Code group forms 

Last week's appointment of the Horticulture Code Administration Committee by Federal Agriculture Minister, Peter McGauran, represents one of the final missing pieces to the Horticulture Code jigsaw puzzle.

Those appointed to the committee represent a cross section of the industry.  They will be responsible for providing advice to the Minister in relation to issues including the operation, effectiveness and impact of the code.

The Committee has a daunting task ahead of it.  While much of the code's existing content establishes a framework that is acceptable and can compliment existing industry arrangements such as the use of documented terms of trade and the dispute resolution framework, it is the mandatory imposition of an unworkable commercial relationship which has seen the code fail to gain broader industry acceptance.

This situation will not be helped by the new round of claims from grower groups such as Growcom which is seeking to extend coverage of the code to include a range of transactions not originally covered by the code, and some further partial exclusions for other parties that are currently included.

They also want the Government to spend more money on ongoing educational programs to promote awareness of the code.  Allocating more money to promote something that has already been a topical industry issue for over two years, would be likely to be a very poor investment, not unlike the Citrus Canker fundraising fiasco which saw Government grants of $55,000 used to raise a paltry $10,312!

The future success of the Code is about engagement.  Growers, wholesalers and their representative groups need to know that the code adds value and offers them something other than an administrative burden, inflexible trading arrangements and yet more Government red tape.

The process of engagement must start with a code which is widely regarded as commercially acceptable and flexible, while also promoting good commercial practices. 

The committee must look at what is necessary to get industry-wide acceptance of the code, and how this can be achieved quickly. It must also move immediately to provide the Minister with an accurate assessment of the uptake and effectiveness of the code.