Tomato Growers Join Forces

In April 2009 the Commission conducted a successful poll of commercial tomato growers in Western Australia on the inclusion of tomatoes as a Fee for Service paying product within the APC Vegetable Producers’ Committee.

The poll outcome was comprehensively in favour of commercially grown tomatoes becoming a Fee for Service paying product within the APC framework.  The Commission subsequently resolved to include tomatoes in the APC Vegetable Producers’ Committee with the introduction of a Fee for Service on commercially grown tomatoes in Western Australia approved by the Hon Terry Redman MLA, Minister for Agriculture and Food.

The tomato industry is to be congratulated for taking the initiative to safe guard and progress their industry into the future.  Participating through the APC Vegetable Producers’ Committee will give tomato growers a financial presence and ‘buying power’ that will enable them to direct their industry where they believe it will achieve maximum growth and best benefit.  A strong industry allows for development of export and marketing areas and encourages both consumer and commercial confidence.

The Fee for Service commenced on 1 August 2009 and is at the same rates as for other vegetables (see below).

The APC Vegetable Producers’ Committee will keep tomato growers informed of initiatives undertaken on their behalf through industry meetings, newsletters, internet publications and the like.

Growers are encouraged to contact the APC Vegetable Producers’ Committee should they have any questions or constructive suggestions to put forward.

Establishment of Vegetable Producers’ Committee

The Agricultural Produce Commission on 18 March 2005 established the APC Vegetable Producers’ Committee.

The establishment of the Committee followed a long period of consultation with the Western Australian vegetable industry culminating in the APC poll, at which producers indicated their strong support for establishment of the Committee.

During the consultation process it was agreed that producers of herbs, mushrooms and tomatoes would be excluded from the poll and therefore the Fee for Service charges would not cover these products. Also excluded from the vegetable Fee for Service were potato and Kununurra vegetable producers as these producers already had APC producer committees established for their industries.

In 2007 the APC Carrot Producers’ Committee elected to merge with the APC Vegetable Producers’ Committee in order to provide a better overall service to Western Australian vegetable growers.

Functions:

As endorsed by producers at the poll, the Committee is enabled to provide all service functions listed (a) to (m) in Section 12.1 of the Agricultural Produce Commission Act.

In recent years the Committee has provided funding to the vegetable industry peak body ‘vegetablesWA’, and approved funding for research projects such as: ‘Nutritional Value of West Australian Carrots’ and ‘Screening of herbicides for lettuce production’.

Each year the Committee calls for Expressions of Interest in relation to suggestions on how the Committee should direct its activities (within the confines of the APC Service Functions) for the coming financial year.

Should you have any suggestions or feedback please contact the Committee Secretary, Jim Turley @ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Fee for Service:

As from 1 August 2010, the Fee for Service payable on vegetables covered by the Committee is:

per individual package of vegetable product weighing 100 kilograms or less             $0.04
per individual package of vegetable product weighing 101 to 1000 kilograms            $0.20
per individual package of vegetable product weighing 1001 kilograms and over        $2.00

The Fee for Service to apply to all vegetables sold by producers, except herb, mushroom, potatoes and vegetables grown in the Ord Irrigation area.

Compliance:
The regulations for the collection of the Fee for Service on WA grown vegetables are covered by the Agricultural Produce (Horticultural Industry) Regulations 2001. 

Committee Membership:

The Committee consists of six members, representing the main vegetable growing areas covered by the Committee.

In line with good Committee governance the Committee strives to achieve a balanced Board, with members possessing experience in a range of areas.

Committee members are elected for a three year period, and may apply for re-election once their period of tenure has expired.

On expiration of tenure the Commission calls for expressions of interest from growers who might be interested in applying for membership on the Committee.  Should you have an interest in applying, please contact the Commission Executive Officer ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) who will place your name on a register of interested persons.