​As a wine grape grower, wine producer and or transporter of grapes, you are required to comply with the Chain of Responsibility requirements under the Heavy Vehicle National Law. This includes ensuring that goods are appropriately secured and that mass limits, dimensions and roadworthiness requirements are complied with.
 
A key hazard to proactively manage this vintage is the issue of grape spillages on public roads. SAWIA is aware that grape spillages unfortunately have occurred in the past across the industry. 
A spillage is a breach of the Chain of Responsibilities obligations under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has warned of potential prosecutions of parties responsible for grape spillages. 
 
Where it is found that a role holder had capacity to influence and control the matter, but did not discharge their obligation, which exposes others to a risk of death or serious injury or illness, the role holder may face a fine of up to $300,000 for an individual or up to $3,000,000 for a corporation.
 
To ensure a consistent approach to Chain of Responsibility across wine growing regions of Australia and assist businesses to meet their obligations, a Registered Industry Code of Practice is being developed by the South Australian Wine Industry Association (SAWIA) in partnership with Australian Grape & Wine Inc (AGW).
 
Development of the code is possible thanks to funding from the 2020-21 Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative, supported by the Federal Government and administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).
 
In order to capture the current issues and workshop potential solutions, stakeholder engagement sessions involving wine grape growers, wine producers and transporters were held across South Australia’s wine regions in late 2020. Further consultations in interstate wine regions will be undertaken post vintage 2022.
GRAPE SPILLAGE - POTENTIAL CONTROL MEASURES
 
In stakeholder sessions to date, a number of potential controls to prevent grape spillages have been discussed and explored with participants, including:

• Closely consider the type of vessel that fruit will be transported in to minimise risk of spillages, e.g., bins vs tip trailers, require baffles in tip trailers, high-sided tip trailers with less fruit or other design modifications.
•  Install weight cells onto trailers, forklifts and/or harvesters to measure fruit weight and avoid overloading.
•  Ensure correct storage of plastic bins to minimise exposure to sun and bins becoming brittle and breaking.
•  Consider different fill levels taking different factors into account. e.g., grape varieties and travel time – the greater time travelled the more juice levels increase.
•  Select transporters with experience in the wine industry and
•  Transporters to inform drivers of low-risk behaviour relevant to minimise spillages.

 
However, as the stakeholder engagement continues, further control measures are likely to be discussed and not all control measures are appropriate in all circumstances.
 
Overall, in order to manage your Chain of Responsibility obligations, consider the following:

• Understand what your transport activities are.
• Identify the risks of your activities.
• Identify which transport activities you can influence and control, and which ones you can’t.
• Ensure collaboration between wine grape growers, vineyard contractors, transporters, wineries in relation to how each one can play their part in the Chain of Responsibility.
• Read relevant guides and Codes, including the Master Code and Load Restraint Guide.
• Participate in industry discussions and encourage the sharing of ideas and best practice and
• Subscribe to safety bulletins, education and training updates from NHVR.

 
FURTHER INFORMATION AND ADVICE
 
Wine Grape Council of SA (WGCSA) has an arrangement with the South Australian Wine Industry Association (SAWIA) to provide assistance and advice in relation to work health and safety and workplace relations.
 
WGCSA members can contact SAWIA on 8222 9277 or admin@winesa.asn.au. 

Vineyard owners and managers are encouraged to be prepared for the hazards that workers will face during this vintage period.

Workers on vineyards are exposed to many different health and safety hazards, so it is important to consult with them when preparing programs to reduce these risks.

COMMON HAZARDS
Vineyard workers often include a mix of employed, labour hired and contractors. Over vintage in particular that can include many new, short-term, visa holders or migrant workers that may not understand well the risks that they will face.

Risk is the possibility that harm (death, injury or illness) might occur when people are exposed to a hazard.

Common hazards faced by workers in vineyards include:

• Pushing and lifting heavy bins, tubs, barrels, pumps, hoses, and mixers
• Using secateurs, picking knives and other hand tools
• Operating equipment on uneven terrain
• Working with hazardous chemicals
• Insects and snakes
• Working remotely and/or away from immediate help
• Working at night and in extreme weather conditions
• Loading and unloading grape bins.

The risk posed by hazards, such as the above need to be managed. This is done, by identifying the hazard, assessing the risk, putting controls in place (elimination is preferred, but not always possible or practical) and then review how effective the controls are.

When it comes to effective risk management in practice:

• Be prepared by planning
• People who work in the vineyard should be involved in the planning
• This does not need to be a complex task; the important thing is to identify risks and work out how to manage them
• Your plan is only as good as the way it is implemented and how up-to-date it is
• It’s no use doing the work then not telling people about it.

FURTHER INFORMATION AND ADVICE

Wine Grape Council of SA (WGCSA) has an arrangement with the South Australian Wine Industry Association (SAWIA) to provide assistance and advice in relation to work health and safety and workplace relations.

WGCSA members can contact SAWIA on 8222 9277 or admin@winesa.asn.au.

