Avocados Australia welcomes new membership applications for the Grower, Associate and Affiliate categories.
The Australian avocado industry is a growing, successful and progressive industry. As the industry’s peak body, we work closely with all stakeholders to drive its ongoing success. For the industry to remain successful it needs a strong national community that unites to achieve common goals and ensures the collective and individual success of businesses involved in the industry.
Avocados Australia provides a range of services only possible through the support of our members and, where we can, we provide these services exclusively to members. These include:
Progressing Your Industry
- A unified voice to influence decision-makers
Avocados Australia engages with and works to influence policymakers and key decision-makers for the benefit of our members. Our membership fees also assist us to maintain financial membership of the National Farmers Federation Horticulture Council and other relevant bodies which enables us to work collaboratively to advocate on key policy issues for the avocado sector.
- Biosecurity management
Avocados Australia represents the avocado industry in relation to biosecurity incidents and incursions of new pests, and ensures resources are available to address industry biosecurity issues.
- Domestic Market Development
Our domestic market development program (which is not levy funded) funds a full time market development manager who works across a number of levy-funded programs that aim to drive growth in the domestic market. These include the levy-funded marketing program, crop forecasting, quality monitoring, food service and other projects.
- Export Market Access
Gaining access to new markets is a high priority for our members. In 2018 we achieved market access for WA to Japan and in 2023 we achieved market access for WA to Thailand and for all regions of Australia to India. Avocados Australia employed a full time market access specialist (which is not levy funded) in 2022 to drive market access harder and faster.
Renewing your membership ensures that the above services can continue. Other programs where we provide important planning and services that we run mainly through external funding include:
- Avocado export development and market access
Avocados Australia facilitates the development of new export markets to provide new market outlets in line with expected increased Australian avocado supply. Activities include export capacity building such as regional export forums, export communications and engagement, inbound and out bound study missions and trade shows, facilitating export registration for protocol markets.
- Industry communications
We run an extensive communication program to keep the avocado industry up to date on the latest news and information. This includes the quarterly Talking Avocados magazine, the Guacamole e-newsletter, the Industry Website and the Best Practice Resource, and other communication mediums. If you think you might not be receiving all the communication you wish to have access to, please visit www.avocado.org.au/public-articles/connect/ to check.
- Data program
We manage an extensive industry data program including the highly regarded Infocado and OrchardInfo programs that provide comprehensive data on crop forecasts and crop flow, in addition to export reports and pricing reports.
- Industry development and extension
Working closely with DAF Queensland we co-deliver a suite of events including Regional Forums, field days, webinars and other best practice resources.
Direct Member Benefits for You
- Regional representation by Grower Directors
As a member of Avocados Australia, you have a say in who your regional representative is on the board of Avocados Australia. We also encourage our members to connect with the regional director to raise issues or concerns that can be considered by the full board. Contact details for your regional director can be found here https://avocado.org.au/about/our-board/ .
- Share your views directly
As a member of Avocados Australia, you can directly share your ideas, issues and appreciations. Member views assist the Avocados Australia board and staff to be informed and work strategically to industry needs. We can be contacted directly or you can use our member feedback form in the Member Area of the website to share the details of what you would like reviewed or actioned.
- Member newsletter (Avo Insider)
The Avo Insider is an e-newsletter developed exclusively for Avocados Australia members. It provides updates from the CEO and Board about key advocacy work and more detailed updates on matters that can’t otherwise be communicated through the levy-funded communication program.
- Member Notices
Targeted Member Notices are issued by Avocados Australia when timely information needs to be provided to all members or members in a particular growing area.
- Member Area of the website
The Member Area provides members with exclusive access to more in-depth content regarding the activities of Avocados Australia on behalf of members. The area also contains company reports, agri-political papers, policy submissions and historical copies of exclusive member communication such as the Avo Insider.
- Member discounts for quality and food safety audits
Avocados Australia members are eligible for discounted rates for HARPS and Freshcare audits with Merieux Nutrisciences in eligible regions.
- Member help desk
The Avocados Australia team ensures members are well supported to access the full suite of services and information available through Avocados Australia. Current members contact us by phone or email and seek advice on issues. If we don’t have the information you are looking for, we can help to seek this out or point you in the right direction.
Membership types
Grower Member
This class of membership is only available to commercial Australian avocado growers with a membership fee of $250 (+GST) per year.
Associate Member
Associate membership is open to businesses and enterprises which service the Australian Avocado industry which may comprise: processors and packhouses, wholesalers (including agents of wholesalers), retailers, exporters, and transporters. The membership fee for this class of member is $460 (+GST) per year.
Affiliate Member
Affiliate membership is open to: consumer groups, any producer or participant in a service industry that is allied with the Australian avocado industry, educational institutions and other persons with a non-commercial interest in the Australian avocado industry. The membership fee for this class of member is $125 (+GST) per year.