AUSVEG has been given money to help sell Australia's safe and sustainable food message to Europe.
The federal government has given a $121,000 Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) grant to the national vegetable body to advance its national export development activities.
Federal agriculture minister, Murray Watt, said consumers and markets are increasingly wanting proof of the provenance of food and that it has been produced in a safe, sustainable, clean and green way.
"This grant will help Australian vegetable growers tell that story and ensure their world-class produce remains trade competitive," Mr Watt said.
"The United Kingdom and European Union are increasingly becoming key export markets for our fresh produce, with the UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) coming into force recently and negotiations continuing on an FTA with the EU.
"Understanding the drivers in the UK and Europe for food safety and sustainability are key to enabling Australian exporters to adopt best practices, and to ensure that compliance barriers are not preventing Australian produce being retailed in supermarkets abroad."
Ausveg chief executive officer, Michael Coote, said the ATMAC grant will allow the organisation to facilitate a study tour to the UK and EU.
"This will offer horticulture growers a unique opportunity to learn firsthand about the social, economic and governance compliance requirements on UK and EU growers and what expectations will be on Australian exporters to meet the same requirements," Mr Coote said.
Ausveg leads a range of national export development activities for vegetable producers, in the areas of export capability development, market development and market access.
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