SAWIA also has a range of complimentary WHS resources on its website, such as the free Fit4Work resource for vineyard workers. Consultants, designed to provide the industry with task-specific musculoskeletal health and wellbeing related resources. 3 online training modules (2 grape growing task specific modules along with one general wellbeing module) and an induction package and associated resources are available to assist grape growers in implementing the training resources at their site.

Am I the only one struggling to believe we’re at the end of October – where has 2021 gone?

​Following our AGM on the 19th of October, I’m pleased to confirm a great mix of councillors for the coming year with 2 still to be finalised in the next week or so.

Our Chair and Barossa representative, Adrian Hoffman is continuing, as are Troy van Dulken (Clare), Nick Price (McLaren Vale) and Sheridan Alm (Riverland). We also welcome Jenny Venus (Langhorne Creek) and Brett Rosenzweig as an independent councillor.

Adelaide Hills and our second independent will be confirmed in the coming weeks and I hope to introduce them to you next month.

​I personally thank all the Councillors who have stepped up in the past and those currently working hard on behalf of all SA Grape Growers.  As we move into some challenging times and uncertainty it’s never been more important to be involved in the conversations and be part of the solutions that will affect us all.
 
Some significant points of interest to share with you this month.
 

1. I’m very pleased to introduce you to Elise White who started with us in September as a part-time Executive Assistant and all-round life saver!  Elise is currently managing all our upcoming EcoVineyard events along with many other things (including taking control of our neglected Instagram page).  Elise can be contacted at admin@wgcsa.com.au  Welcome aboard Elise – I’m not sure how we ever managed without you!
2. Our Spring EcoVineyards informal catch ups are here!  Events will include drinks and nibbles along with the ‘Natural predators of vineyard insect pests’ booklet launch.  Full details and registration information is included within the newsletter below. We would love you to join us. Contact Elise if you have any questions.
3. Australian Grape and Wine are facilitating an important Pre-Vintage briefing on November 4th.  I strongly encourage everyone to register for this honest, straight-up discussion about the expected realities of Vintage 2021.  Details and how to join the conversation are below.
4. Primary Producers SA this week announced their inaugural CEO – Caroline Rhodes who joins recently appointed Chair Professor Simon Maddocks. See the press release here. This is a very positive and welcome opportunity for the Wine Grape Council to collaborate with our fellow PPSA commodity groups to achieve some significant outcomes for the agriculture sector and our members. I look forward to working with Caroline in identifying opportunities that will deliver benefits to our members. A Primary Producers SA update will be added to all future monthly newsletters.​

It's been devastating to see many members affected by the significant weather events occurring yesterday and overnight. I will continue to work with PIRSA to understand the impacts and will keep you updated as information comes to hand.

Cheers,
Lisa Bennier

WGCSA has recently undertaken an update of its brand identity with the help of Nicknack, one of Australia’s leading agencies for strategic marketing solutions.

Peter Rufus from Nicknack worked closely with me to develop an identity that accurately reflected the vision and values of WGCSA, whilst also providing flexibility in terms of colour, typography and messaging. Two keywords emerged from the brand discovery that underpinned the process for developing the brand identity: Innovation and Courage.

The preferred design from the options provided was a symbol that truly captures the industry at large (a bunch of grapes) and WGCSA as an organisation (a council).

This juxtaposition of people with grapes is an appropriate metaphor for the advocacy that WGCSA undertakes on behalf of its members but also represents our grape growers, our communities, collaborations, stakeholders, suppliers and customers.

Innovation is expressed through the unique symbolism whilst Courage is captured through the bold use of colour and typography.

Nicknack was founded by Nick Price who is also our McLaren Vale Councillor and ex Board Member of the McLaren Vale Grape Wine and Tourism Association. Nick has a passion for the wine industry and is aware of the challenges facing the industry as a result of the situation with tariffs from China. He would love to help wine companies pivot around these obstacles with reduced costs for branding and packaging.

Special thanks to the team at Nicknack for helping us create our new look. You will see the new logo popping up on all our socials in the coming weeks.

We would love to know what you think!

Lisa Bennier
Business Manager
 

South Australian growers lead the way in delivering the largest ever crush for the state in what has been described as a 'unicorn' vintage, with near-perfect growing and ripening conditions delivering both exceptional quality and good crop size. 

While it was a record crush overall, the Riverland and Wrattonbully were the only two regions to beat their individual record. The Riverland's crush was 27% above average and accounted for 59% of the state total. Wrattonbully crushed 32,738 tonnes, 74% above the 10-year average and nearly three times the size of the 2020 vintage.

The total estimated value of the crush was $827 million compared with $556 million in 2020, reflecting the increased volume. The overall average value across the state was virtually unchanged at $792 compared with $789 per tonne.

Nationally, the 2021 crush was 31% higher than the 2020 vintage and 19% above the 2019 vintage. The larger crush balanced out the two previous small vintages, with the average of the three being closely in line with the 10-year average of 1.74 million tonnes.

