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Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Northern Adelaide Plains Food Cluster

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Northern Adelaide Plains Food Cluster

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The Northern Adelaide Plains Food Cluster was established in 2018 to support the growth of the local

29/10/2026

Is your farm ready for fire season?

As temperatures rise across the Northern Adelaide Plains, now is the time for growers and local businesses to review their fire preparedness plans.

Even irrigated farms are not immune to fire risks. From plastic greenhouse coverings and machinery to dry vegetation and surrounding scrub, fires can threaten infrastructure, worker safety and business operations.

Taking a few simple steps now can help reduce risks and protect your farm, your workers and your livelihood.

🚜 Clear dry vegetation and maintain firebreaks where required.
🔥 Check machinery, electrical equipment and potential ignition sources.
📋 Review your emergency plan and ensure workers know what to do.
📱 Download the Alert SA app to stay informed about fire warnings and incidents in your area.

Preparation starts before an emergency.

29/10/2026

A fantastic evening celebrating South Australia's food and beverage industry!
The Northern Adelaide Plains Food Cluster had a great evening attending Food South Australia's Annual General Meeting last night, where new appointments to the Food SA Board were announced.

We are incredibly proud to congratulate one of our very own Board members, Juliet Tripodi from Rainbow Fresh, on her appointment to the Food South Australia Board!

Juliet brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from South Australia's horticulture industry, and we are excited to see her continue advocating for local growers and representing our region at a broader industry level.

We would also like to congratulate Penny Reidy from the South Australian Produce Market on her appointment and Brandon Reynolds from The Yoghurt Shop on his re-election.

It's fantastic to see such passionate industry representatives helping shape the future of South Australia's food and beverage sector.

Congratulations again, Juliet!

We look forward to seeing the valuable contribution you will make to the Food SA Board

29/10/2026

Apex Greenhouses is hosting a one-day Priva computerised greenhouse management training event on 17 November 2026 at its Demonstration Facility in Virginia, South Australia.

The two introductory courses cover the fundamentals of climate and irrigation control, including system navigation, climate data, strategy settings and irrigation management.

Training will be delivered by Tony Bundock, Protected Cropping Australia Project Manager and Priva’s only registered trainer in Oceania, who brings more than 45 years’ protected cropping experience.

For more information and to register click here: https://ahr.com.au/news-events-1/priva-computerised-greenhouse-management-nov-2026

21/10/2026

A career in food, horticulture or agriculture can take many paths — from growing and harvesting to packing and production. There’s a wide range of opportunities to explore.

If you’re looking for work, considering a career change or wondering how to get started, join us for a free Explore Careers in Horticulture, Agriculture and the Food Industry session.

In just one hour, you’ll learn more about opportunities on the Adelaide Plains, explore possible career pathways and have the chance to ask questions. No industry experience is needed to attend.

📅 Thursday 5 November 2026
⏰ 10:00–11:00 am
📍 Virginia Horticulture Centre

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/explore-careers-in-horticulture-agriculture-and-the-food-industry-tickets-2002109045049?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e0_tv4_a1demo0d51ezsy&fbclid=IwY2xjawVE5UxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mAWJyaWQRMTdYVmpUZmRrU1A0ZHBzUGlzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeP94Wd2VtSKIKGsjvmYj4JimUNocqO1VShdsdUG86K_ilaXcHWqdQjuXU7XI_aem_DayHyIAxuFMedq_mlfhcag

14/10/2026

Every great idea has to start somewhere. 🌱

The businesses in this video are just some of the ideas that have come through the Australian-Grown Innovation program — and for many, their journey started at an Engage session.

Now it’s your turn.

Australian-Grown Innovation Engage is a free, practical workshop designed by horticulture, for horticulture, helping growers and industry businesses explore new ideas, solve real challenges and identify opportunities within their operations.
Whether you’re looking to improve efficiency, diversify your income, solve an on-farm challenge or explore an idea you’ve had sitting in the back of your mind, Engage will give you practical tools to start turning that idea into something more.
No previous innovation experience is needed — just bring your knowledge of your business, your challenges and your ideas.

📅 Wednesday, 28 October 2026
⏰ 3:30pm
📍 Virginia Horticulture Centre
🎟️ Free to attend

See where your idea could take you. Register now 👇
https://luma.com/1b4vmlbg

Register for Australian-Grown Innovation Engage

The Australian-Grown Innovation program is funded and delivered by Hort Innovation, Startupbootcamp and industry partners.

14/10/2026

Did you know our sponsors Apex Greenhouses have a $2 million commercial-scale training and demonstration facility right here in Virginia, South Australia?

Built around a 1,000m² working greenhouse, the facility gives growers, researchers, suppliers and industry the opportunity to see protected cropping technology operating in a real production environment.

