SEDA news and events
Who does the Code apply to?
The Horticulture Code applies to any person or business that grows and sells unprocessed horticulture produce to a trader. If you sell horticulture produce, you need to have a valid Horticulture Produce Agreement (HPA) in place with each trader that buys your produce or sells it on your behalf. The code doesn’t apply to growers who sell their horticulture produce to a business that sells directly to consumers, such as a supermarket or greengrocer, or to an exporter.
What is the Code?
The Horticulture Code is a mandatory industry code covering the sale of unprocessed horticultural produce, such as fruit, vegetables, edible fungi and nuts. The aim of the Code is to ensure transparency and clarity of trading arrangements in the horticultural industry and provide a fair and equitable dispute resolution procedure.
What is the guidance material?
To assist growers and traders of horticultural produce better understand their rights and responsibilities, the ACCC has updated its Code guidance: www.accc.gov.au/horticulturecode. This refresh of the ACCC’s guidance has improved readability and the level of detail to make it more relevant and practical.
What do the updates say?
Traders who are merchants and whose HPA states that the price will be determined by a method or formula are required to report the price they paid growers and the price paid by the third-party buyer. This means a grower who sells to a merchant can see what buyers pay for their fruit or vegetables. The ACCC believes this information is important to provide greater price transparency for growers and enhance competition.
The updated guidance also describes the Code’s requirement for traders to make terms of trade, the standard terms and conditions under which a trader is prepared to do business with growers, publicly available.
The ACCC expects traders to do more than just make terms of trade available upon request, or available at their business premises. The terms of trade provide growers with transparency on the trading conditions proposed, which allows growers to compare traders’ terms quickly and easily.
The ACCC intends to conduct ongoing compliance checks in the horticulture industry and will strongly consider enforcement action where it identifies non-compliance. These checks are important in assessing the effectiveness of, and level of compliance with, the Code.
Why has the ACCC updated its guidance?
Following recent compliance checks, the ACCC identified some issues that required clarification. We took the opportunity to update our guidance to assist growers and traders understand their rights and responsibilities.
The update is timely given the ACCC’s guidance was last revised in 2017 with the introduction of the current version of the code. The years since have provided the opportunity for multiple rounds of compliance checks, as well as the opportunity for helpful industry feedback.
We are searching for the best farmers from across Australia, those leading the way, who constantly strive to improve their business and are finding success in their efforts.
So, if you know someone who deserves to be recognised as an outstanding farmer, let us know by nominating them. Visit the Weekly Times website to nominate.
generation of agricultural workers. It is a great opportunity for the industry to attract a new cohort of young Australians to experience farm life and all it has to offer as a career pathway. Over 10 – 12 months, you will provide an on-farm job for a school leaver, or young Australian under 25. In your role as host, you will encourage your employee to become immersed in the local community and gain an appreciation of the opportunities within the agriculture sector. Download the information brochure here.
AgCareer Start is a 10-12 month Gap Year program to kick start young Australians' careers in Agriculture.
This unique gap-year program provides you with a paid job, training and development, not to mention the opportunity to build your networks within the agriculture industry. Download the information brochure here. Applications for 2023 open on July 12 and close October 18, 2022.
Sensible changes to pandemic orders and public health recommendations and requests came into place at 11:59pm 12 July 2022. These include;
- The period when someone is considered a recently confirmed case (and therefore exempt from testing and isolation/quarantine requirements) has been revised to four weeks, down from 12 weeks.
- Positive cases are still required to isolate for seven days from the day they took their test but an additional reason to leave home has been added – to provide transport for a household member to obtain essential food, only if transport is essential or if other arrangements cannot be made. The infected person will need to remain in the car and wear a face covering at all times.
- Mask wearing in indoor and crowded settings is strongly recommended to protect yourself and the most vulnerable Victorians through winter – but there are no changes to current face mask requirements with these new pandemic orders.
Visit the Coronavirus.vic.gov.au website for further information on these and other updates.
Minimum wages increase from 1 July 2022
From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2022, minimum wages increased under the National Minimum Wage and under most awards.
Fair Work Ombudsman have updated their pay tools, information and resources with the new rates for the first set of awards affected.
You can:
- use the Pay and Conditions Tool to calculate your new pay rate (including allowances)
- go to the Pay guides page to access the updated pay guide for your award
- use the Find my award tool to check what award you're covered by.
Superannuation changes from 1 July 2022
There are changes to superannuation (super) taking effect from 1 July 2022. This includes the:
- removal of the $450 super guarantee threshold – go to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) website to learn more about this change: Removing the $450 per month threshold for super guarantee eligibility
- increase in the super guarantee rate from 10% to 10.5% – visit the ATO website to learn more about this increase: Get ready for super changes from 1 July
If you want to understand your super obligations or entitlements, go to ATO – Super
Under the superannuation guarantee, employers must pay superannuation contributions of 10.5% of an employee's ordinary time earnings when an employee is:
- 18 years and over, or
- under 18 years and works 30+hours a week
Pandemic Declaration extended for 3 months from 11:59pm Tuesday 12th July 2022. Read the full Statement here.
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