South Australia was the largest contributor of the states, with an estimated harvest of 1.06 million tonnes (52% of the national total), followed by New South Wales with 580,875 tonnes (29%) and Victoria with 334,834 tonnes (17%).

To read more about the 2020/21 harvest you can read the report from Wine Australia or visit the WGCSA website for a state summary and reports for each of the major wine growing regions in SA. ​

Harvest is well and truly underway across the state with growers reporting good quality and expected average yields. The cool nights of late have contributed to perfect ripening conditions for most.

As always there are some challenges, one of them being the current fruit fly outbreaks.  Vinehealth Australia have been sharing a great deal of current information, particularly around movement requirements that apply.  Please access their site for in-depth and up to date requirements.

While we’re talking about the transportation of grapes - I encourage all growers to also be mindful of our role in the chain of responsibility.  Grape spillages are a serious safety issue for us and our fellow road users and one we can easily minimise through adhering to load limits and driver care.  Apart from the safety issues, fruit on the ground is money lost and no-one wants that. 

In other news, thanks to Landscapes SA – Limestone Coast and Hills and Fleurieu we have new EcoGrowers joining the program from Coonawarra, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek. We’ve also seen our first batch of species signs installed on some of our EcoVineyard sites. These signs contain pictures and explanations of the planted native trees, bushes and grasses and offer fabulous information for visitors and tourists. Read our article below to learn more.  You can also follow the EcoVineyards project via our dedicated EcoVineyards Facebook page or on the EcoVineyards page on our website. Keep an eye out for the announcement of our new EcoGrowers!

The plant pledges continue to roll in. We recently had a pledge of 300 plants from Eliza at Lansdowne Wine in the Adelaide Hills which brings our total to 27,309! As always, if you have been out planting, let us know by pledging your plants. 

While you’re spending hours in tractors and harvesters over the next few weeks, why not listen to the new Australian Grape and Wine Podcast Series covering a range of Industry related topics and guests. Have a listen on Apple or Spotify  and let them know what you think.

Finally, don't forget your camera while you're out harvesting this year. We had our first entry in the vintage photo competition from Jono in Clare Valley and it was quite creative (keep reading to see the pic!). We love seeing how vintage is going for you, send your photos to admin@wgcsa.com.au. 

Happy picking and stay safe!  ​

​I can hardly believe it’s the end of November, what a crazy year 2020 has been for everyone. Never have I felt more thankful one day and incredibly worried the next, it's been that sort of ride. 
 
Our lead article this month includes valuable information and a step-by-step guide on how growers can register a security interest over grapes sold to a winery.  These documents have been prepared for the Wine Grape Council of SA (WGCSA) by Piper Alderman. 

Although they offer a significant amount of information, they are of a general nature.  WGCSA encourages members to seek their own legal advice where further detail or assistance is required.   

For WGCSA members who would like help in registering a security interest on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) Piper Alderman is offering a member-only fixed price deal (conditions apply). Please email Bianca Jennings at bjennings@piperalderman.com.au or call on (08) 8205 3406 to find out more and secure the special price.
 
Over several years WGCSA has been reviewing and consulting on the calculation method of the SA Grape Grower Industry Fund.  This fund has been set at $1/tonne since 2007 which the council believes is not equitable and no longer viable to maintain the level of work and support carried out at the state and national level.
 
WGCSA continues to hold two critical memberships on behalf of our independent SA Wine Grape Growers. The first is with Primary Producers SA (PPSA), the peak body for South Australian agriculture and the second is Australian Grape and Wine (AGW) the national body for the grape and wine industry.
 
These two memberships provide us access and opportunity to share, collaborate, consult and advocate more efficiently for growers on state and federal issues including with government departments. 
 
At the national level Australian Grape and Wine (AGW) is continuing to work hard addressing issues that affect growers including bushfires, drought, COVID-19, geopolitical tensions, code of conduct, anti-alcohol lobby, taxation, transport and water to name just a few.  As we’ve seen lately, these issues can have a huge impact on growers and must be managed well and with adequate resources. 

WGCSA is concerned that the critical workload at both state and federal level continues to rise and the funding remains at the same level as 2007.
 
Shortly, we will be asking members to consider a change to the calculation method of the SA Grape Grower Industry Fund from volumetric to ad valorem.  WGCSA believes this will deliver a fairer method of calculation and help provide ongoing support, additional resources, and increased advocacy at the state and national level for SA wine grape growers.
 
PIRSA have kindly agreed to facilitate the distribution of information and the online ballot on behalf of WGCSA to all current members.

We strongly encourage you to consider the proposal and have your say through the ballot process. In the end, it must be the members who ultimately decide the future direction of their industry bodies.
 
We hope to have this information and ballot out to members prior to Christmas so keep an eye out for further details in due course.
 
Through all the challenges of 2020, one thing is certain – life goes on, and so I look forward with optimism to a great summer and fantastic 2021 for you all.
 
Cheers,
Lisa Bennier
Business Manager
Note: Our office will be shut from 24th December to 1st January inclusive.