The Land Brief: NSW DPI adopts CSIRO's food safety fungal folio

NSW DPI Plant Pathology and Mycology Herbarium curator, Jordan Bailey, said the fungal culture collection of Australia's national science agency CSIRO has played an important role in Australian food industry research since its establishment by Dr John Pitt in 1970.

"The original Melbourne-based CSIRO collection contains fungal strains dating back more than 100 years and we are lucky to have a copy of this valuable resource at our Orange Agricultural Institute (OAI)," Dr Bailey said.

"The fungal collection contains living specimens unlike many scientific collections, which are dead and preserved - dinosaur skeletons, pinned insects and taxidermy animals.

"Fungal cultures are unique as they can be placed in stasis and remain dormant in long-term storage, where they are freeze-dried and vacuum sealed in glass ampoules.

"We can revive them as needed, sometimes decades later, to extend research studies which examine how these fungi live and cause diseases, or to sequence their genomes."

This unique and invaluable collection of fungal cultures will be accessible for researchers in the scientific community and food industry, including the NSW Food Authority, who worked with NSW DPI and CSIRO to establish the OAI collection.

CSIRO scientist Nai Tran-Dinh, who worked on the collection with the late Dr Pitt, said it was one of the most extraordinary collections of its type in the world.

"The collection has more than 900 species from 114 countries, including 400 type cultures, the original strain on which the description of a species is based, some of which were isolated more than 100 years ago," Dr Tran-Dinh said.

"With more than 5500 isolates in the culture collection, it has expanded over its lifetime to include all types of food spoilage fungi and those from industrial and medical sources.

"The collection is an important reference source for strains of species which cause post-harvest diseases and food spoilage and those used in food production, such as Penicillium roqueforti for making blue cheese."

From the early 1960s, Dr Pitt who helped ensure the collection was duplicated in collaboration with NSW DPI, researched food spoilage and mycotoxigenic fungi.

He extensively investigated xerophilic fungi and now NSW DPI has the world's best collection of these fungi, which can grow in conditions of low water availability and spoil dried or partly dried foods, animal foods and many other substrates, including textiles, leather goods, books and paintings, photographic slides and microscope lenses.

Rabobank has announced the appointment of two new analysts to its food and agribusiness research division, RaboResearch, in Australia and New Zealand.

Vitor Pistoia has joined the specialist agribusiness bank in the position of analyst covering farm inputs - including fertiliser, crop protection products, ag tech and agricultural land - while Edward McGeoch has been appointed associate analyst covering cotton, wool and sheepmeat.

RaboResearch general manager for Australia and New Zealand Stefan Vogel said the two new appointments brought a mix of international experience and local knowledge to the Australian and New Zealand arm of the agribusiness bank's highly-regarded global food and agricultural research division, RaboResearch.

"Vitor joins us with a strong international background in farm inputs and agronomy, while Edward has been fully immersed in Australian agriculture, not only professionally but through a lifelong family involvement in farming," he said. "Their appointments provide an excellent complement to round out the bank's research capabilities for our clients in this region."

In Australia and New Zealand, RaboResearch comprises a team of nine specialist agri commodities analysts, who are part of a network of 75 research analysts worldwide focussed on providing comprehensive, leading-edge food and agribusiness research for the bank's clients.

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) is encouraging red meat producers to register for the upcoming MeatUp Forum in Casino on Tuesday, 6 December 2022.

The forum will include presentations focussing on business, beef, genetics, carbon and feedbase topics.

MLA program manager, Sally Leigo, said the Casino MeatUp Forum would have a focus on whole farm systems and deliver technical presentations on the key productivity drivers of beef cattle businesses in northern New South Wales. It will showcase leading producers and provide updates and findings from MLA's latest research, development and adoption programs.

"The Casino MeatUp Forum will be a great opportunity for beef producers across the northeast of New South Wales to come together for an informative day and to network with industry leaders. The producer working group have ensured that the program will present up to date and relevant information for local producers to increase the productivity, profitability and sustainability of their beef businesses" Ms Leigo said.

