Agricultural Produce Commission update
The industry has come to this position through an extensive consultation process which started in July 2013 and concluded in December 2015 with industry consensus support for a wine industry APC. The timeline for the process is outlined below.
- July – August 2013: Industry strategic review workshops in Mt Barker, Margaret River and Swan Valley. Polling of attendees established significant majority support for an industry wide secure funding model for industry development and representation.
- August – November 2013: Industry Reference Group ratifies WA Wine Industry Strategic Plan 2014-24. Strategic Focus 1 determined that Wines of WA and Regional Associations should investigate an industry wide secure funding model to support industry development and representation. The APC was identified as the most suitable model for this purpose.
- July 2014 – August 2015: Wines of WA and Regional Associations facilitate industry consultation. A model for industry development and representation under an APC is developed and formally ratified by Regional Associations.
- September 2015 – November 2015: Wines of WA and Regional Associations provide information on a Wine Producers’ Committee for producers including: Regional workshops, one on one consultations, information packs posted to all producers and information available on Wines of WA website. Additionally, advertisements were placed in all regional newspapers where producers were located
- December 2015 – Postal poll of industry is conducted. Polling pack sent to all producers who would pay the Fee for Service (FFS). In total, 494 were sent to producers. The poll result provided significant industry support for the establishment of a Wine Industry APC.
The Committee works with WA Regional Associations and the State Association to provide services on behalf of WA Wine Producers. These services are provided through the collection of the FFS charge and collection of this charge (for the 2016 vintage) started in August this year. Under the Agricultural Produce Commission Act 1988 and the Agricultural Produce (Wine Industry) Regulations 2016 payment of the wine FFS charge is compulsory.
The APC Chairman, Dr William Ryan said that “The new wine committee structure will provide ongoing funding for both state-wide matters and each of the regional wine associations. This is another example of the APC structure providing a good framework by which industries can fund their activities on a sustainable basis.”
The WA wine industry requires a united, sustainable and influential voice and the establishment of the APC Wine Committee, working through the State and Regional Wine Associations provides a secure funding model for this to be achieved. The ability to implement longer term programs to bring about positive change and growth for WA Wine Producers will result in a more prosperous industry.
The Chairperson of the Committee; Mr Jeff Burch of Howard Park and MadFish Wines said “We have an exciting future for wine in Western Australia, where we have a wonderful product, produced in a clean green environment that is increasingly appreciated globally.
This development will enable the WA Wine Industry to work together to take that message to the global market place. Every bottle of WA Wine sold outside of WA is a post card from Western Australia.”
With each GI location and industry Association identifying different priorities for this first year of operation the rate and manner of the charge has varied between GI locations. Some of the services which will be provided in GI locations are: support for regional wine events, regional brand development (including websites) and development of regional marketing or business plans. State services which will be provided are market development and consumer interaction, innovation, research and biosecurity and advocacy on legislation and regulation issues that affect wine producers.
Associations will communicate with producers to identify their priorities for services which will be provided in coming years, but producers can also contact either the Associations themselves or the APC to propose services which might be of benefit to the industry. The APC is currently calling for project proposals for all APC producers committees with a closing date of 23 December 2016. More information on this call for projects can be found on the APC website at apcwa.org.au or by contacting the Commission on the contact details below.
Any wine producer who has not paid the FFS charge for the 2016 year and is not sure of how to proceed should contact the APC on +61 (0)8 9368 3465 / 3127 or apcadmin@agric.wa.gov.au.
Anyone wanting to know more about the operations of the Committee can contact the Committee chairperson, Jeff Burch on +61 (0)418 384 558 or the Commission directly through Ingrid Smith, +61 (0)8 9368 3127.