It includes Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce and Assistant Ministers to the Deputy Prime Minister in the Agriculture and Water Resources portfolio, Anne Ruston and Keith Pitt.

Growcom CEO, Pat Hannan, congratulated Joyce who will remain Agriculture and Water Resources Minister in addition to his elevation to Deputy Prime Minister and National Party leader, following the retirement of Warren Truss.

He also praised Ruston who has the advantage of coming from a horticultural background and who has hit the ground running and been prominent working in horticultural issues such as the Horticulture Code, streamlining access to agricultural chemicals, fruit fly control, groundwater resources, market access to Thailand and the Country of Origin Labelling debate.

Hannan also congratulated Queensland MP Keith Pitt on his appointment as new Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister in the Agriculture and Water Resources portfolio this week.

Hannan said that Pitt represented an important horticultural area in his electorate of Hinkler, which takes in the major towns of Bundaberg, Childers and Howard. “The Bundaberg region is an important food bowl growing a wide range of fruit, vegetables, nuts, herbs and spices with a farm gate value of more than $500 million a year grown on some 16 500 ha. The industry is worth more than $1 billion to the local economy and is an important employer.

“It is terrific that Mr Pitt, who has represented such a major horticultural region in Federal Parliament, will now have the opportunity to address issues such as water and water security on behalf of the entire national horticultural industry, worth more than $8.6 billion GVP.

“The importance of funding the right water infrastructure projects in the right locations to the development of the horticultural industry in prime regions such as Bundaberg in order to grow regional economies and create jobs cannot be understated.”

Hannan also thanked Pitt for his strong advocacy since his election in 2013 for determined action against rogue labour hire contractors and the exploitation of labour in horticulture and other industries. “Mr Pitt lobbied long and hard for the introduction of Taskforce Cadena in May 2015, a multi-jurisdictional task force which has been successful in a number of raids catching 38 illegal works and pursuing a company allegedly underpaying workers from Vanuatu in Queensland.

“I first met Mr Pitt at the Pineapple Field Day at Hervey Bay last year and was impressed by his grasp of industry affairs. It is clear he has come from a farming background and understands the issues which farmers face which will stand him in good stead in his new role alongside Barnaby Joyce and Anne Ruston.

“I look forward to an opportunity to meet with Mr Pitt again soon to brief him on the industry’s priorities in the run up to this year’s Federal Election. I have no doubt that he is already across the horticulture industry’s concern at the proposal to scrap the tax-free threshold for backpackers from 1 July.

“Other major issues for our industry federally include the review of the Horticulture Award this year, the proposed amendment of the mandatory Horticulture Code of Conduct, the proposed Country of Origin Labelling, the Productivity Commission’s enquiry into red tape, the expansion of the Seasonal Worker Program, access to agricultural chemicals and the new Biosecurity Import Risk Analysis (BIRA) Guidelines.”