To our valued FAN Community,
THANKS TO YOU- our Food & Agribusiness Network has been shining bright in 2023! Your active participation in our events, workshops, your insights, ideas, and enthusiasm have truly enriched our collaborative ecosystem!
The vibrant discussions, innovative suggestions, and constructive feedback you’ve shared especially during our recent workshops have played an essential role in shaping the direction of FAN’s initiatives.
As we approach the final stretch of the year, we’re excited about upcoming event and opportunities that lie ahead.
We’re also delighted to welcome two new Board Members David Hoath and Glin Bayley – who bring with them a wealth of experience and fresh perspectives. David and Glin’s involvement and commitment, in partnership with our other valued Board Members, will undoubtedly be instrumental in achieving our objectives and making a real difference in our community.
Thank you once again for being such valuable members of FAN. We look forward to working closely with you and making the rest of this year FANtastic. Stay tuned for updates on our upcoming events and initiatives.
And please make sure to ‘view entire message’ – it’s another bumper FANmail!
Yours in collaboration,
Nicole McNaughton
FAN CEO
Table of Contents
FAN Board
David Hoath – Director
David is an experienced company director, board member, Chairman and formerly a CEO and MD of major businesses in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and US.
He lives on the Sunshine Coast and is currently helping to establish a new Biotech business as well as running a Tech media company across ANZ. He is a passionate ‘Foodie’ and worked on the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival for ten years. Continue reading David’s bio here.
Glin Bayley – Director
Glin is a seasoned commercial leader, CPA-qualified, with over 17 years of experience in commercial finance at some of the world’s foremost blue-chip companies. Her primary focus is on developing enterprise leaders to enhance performance and generate value for their organisations, as well as for themselves, through improved negotiation skills.
Continue reading Glin’s bio here.
Feedback from our members is very important to us, so we can design our activities around what’s important to you. We kindly request 5 minutes of your time to help us refine our 2023 – 2024 program.
PLEASE COMPLETE OUR MEMBER SURVEY HERE
Out and About
We’ve had a cracking start to the Project CRAFTED Seed to Sprout Agritourism Workshop series with both our Sunshine Coast and Noosa workshops taking place recently. We’d like to thank all attendees as your active engagement and contributions have been instrumental in making these workshops a success.
This workshop series has been designed to equip small food and agri businesses with essential knowledge to thrive in the agritourism industry. We would like to extend our gratitude to Josh Donohoe and the team from Creative Tours, our partners in this series and experts in food tourism, for their valuable input.
During the workshop, we covered important topics such as permits, planning, insurance, biosecurity, support from various agencies, crafting your agritourism story, and understanding consumer trends. We hope you found these insights valuable for your agritourism endeavors.
We would like to acknowledge the funding provided by the Queensland Government through the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, which made this event possible. And our collaborative partners, including Visit Sunshine Coast and regional partners including Sunshine Coast Council, Noosa Council, Moreton Bay Regional Council, Gympie Council, Tourism Noosa, Moreton Bay Region Industry and Tourism, Regional Development Moreton Bay and Regional Development Wide Bay, who are all playing a crucial role in enriching the workshop series.
Join us for our the remainder of our region specific Seed to Sprout: Food & AgriTourism Workshops!
These one-day workshops are designed for small food and agri businesses and outlines the fundamentals required to operate a successful food, beverage or agritourism business. The program is designed in consultation with our tourism partners and local government agencies and will be created in partnership with food tourism experts – Creative Tours (2022 winners in Food Tourism category at the Queensland Tourism Award and a FAN and VSC Member).
Covered in this workshop are all the ingredients needed for a food or agritourism offering:
- Permits & Planning
- Processes
- Partners
- Profile & Promotion
- People
FAN Events
We’d love to see FAN members from across all our regions at our Moreton Bay Member Meet Up, kindly hosted by Jeanette and Tony Jifkins of Serenity Syntropics and Onyx Legal. It’s been a very busy three months in Moreton Bay and we’re looking forward to a wind down over locally produced appetisers and beverages. Don’t forget to bring a jacket! Grab your ticket here.
Keep an eye out for all upcoming FAN events here.
Join us Tuesday 3rd October at 11am for an exclusive online workshop on the art of running a successful trade show, brought to you by Will Nicholl Consultancy and featuring industry experts, Anna McCredie and Darren Naylor.