Dr Richard Eckard will provide an overview of the red meat industries target to be carbon neutral by 2030 and what producers can do in their production system to reach this industry target, including tools and resources available to conduct carbon audits.

Flood-affected residents in the Central West are being encouraged to access a range of expanded mental health support services to help them deal with the devastating floods that have impacted their communities.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the NSW Government had increased the number of mental health clinicians and workers deployed in the State's Central West, to provide support to flood ravaged communities.

"We understand it has been an incredibly stressful and upsetting time for people in our flood affected towns and communities. We are committed to providing whatever support we can to help people who are doing it tough," Mr Perrottet said.

"Today I am also announcing an immediate funding boost for Lifeline Central West to increase its Rapid Response Program currently active on the ground, with six additional crisis counsellors, new vehicles and funding for fuel, and accommodation."

Mental health clinicians are based at NSW Government Recovery Assistance Points, along with a range of other community-based mental health services, government agencies and other organisations also providing support.

These mental health workers, including the District's Rural Adversity Mental Health Program Coordinators, Response and Recovery Clinicians, and Aboriginal Mental Health teams, provide face-to-face care and help people access appropriate services for ongoing support.

Deputy Premier Paul Toole said the targeted mental health support is part of an ongoing, multi-agency effort to assist hard-hit communities.

"I want to thank all of the dedicated staff from NSW Health, NSW Ambulance, St John's Ambulance, Lifeline and the Red Cross, who have been working so hard to ensure mental health support is available wherever it's needed," Mr Toole said.

"In areas like Eugowra, our mental health clinicians have undertaken house-by-house wellbeing visits, to identify people who may require additional support and provide that care as needed."

Minister for Regional Health and Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said plans are underway to provide ongoing support to communities throughout the long clean up, rebuilding and recovery process.

"Additional mental health support staff are already in place in Parkes, Orange, Molong and Eugowra, to ensure the communities receive the care they need through the different stages of recovery," Mrs Taylor said.

"Similar to the support which was offered to the residents of the Northern Rivers earlier this year, the NSW Government is committed to providing ongoing mental health support now, and into the future as impacted communities in our Central West rebuild."

Information on Recovery Assistance Points, where they are located and hours of operation is available through the NSW Government website.

A range of 24/7 mental health services are also available to the Western NSW community, including the WNSWLHD Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511.

The Mental Health Line is staffed by local mental health clinicians who can provide support and assistance to find the most appropriate service for your needs.

People can also contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.

Small business owners and not-for-profit organisations across flood-affected parts of NSW can now apply for up to $50,000 to help with immediate clean-up and recovery costs.

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello said the grants are administered by Service NSW as part of a range of support programs for disaster-impacted communities.

"This flooding has impacted NSW for more than two months and is still causing heartache across large parts of our State, so it's vital that we put these financial assistance programs in place," Mr Dominello said.

"Businesses can apply for the Disaster Recovery Small Business Grant - Storms & Floods August and September 2022 Onwards now via the Service NSW website.

"Customers can also call Service NSW on 13 77 88, register for a call back from a Business Concierge or visit their local Recovery Centre should they require further assistance."

Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said the grant is available to eligible small businesses and not-for-profits in the 75 local government areas declared natural disaster zones in recent months.

"It's been a very tough period for communities right across inland NSW with more than 3,500 properties damaged and 1,881 of those deemed uninhabitable," Ms Cooke said.

"We know the recovery journey will be long, which is why it's important to provide this assistance so that individuals, families, farmers and business owners can get back on their feet having faced flood after flood this year."

The Disaster Recovery Small Business Grant - Storms & Floods August and September 2022 Onwards provides small business owners and not-for-profit organisations who meet eligibility criteria with up to $25,000 upfront. If business owners are applying for more than $25,000, they will need to provide evidence of payment for completed work or relevant business items.

The Disaster Recovery Small Business Grant - Storms & Floods August and September 2022 Onwards is in addition to the $75,000 Primary Producer Grant, $10,000 Rural Landholder Grant and a range of other assistance available to natural disaster declared local government areas, jointly funded by the NSW and Commonwealth governments.