vegetables

44 Industry in the mediaAUSVEG has confirmed itsstrong media presence inthe lead-up to July, particularlydue to the success of the 2015National Horticulture Conventionand the prominent coverage ofthe “Cool Change” campaign,which calls for meaningfulreform to Country of OriginLabelling (CoOL) laws.AUSVEG reached a nationalaudience of 2,864,441throughout the month of June,with a total of 576 media reportsmentioning AUSVEG acrossprint and broadcast media.Record-breakingConvention attendanceThe 2015 National HorticultureConvention, Trade Show andAwards for Excellence heldfrom 25-27 June attracted arecord number of delegatesand received a steady flow ofmedia attention throughoutthe successful event. Afterteaming up with Apple andPear Australia Limited for 2015,over 1,400 Australian andinternational delegates floodedJupiters Gold Coast to hearabout the latest developmentsin horticulture and network withtheir colleagues.In the lead-up to the event,AUSVEG Manager – Events andMarketing Lauren Winterbottomfeatured across both print andbroadcast media to discuss howthe 2015 National HorticultureConvention injected millionsof dollars into the Gold Coasteconomy. AUSVEG Manager– Communications AndrewMacDonald carried the messagefurther, frequently discussingthe latest updates for the event.The National HorticultureConvention received mediacoverage Australia-wide,particularly the speakersessions, Great Debate and theNational Awards for Excellence,with award winners featuringin media stories in their homestates.AUSVEG reignites CoOLmessageThe launch of the Cool Changecampaign in June receivedprominent national mediacoverage across all mediaplatforms. AUSVEG CEORichard Mulcahy appeared innational media discussing thelaunch of the campaign andvideo, calling for meaningfullabelling improvements.AUSVEG Deputy CEO AndrewWhite also featured extensivelyin print and on broadcast media,reinforcing the need to reformAustralia’s CoOL laws.Mr White emphasised that arecent World Trade Organisationruling that the CoOL systemin the United States breachedinternational trade regulationswas not a barrier for thesuccessful implementation ofCoOL laws in Australia, addingthat Australian reform didn’tneed to be as complex.Mr White also highlighted thatnumerous major economies,including the European Union,the UK and Japan, haveimplemented CoOL systems withease.Rogue PIBs should benamed and shamedAUSVEG CEO Richard Mulcahyfeatured across broadcast mediacalling for any rogue operatorsin the horticulture sector to benamed and shamed, followingrecent evidence given to aSenate Inquiry into agriculturallevies that referred to oneunnamed Peak Industry Body(PIB) suspected of financialimpropriety. Mr Mulcahy saidthose responsible should benamed, and failing to do sotarnished the reputations ofall PIBs doing the right thing,including AUSVEG.Consumer researchhighlightsAUSVEG Assistant Manager– Industry Development KurtHermann widely discussedProject Harvest data across printand broadcast media, sayingthat the number of consumersopting to buy their vegetablesfrom local greengrocers hasincreased.Mr Hermann also discussedrecent Colmar Brunton researchfindings that suggested theweekly shop is dead, withAustralian consumers goingthrough the checkout onaverage more than 135 timesper year – almost three timesper week.Key Topics• The 2015 National HorticultureConvention receives recordbreakingnumbers.• AUSVEG ramps up pressure formeaningful Country of OriginLabelling reform with launch ofCool Change campaign.• AUSVEG calls for rogue PIBs tobe named and shamed.• Consumer research breaksdown shopping habits ofAustralian buyers.