Whether you’re a seasoned exhibitor or just starting out, this workshop will provide you with the insights, tips, and tricks you need to make your next trade show a resounding success. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from the best in the industry and elevate your trade show game to new heights. Join us for this engaging and informative session with Will, Anna and Darren – a panel of experts who will empower you to shine in the world of trade shows. Reserve your spot today!
The Good Food and Wine Show rolls into the Brisbane Convention Center from the 27th until 29th of October and the FAN van will be rolling down to Brisneyland with Will Nicholl Consultancy to gain some FANtastic insights!
As well as enjoying a day filled with food and wine, Will plans to delve into the intricacies of exhibiting at a massive public show – which stands are successful, which stands aren’t and why! He will discuss the logistics of putting together a successful stand and how to make a profit from the experience. Accompanying Will on the tour will be Devon Rick, Managing Partner at IMI; Kelly Lavery, CEO & Inventor of STRUCKET and Marina Nicholl, Managing Director of Maleny Cuisine. Notably, B2Media, the organisers of the GFWShow, will also provide a representative to answer any questions and to show the group the back dock bump in and out procedure.
We’re pleased to share that this road show is a taster event for our Grow National program coming in 2024! Expressions of Interest are now open.
Tickets to the Good Food and Wine Road Show – here.
Upcoming Grants & Awards
Innovate with nbn™ Grants Program – aims to recognise and showcase individuals, businesses or organisations that are innovators, disrupters or entrepreneurs inspiring others in their community, champions of digital adoption, continuing to facilitate the digital capabilities and benefits of nbn, and advocates of supporting regional businesses. Tourism and Agriculture categories. $15k – $20k. Now open. Closes 29 September
The Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grant program aims to support producers who add value by encouraging visitors to wine region, and thereby encourage wine tourism. It is part of a coordinated suite of measures developed with the Australian wine industry after extensive consultations on reforms to the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) rebate arrangements. Up to $100k. Now open. Closes 30 September.
AgriFutures evokeAG – Startup Program – aims to link emerging startups and ambitious scaleups with a diverse ecosystem encompassing farmers, innovators, researchers, industry giants, government bodies, and investors. Now open. Closes 23 October 2023.
The AgriFutures Australia – Rural Women’s Acceleration Grant Program aims to foster growth and development in women involved in Australia’s rural and emerging industries, businesses and communities. It encourages innovation and problem solving, looking for women with an idea, cause or vision that benefits rural or emerging industries, businesses or communities. Up to $7k. Opens 13 September. Closes 25 October.
AgriFutures Australia – Rural Women’s Award – aims to empower and celebrate the inclusive and courageous leadership of women involved in Australia’s rural and emerging industries, businesses, and communities, now and into the future. Now open. Closes 25 October 2023. Winners receive up to 42,500 in bursaries.
The Advance Queensland – Ignite Spark Program aims to support QLD based small to medium sized innovation driven enterprises (IDEs) with high-growth potential to progress the development of an innovative product or service closer to market. The program aims to support IDEs to progress functional prototypes to advanced staged products and services that have been tested, validated, customer endorsed and are ready to be commercialised. Up to $75k matched funding. Closes at 11 am on Tuesday, 31 October 2023
Australia-Singapore Go-Green Co-Innovation Program (GGCIP) – aims to facilitate collaboration between Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and Singaporean businesses in jointly undertaking projects that drive the decarbonisation of economic activities, or help Australia or Singapore to transition to net zero emissions. Now open. EOI closes 20 Nov 2023. $150k – $500k, up to 50% reimbursement of eligible costs
Now open – Industry Research Projects is a new Advance Queensland program supporting researchers and industry to collaborate and translate research outcomes into commercialisation opportunities. The program aims to increase partnerships between research and industry partners and aligns to priority two of the Advance Queensland Innovation for a Future Economy Roadmap. Lodge your application by 28 November 2023.
Tourism Experience and Infrastructure Grants Program – aims to support tourism experience development in priority areas, focusing on First Nations, sustainability, eco/nature, accessibility and paleo. Opening soon. Guidelines and details not yet released
Find grants that suit your business with the QLD Government Grants Finder
Thanks to the Successful Grants team who have provided the above information. Please contact the team if you would like to chat about how they can support you.
Member Resources & Opportunities
Members may have noticed our member platform, FAN Connect, undergoing some recent changes. FAN Connect is being revamped and developed by the WAVE team right here in SEQ! We’re looking forward to bringing a membership platform to the FAN community that supports our collaborative ecosystem. If you have any questions, please email us.
