In this Issue:

• Next FIMMA Forum Confirmed • Business Opportunities For FIMMA Members • Regional Food Processing Grants • Tax Concession Deadline Looms • Securing A Sustainable Water Cycle • New Industries Development Program • Victorian Dairy Leads Our Exports • Worksafe Working Group • 2006 Premier’s Food Victoria Awards • Victorian Manufacturing Hall Of Fame Gala Dinner • Food Association Network • Food Solutions Expo 2006 • Something To Scream About • What’s On •

Next FIMMA Forum Confirmed

Make sure to keep Tuesday 2 May, 2006 from 5-7pm free in your diary to attend the next FIMMA Industry Forum.

The venue is Level 5, 486 Albert Street, East Melbourne, VIC.

Keynote speakers include:
• Darron Curphey, KRAFT Foods, Manager - Business Development & Engineering - Cheese & Grocery, Asia Pacific
• David Duncan, FESTO, National Sales Manager, Australia & New Zealand
• Lindsay Edwards, SKILLED, Victorian Manager - Technical Professionals

Please look out for your invitation in the post and if you have any questions in the meantime contact Lou Bland, FIMMA Coordinator on fimma@vecci.org.au or 03 8662 5295.

Business Opportunities For FIMMA Members

1. Muesli Company Goes Nuts
A picturesque town just south of Perth, Western Australia is the home to one of Australia’s up and coming boutique muesli companies. This business manufactures gourmet muesli and is experiencing rapid growth.

As part of an expansion program over coming months, the company plans to transform their organisation into a tourist destination for customers and visitors.

Importantly, this company will be purchasing a machine to coat nuts with chocolate and yoghurt, and as its plans evolve, expand into manufacturing muesli bars.

If you would like to pursue this business opportunity or require further information, please contact Lou Bland, FIMMA Coordinator on fimma@vecci.org.au or 03 8662 5295.

2. Would you like to be included on this database?
As the independent regulator of the Victorian dairy industry, a major Dairy Food safety organisation is responsible for ensuring that national and international food safety standards are met.

The company licenses all participants in the dairy industry, from the farm right through to manufacturing and distribution. During this licensing process, there is a requirement to ensure that the relevant structures, such as the food factory, meet the relevant requirements.

Potential licensees often require specific expertise on how to build a food factory that meets the relevant requirements, or how to renovate an existing site to the required standard.

This organisation is building a database of consultants and organisations that have knowledge and can assist with this expertise and invites these businesses to come forward.

If you are interested in being included on the database please contact Lou Bland, FIMMA Coordinator on fimma@vecci.org.au or 03 8662 5295.

3. Looking to purchase the following equipment
FIMMA has received an inquiry from an India importer that is setting up an Egg Pasteurising Plant.
They have confirmed that they are interested in buying machinery as listed below:
• cracker
• separator
• pasteuriser
• packer

If you are a FIMMA member and are able to assist with this opportunity please contact Lou Bland, FIMMA Coordinator on fimma@vecci.org.au or 03 8662 5295.

Regional Food Processing Grants

Applications for grants under the fourth round of the Food Processing in Regional Australia Program (FPRAP) will open toward the end of this month (April) and close in the first week of July. Round three applications are currently being processed and recipients will be announced in August.

Grants of up to $200,000 are available on a competitive basis for individuals and groups seeking funding for a food processing project in rural and regional Australia.

To apply you must be:
• a small to medium farm, food processor or agri-business
• operating in rural or regional Australia
• proposing a commercially viable food business project that will benefit your region; and
• able to demonstrate that you can match Program funding. Grants of up to $200,000

Fifteen businesses – chosen from 112 high-quality applications – shared $2 million from the second round of the program. Nine businesses received more than $150,000 each.

For more information, email regionalfood@daff.gov.au, call the FPRAP hotline 1300 794 550, or visit: www.daff.gov.au/regionalfood

Tax Concession Deadline Looms

Companies with a standard fiscal year wishing to apply for the R&D Tax Concession for 2004-05 need to apply for registration by the first working day after Sunday 30 April 2006.

For further information visit www.ausindustry.gov.au

Securing a Sustainable Water Cycle 

The Institute of International Research 2nd Annual Water Reuse and Recycling Conference will feature the hottest topics in water recycling.

The conference runs from 26 April 26 - April 28 2006 and will be held at the Crowne Plaza, Darling Harbour, Sydney.

The conference will cover key developments, regulations, guidelines, public perception, costs and innovations and technologies.

