NSW DPI holds new event to link research, produce and community

That is something the NSW DPI wants to get across to the community through a new initiative that kicked off today (Monday) in Orange at the organisation's new headquarters.

And what better part of the community to start with than the DPI's own staff, especially those who are part of the Orange community that work in DPI's own head office.

The DPI invited the local branch of the NSW Country Women's Association to use some of the DPI's apples, produced at its Orange Agriculture Institute, to bake a heap of goodies for morning tea, for which staff paid a donation as they grabbed a plate of cake or slice.

NSW DPI development officer of temperate fruits Jessica Fearnley said the organisation produced byproduct from its research that needed a use, and they saw an opportunity with how they could use it to engage people in their local communities.

Ms Fearnley said the OAI had four key projects, which included:

- The Bushfire Project, which is a collaboration with Hort Innovation, is a five-year project looking into the best options for orchard recovery post fire. This includes girdling and burning trees to monitor their response, while also testing various pruning methods and associated recovery reponse times.

- Improving Australian Apple Soils is another of its projects, this one being conducted in partnership with the University of Tasmania. Ms Fearnley said this was looking into the inputs used in orchards and inter-row management options such as native or improved pastures and flowering meadows, with the aim of reducing reliance on synthetic inputs and improving soil condition and fruit quality.

- Australian Pome Fruit Improvement Program, in conjunction with Apple and Pear Australia Ltd, is designed to evaluate varieties for local suitability before commercialisation. "It is a challenge for the industry knowing which of the many new varieties will go well in their conditions," Ms Fearnley said.

- The fourth, Cider Scion Wood, is effectively a library of genetics for the cider industry to access, including grafting wood stocks, and is designed to help expand the NSW cider industry.

Along with apples, OAI - which was established as a potato research farm in the 1960s - also grows and researches cherries, walnuts, pears, quinces, hazelnuts, chestnuts and nashies, as well as sheep said OAI site manager Mark Oosterveen.

Mr Oosterveen said the apples used for Monday's event had been ripened on the trees and had a few frosts so were incredibly juicy, and had not received any post-harvest treatments.

DPI deputy director general infrastructure, investment and business development, Brett Fifield, said the initiative was also designed to "bring a little bit of DPI into head office".

He said part of the work in the DPI's new strategic plan was to make sure all research was "embdedded in the community".

CWA of NSW Orange branch vice-president Elizabeth Lynch said the CWA was keen to support local produce and research.

"It's important to promote that because a lot of people don't know where their food comes from."

The DPI's next community event will be held in about eight weeks, but the feature research station and produce is yet to be announced.