Meet the Finalists - Driving Innovation

This award recognises food and fibre businesses that have demonstrated excellent use of technology with an entrepreneurial spirit. They’ve conducted progressive research and development within their business or adopted the use of Ag-Tech to drive innovation whilst continually improving efficiency and best practice in their day-to-day operations. These businesses are creating unique and successful services or products that contribute to and have a positive impact on the wider Gippsland region.

The finalists are : Flooding Creek Fungi, Gurneys Cider, Macalister Demonstration Farm and the Wild Food Farm and Cafe.

About Macalister Demonstration Farm (MDF)

A not for profit dairy co-operative located in the Macalister Irrigation District (MID) in Gippsland, the MDF was established in 1960 and functions as a commercially run demonstration dairy farm, using milk income and external funding sources to fund on farm projects and extension activities. There is currently 290 farmer shareholders and direct links to another 300 dairy farmers and industry professionals who look to the MDF for leadership in the demonstration of new and emerging technologies and production systems.

The MDF strives for operational excellence in the delivery of high quality research information to the dairy industry and occupies a unique niche as the only non governmental dairy research farm in Victoria, with a proud history of collaboration with important dairy industry bodies including Gippsland Herd Improvement, Agriculture Victoria, Murray Goulburn milk factory, Fonterra, Maffra Vet Clinic, Genetics Australia, Southern Rural Water, WGCCMA, Dairy Australia and Gipps Dairy.

They have a strong focus on delivering projects which aim to improve dairy farm sustainability in the face of a changing climate, whilst also maintaining an active and diverse communications base, using the latest technology to drive extension and adoption of best practice management techniques and innovations.

Their recent solar panel project and laser grading amendment trail have certainly been followed with much interest by the community, with excellence attendance at field days and workshops. The MDF has the vision and the capability to develop and implement innovative agricultural trials and communicate results, best management practices and the application of new technologies to individuals throughout Gippsland.

About Wild Food Farm

The Wild Food Farm took on an established business that had been purpose built for trout fishing, but the resources and infrastructure has since been adapted for the Wild Food Farm, a business that has cleverly created its own circular economy where they are minimising waste and maximising output. The farming practices are centred around growing and harvesting native plants for the hospitality industry, for the food and spirit production businesses, the essential oils industry and the schools and education sector.

Funded by a grant to geographically map all the native plants on the farm, owner Jude Mayall plans to continue this beyond the perimeters of the farm, with plans to integrate other local farmers and wild harvesters to grow crops and investigate what crops are already growing.

Demand for Australian pepperberries is rapidly increasing domestically and internationally, with huge growth potential the current market and growers are not able to supply or keep up with. The Wild Food Farm has been working closely with Diemen Pepper in Tasmania who are the leading native pepperberry business in Australia, and both businesses have been discussing plans to further the production of plants both on the Wild Food Farm and amongst other interested local growers. The Wild Food Farm will work in collaboration with Diemen Pepper to collect and dry the pepperberries ready for market.

About Gurneys Cider

Gurneys secured over 240 tonne of precast reusable concrete from Hazelwood Power Station, following its closure. The Gurnett family then transported the 30 “"Arch” pieces and put them together on their farm, burying them to create the world’s largest (and most innovative) underground Cider cellar. This additional 270 square metre building will allow them to increase production and storage of their premium ciders by 200%, enabling fermentation and storage of these ciders at a constant 14-16 degrees, eliminating the need for constant electricity driven cooling, which drives down energy usage and costs. When complete, this installation and structure will serve as Australia’s first true Cider tourist destination, creating employment opportunities, increased visitation, visitor send and stay duration - all of which has a positive flow on effect to the local economy and community. The Arches will be a focal point of a complete tour experience where visitors will see every part of the cider process, from the orchard to the production facility and into the Arches, giving the Gurneys Cider team the opportunty to educate about the orchard to glass process, share a unique Gippsland story whilst showcasing the benefits of working sustainably.

When it comes to planting apple trees, the first 5 acres the family planted was a scientific experiment with two different rootstocks and 27 different heritage varieties, and planting in a non intensive manner to minimise the need for irrigation and pesticides. The fallow unmown areas in the central strips encourage native beneficial insects into the orchard. the family strive to improve the viability and yield of their orchards whilst also preserving and creating a unique Gippsland identity, so they now collect and graft suitable wild varieties that are locally adapted to the South Gippsland environment, and already these trees are producing high yields of fruit that produces the unique regional cider that Gurneys is known for.

They are in the middle of a collaborative research project with their cider maker, Federation University, TruFood Australia and Food & Fibre Gippsland that will help cider producers be able to more specifically target temperatures during pasteurisation, allowing for safer, more cost effective pasteurisation of products.

About Flooding Creek Fungi
This innovative family business is constantly exploring and adapting new technology and growing mediums to optimise what works best for the growing environment, productivity, profitability and product quality. Through much experimentation, the Flooding Creek Fungi team test each growing medium and evaluate the size and quality of the mushrooms grown.

Data is collected throughout every step of the process. They weigh their bags and buckets when they are inoculated and when they are retired. they weigh every harvest and calculate the productivity of each bag and or bucket. This helps determine the efficiency of each substrate or process trialled.

Each growing cycle in a new substrate provides a new set of data to understand where they can create the best product, best quality, maximise profit and continue to optimise their processes to align with their core values of sustainability.