as well as issues in the literature and media in recent years. This Paper elaborates on the Review’s Terms of Reference and has been prepared to stimulate thinking and debate. It is important to now take the next step in the Review process and begin thinking about the range of solutions and ideas to improve food labelling.

Members of the public are encouraged to take the opportunity to respond to the consultation questions, and to attend one of the public meetings that will be held across Australia and New Zealand.

The Food Labelling Review Issues Consultation Paper will be released on 5 March 2010 via the website (www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au). The closing date for written submissions is 14 May 2010. Submissions that add to the deliberation and discussion (and meet the submission guidelines) will be made publicly available on the website.
As part of the consultation, the Review Committee will be holding public forums in Australia and New Zealand from 17 March – 7 May 2010. Stakeholders are now invited to register on the website (www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au) to attend a public forum.

Brisbane   Friday 7th May 2010

Source: www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au

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Commercialisation Funding

Commercialisation Australia is offering funding to assist researchers, individuals, and small companies new to commercialisation to access specialist advice and services to build their skills, knowledge and linkages. Case Managers and Volunteer Business Mentors will assist companies to access the specialist advice they need.
Skills and Knowledge offers funding up to $50,000 to purchase specialist advice and services. Applicants need to match funding on an 80:20 basis, where the applicant funds 20% of the costs. The maximum duration for Skills and Knowledge funding is two years for companies and one year for researchers and individuals.

Skills and Knowledge will fund activities related to obtaining specialist advice and services to assist in the commercialisation process.

Examples of specialist advice and services include:
•    Business planning
•    Commercialisation
•    IP management
•    Management development
•    Linkages (collaborations/partnerships)

For information:-

aic-commercialisation-australia-customer-information-guide

aic-commercialisation-australia-pre-application-checklist

aic-early-stage-commercialisation-fact-sheet

aic-experienced-executives-fact-sheet

aic-skills-and-knowledge-fact-sheet

aic-proof-of-concept-fact-sheet1

Contact:-
Robert Buhrke  
Innovation Coach – Cairns Centre
Australian Institute for Commercialisation
t:  07 4057 3015  f:  07 4048 1122   m: 04 3132 8874
e. Robert.Buhrke@ausicom.com
w. www.ausicom.com

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Wanted: Growers and Food Producers of the Region

 

The call is out for Tableland growers and food processors to promote their wares as part of a whole-of-Government push for a more focused approach to regional agri-food tourism.

Two complimentary food-focused projects being run by Advance Cairns, with funding from the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation and the Federal government’s AusIndustry TQUAL initiative, will position Tropical North Queensland as an emerging tropical agri-food tourism destination by building an alternative tourism theme for the region, based on tropical agri-food experiences.

Advance Cairns Food Project Officer Sue Fairley, who is based on the Tableland, said, “There is an overwhelming diversity of what is grown and processed in this region; however we are also aware there are many other growers and producers out there that we could be supporting, assisting and linking to existing and potentially new market opportunities.”

“For example, with Organics being identified as a significant world trend, we are keen to assist in the development and promotion of organic, bio-dynamic, permaculture and bio-diverse farming,” Ms Fairley said. “Also, the region’s top chefs are very interested to source new products for their menus, and that was evident recently during the two chefs’ tours of the Tablelands and the Cassowary Coast where dozens of chefs were able to sample the region’s produce first-hand and fresh from the farm.”

Ms Fairley said there were constant inquires for all sorts of food produce for retail markets, wholesale, processors and chefs, and has urged all growers and producers no matter how small and specialised, to make themselves known. For more information contact Sue Fairley on 4095 3062 or email fairleys@bigpond.com

 

 

.

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TQUAL Funding for Tropical North Queensland

In December 2009, The Australian Government Department of Resources, Engergy and Tourism announced a successful  TQUAL grant of over $440,000 for the Cairns region.

To Develop and Position Tropical North Queensland as an Emerging Agri-Food Tourism Destination.

The project was initiated by Australian Tropical Foods through Advance Cairns in collaboration with the Southern Cross University. It will commence in February 2010 and end by April 2011.

Project Description:-

The project will build an alternative tourism theme for the region, based on tropical agri-food experiences, long term strategic approach, with a clearly targeted action plan to assist existing businesses to adapt, and new enterprises to emerge.

This project will provide the framework for a complimentary product and experience cluster to establish over time, preparing the region for the anticipated impact of climate change on the reef and dispersing visitation into the broader region.

Funding will be used for research, developing action plans to implement the food strategy; building capacity; developing and delivering a regional food brand and marketing strategy.

 Activities of the Project include:-

    Further workshop development of the Agri-Tourism Industry by Southern Cross University
    Branding the region’s food & wine products
    Accreditation of Products
    SME Skills Training
    GPS Food Trail Maps
    Paddock to Plate development
    Major Food & Wine Event
    Trade Show Opportunities
    Media Coverage
    TQ & TTNQ  Marketing Support

For more information: contact Nola Craig   T: 0409 593 958

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