From climate control, irrigation and environmental monitoring to automation, sensors and AI-assisted growing technology, the facility provides a space where new systems, technologies and crop types can be tested, trialled and demonstrated before growers make significant investments of their own.

Importantly, Apex operates the facility with an open-door approach, creating a place for industry to connect, share knowledge and participate in practical, hands-on training.

For the Northern Adelaide Plains, having a facility like this right here in Virginia provides an exciting opportunity to support innovation, collaboration and the continued development of protected cropping in our region.

Take a look inside the Apex Greenhouses Training & Demonstration Facility and see some of the technology helping shape the future of Australian horticulture.

07/10/2026

Registrations are now open ✅

Build a stronger, smarter horticulture business by learning the fundamentals of innovation and how to apply them to real challenges and opportunities.

Australian-Grown Innovation Engage is a practical, in-person workshop created by horticulture, for horticulture. It is designed for growers, producers and people working across the horticulture supply chain—regardless of their role or level of innovation experience.

During the workshop, you will learn:

💡 What innovation looks like in horticulture
🍎 Real examples of innovation, big and small
🌱 How to identify opportunities within your business
✏️ Simple tools to map and develop your idea
🌱Practical steps to begin bringing it to life
🤝 How collaboration can help strengthen your solution

Whether you want to improve efficiency, diversify your income, solve an on-farm challenge or explore a new opportunity, this session will give you practical tools to get started.

Growers are strongly encouraged to attend, and no previous innovation experience is required.

Register now 👉 https://luma.com/1b4vmlbg
️Wednesday, 28 October 2026
⏰ 1:30–5:30 pm local time
📍 Adelaide, South Australia

Participation is free, with the Australian-Grown Innovation program funded and delivered by Hort Innovation, Startupbootcamp and industry partners.

After Engage, participants can continue their innovation journey through:
Incubate: A six-week program that helps you
develop your idea into a clear business or product plan.

️Build: A 12-week program that helps you develop a
functional prototype or minimum viable product and test
it in a real-world horticulture environment.

06/10/2026

“Why did we build with Apex? Probably because we like them. We like working together, and we’ve always had a strong relationship.” — Chris, Flavorite

A relationship almost 30 years in the making.

Flavorite Group now operates around 80 hectares of glasshouses, producing tomatoes, capsicums and cucumbers — with more than 50 hectares built with Apex Greenhouses.

For Chris and the Flavorite team, one of the biggest advantages of working with Apex is having a local partner who understands Australian regulations and safety requirements, while being in the same time zone when support is needed.

And the results speak for themselves, with Chris sharing that their glasshouses have overachieved in production in recent years.

Hear from Chris about Flavorite’s long-standing relationship with Apex and why they continue to work together.

Considering glasshouse or protected cropping solutions for your operation?

Visit Apex’s demonstration facility right here in Virginia.

📍 10 Gawler Road, Virginia SA 5120
📧 [email protected]

02/10/2026

On Tuesday, the Northern Adelaide Plains Food Cluster had the pleasure of hosting a University of Adelaide Study Tour, giving students an opportunity to learn more about our region and the diverse horticulture and food industry that calls it home.

The day began at the Virginia Horticulture Centre, where we introduced the group to the Northern Adelaide Plains — from the wide range of commodities produced across the region to the many occupations and career opportunities within the industry. We also discussed some of the key challenges facing growers and businesses and what the future of the sector could look like.

From there, we headed out into industry with a visit to SA Tomatoes, where owner Peter Petsios took the group through his working facility and shared what it means to be a grower in a high-tech hydroponic operation.

It was a fantastic day connecting the next generation with industry and giving students a firsthand look at the people, technology and opportunities behind food production on the Northern Adelaide Plains.

Thank you to the University of Adelaide group for joining us and to Peter and the SA Tomatoes team for opening their doors and sharing their knowledge!

23/09/2026

A career in food, horticulture or agriculture can take many paths — from growing and harvesting to packing and production. There’s a wide range of opportunities to explore.
If you’re looking for work, considering a career change or wondering how to get started, join us for a free Explore Careers in Horticulture, Agriculture and the Food Industry session.

In just one hour, you’ll learn more about opportunities on the Adelaide Plains, explore possible career pathways and have the chance to ask questions. No industry experience is needed to attend.

📅 Thursday 5 November 2026
⏰ 10:00–11:00 am
📍 Virginia Horticulture Centre

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/explore-careers-in-horticulture-agriculture-and-the-food-industry-tickets-2002109045049?aff=oddtdtcreator

Address

942 Old Port Wakefield Road
Virginia, SA
5120

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.northernadelaideplains.com.au/

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