This timely forum provides an opportunity to receive updates and discuss the current issues facing the water industry.

Leaders in water reuse in various state departments and councils will also be at the conference.

New Industries Development Program

More than $900,000 has been granted to innovative agribusinesses to further help commercialise their various products, technologies and services.

The New Industries Development Program (NIDP) pilot commercialisation projects initiative has made available up to $120,000 for projects, including the production of a long-seeded confectionary sunflower, and for networking with regional and national growers to encourage greater value-adding of Feijoa fruit.

To date 181 recipients have benefited from more than $14.6 million. Grants are available to agribusinesses proposing an innovative market driven and sustainable product, service or technology to market and range in value from $35,000 to $120,000.

Victorian Dairy Leads Our Exports

The value of Victorian food exports increased by half a billion dollars in the 2004/2005 financial year, from $5.6 billion in 2003/04 to $6.1 billion. Dairy products were again the major achiever. The Victorian dairy sector produces two-thirds of Australia’s total dairy production and more than 80 per cent of the country’s exports. This truly remains an area of opportunity.

Worksafe Working Group

WorkSafe is establishing a working group of industry and union representatives to discuss the issue of machine manufacturing and supplier responsibilities under the new Victorian OHS legislation. FIMMA will send a nominated representative to attend a number of meetings with WorkSafe to assist in this process.

The purpose of the group will be to identify the issues, determine ‘best practice’ and assist WorkSafe to develop guidance material for the industry to assist companies to comply with the legislation.

The advantages to FIMMA will include:
• The opportunity to influence WorkSafe in how they interpret the new legislation
• Having first-hand prior knowledge of WorkSafe's intentions and strategy
• The opportunity to have manufacturers' operating and maintenance specifications adopted as Worksafe standards
• The opportunity to promote FIMMA products as meeting WorkSafe compliance standards
• Assisting WorkSafe to enforce a level playing field by targeting importers and suppliers of non-compliant machinery

For more information contact VECCI’s OHS/WorkCover Policy Adviser, John Smith, on email: jsmith@vecci.org.au or ph: 03 8662 5348.

2006 Premier's Food Victoria Awards

Entries are now open for this year’s Premier’s Food Victoria Awards, which recognise companies whose business practices set a standard of excellence across the categories of Export, Marketing and Innovation. Finalists for 2006 will have the opportunity to exhibit at the Fine Food Australia Exhibition in Melbourne in September (see Events Calendar) and the licence to use the 2006 winner’s logo on all promotional and business materials.

Businesses of all sizes are welcome to enter. Entries close 31 May 2006.

For more information, visit: www.food.vic.gov.au

Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Gala Dinner

The Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Gala Dinner will be held on Thursday 18 May 2006 at the Melbourne Convention Centre.

This event recognises manufacturing excellence and provides a social and networking opportunity for more than 700 leading manufacturers, suppliers, government representatives and media. Support for manufacturing is an important part of the Victorian Government's ‘Agenda for New Manufacturing’ and a key element of that support are promoting the contemporary, high quality and high value nature of the industry.

This spectacular black-tie evening will include live entertainment, a gourmet dinner and plenty of time for conversation.

For further information, visit www.business.vic.gov.au/hall_of_fame, or contact Ian Bridger on email: an.bridger@iird.vic.gov.au or ph: (03) 9651 8078.

Food Association Network

A number of associations within the food industry sector have formed a group called the Food Association Network in an effort to consolidate the industry, share information and events, and provide a united voice on issues affecting member businesses and the industry generally in Victoria.

If require further information, please contact Lou Bland, FIMMA Coordinator on fimma@vecci.org.au or 03 8662 5295.

Food Solutions Expo 2006

Don’t forget – FIMMA members are eligible for significant discounts on exhibition space at the Food Solutions Expo 2006 as a benefit of membership.

FIMMA is once again involved in the organisation of this event, which is scheduled for 15 and 16 November at Food Science Australia, Werribee.

The Expo provides an excellent opportunity for FIMMA members to profile their businesses and reap the benefits of being involved in such an important exhibition.

The primary objective of the Expo is to promote and support small to medium-sized Victorian food processors and suppliers to the industry. Don’t delay – book your space today.

For more information, contact Heather White on email: heather@airah.org.au, ph: (03) 5985 7187, or fax: (03) 5985 1398.

Something To Scream About

If you want to share your organisation’s good news stories, business developments, interesting facts and funny tales with the FIMMA family via this newsletter, please write a short paragraph and email it to Lou at fimma@vecci.org.au