Plastic Free Places is a government funded project to reduce plastic footprint in South East QLD. The program works directly with food retailers by providing free tailored advice on alternatives including reusable systems & compostable items, equips them with the skills to avoid greenwashing, learn more about the products they are using and find the most effective sustainable solution for their circumstances.
Worms Down Under (WDU) are undertaking field trials in partnership with farmers, including a current trial (tomatoes and sunflowers) with the SQNNSW Innovation Hub. They are seeking five additional growers, interested in trialling the worm cast extract with their particular application. The trial is obligation-free and FAN members producing commercially can register their interest here.
The First Nations Bushfood and Botanicals Alliance Australia (FNBBAA) have opened ticket sales to the 2nd National Sovereign Food & Botanicals Symposium. Located in Darwin and celebrating the gathering of local, national, and international industry leaders, business owners and entrepreneurs with displays, workshops and keynote addresses aligned with networking opportunities.
CSIRO has a free 10-week online program designed to help Australian SMEs assess how they can advance their technologies, solutions and ideas through research and development (R&D). Start-ups and SMEs eager to shape the future of innovation in the agrifood sector are invited to register for a new online learning program, ‘Innovate to Grow: Agrifood’, led by CSIRO, more info here.
Growing Queensland Business Roadshow – want to hear more about the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, working with government, transforming your workforce and mitigating supply chain challenges and much more? For more info email GrowQldBusRoadshow@epw.
In the lead up to the Black Friday sales (24 Nov), Sunshine Coast businesses have the opportunity to score 1 of 15 marketing packages worth $3000 each. All businesses need to do is visit the Buy Local Sunshine Coast website and answer in less than 25 words ‘How does your business support local businesses? Black Friday Sunshine Coast 2023
Food Safety Management Tools – A new Food Safety Standard, 3.2.2A – Food Safety Management Tools has been introduced across Australia. Food service, catering and retail food businesses that handle unpackaged, potentially hazardous food that is ready to eat need to meet the new food safety requirements from 8 December 2023. Noosa Council has prepared the following resource.
The Access Accelerator Program – an initiative between Spinal Life Australia and Cérge and is designed to help business implement changes in order to better understand and serve people with disability, creating an accessible and inclusive workplace that benefits everyone. Tourism Operators can express their interest at Access Accelerator.
Safe Work Month: Work Well Speaker Series – a free professional development opportunity you can access anywhere. The Work Well Speaker Series is an online speaker series with events in September and October. Hear from industry leading experts who will provide practical advice so you can immediately start improving health and safety and return to work outcomes.
The Bundaberg Burnett Agrifood and Fibre Sustainability Summit aims to bring together key stakeholders in the agricultural, agrifood and fibre manufacturing industries to discuss and explore innovative solutions, investment opportunities, and sustainable manufacturing practices. 3 October | 10am-2pm | Bundaberg
Did you miss UniSC’s Sustainability in Business webinar?
View the recording here.
Member News
FAN Members may know Victoria Kane from her own farm Winsland Park and as part of the amazing team at Kandanga Farmstore. Victoria has embarked on a Masters of Philosophy at QUT to further her research on the nutritional composition of Giant Rat Tail grass grain as a novel food for Human consumption.
Victoria completed her initial research in 2018 and has since been applying to Industry Partners and private investors for funding to progress the initiative. Thanks to an opportunity through a collaboration between Food and Agribusiness Network (FAN), Food Agility CRC (FA), Future Food Systems CRC (FFS) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Victoria found herself in a meeting room with discipline leads from QUT who consider the project as innovative and are now supporting her with the next steps of the research.
Victoria has the attitude of ‘make the problem the solution’ and has a few ideas for GRT, the first being the use of the seed as a food. This could change the face of agriculture, in particular grazing along the eastern coastline of Queensland and New South Wales as GRT constrains pasture and is not palatable to livestock.
OK Boocha hit their investment target! Congratulations to the OK Boocha team on the massive support during their investment campaign. Over $223K raised from 142 investors! We’re looking forward to your next chapter.
Congratulations to new FAN Member Joel McPherson from Joel’s Journeys on being awarded Silver for the Top Tour Guide Australia in Australia’s Top Tourism Town Awards!
Our Supporters
Special thanks to FAN’s Partners and Sponsors who provide significant resources towards the ongoing sustainability of FAN and the growth and resilience of our regions’ food and agribusiness industry.
