The Victorian Strawberry Industry Development Committee (VSIDC) was established by an Order of the Victorian Government under the Agricultural Industry Development Act 1990 (Vic) in July 1992.
This Order was titled "The Victorian Strawberry Industry Development Order".
The Victorian Strawberry Industry Development Order was extended in 1996 for an additional four year period, again in July 2000 for a period of 2 years, 4 months, and again in 2002. Another Poll of commercial strawberry growers was conducted during September 2002. The result of the Poll was an overwhelming endorsement of the Victorian Strawberry Industry Development Order and the Committee.
The Order was subsequently extended by the Minister for a further four year period, ending on the 30th of November 2006. A another Poll conducted in September 2006 saw the Order extended for another four year period, ending on the 30th November 2010. The Victorian Strawberry Growers Association have organised a petition to go to the Victorian Minister for Agriculture in May 2010 seeking a further extension of the VSIDC for a further 4 year period ending 30 November 2014.
The VSIDC collects levies from all Victorian commercial strawberry growers when they purchase strawberry runners plants.
The Committee uses these funds to:
'carry out or fund research and development into the production, pest and disease control, post harvest handling, plant breeding and variety evaluation of strawberries and advise growers about research findings'
and
'carry out or fund domestic marketing and promotion of fresh strawberries grown in Victoria'.
The Responsible Minister is The Minister for Agriculture.
The 2009/10 Committee comprises:
Mr John Hasan – Chairman and
grower representative
Mr Sam Violi - Treasurer and
grower representative
Mrs Anna Hasan - grower
representative
Mr Jim Ripepi - industry
non-grower representative
Mr John Frisina – industry
non-grower representative
Mrs Clarrisa
Cincotta - grower representative
Ms Leanne Browne – Department of
Primary Industries representative
(all seven
representatives act in an honorary capacity)
All correspondence
should be addressed to:
Mr Len O'Connor –
Chief Executive Officer and Accountable Officer
Victorian Strawberry
Industry Development Committee
