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Walnut Industry Voluntary Levy Fund Rules

  1.  Voluntary Levy funds are to be paid in advance by 31^st July of each year starting with the financial year 2004 – 2005.  The levy should be paid by cheque and accompanied by a calculation summary. (Refer to the enclosed letter and Summary Sheet).

 2.  The Voluntary Levy will be 5 cents per tree per annum for trees up to 7 years of age and 50 cents per  tree per annum for trees over 7 years of age. For the purpose of this exercise, a tree is one year old at the end of the first year after  planting, and so on.

  3.  Tree numbers for each Grower will be calculated as trees that have been in the ground for at least one growing season at the end of June each year. 

  4.  There is a minimum Voluntary Levy of $100. Note that even if your calculation summary is less than $100, the minimum Voluntary Levy is  $100 in any given year.

  5.  There is an upper limit for Growers of a total of 50,000 trees less than and greater than 7 years of age.

  6.  A walnut tree is defined for the purposes of the Voluntary Levy as either, one that has been grafted or budded to an English (Juglans regia) variety in a nursery and then planted in an orchard, or one that has been successfully
       budded to an English variety in the field.

  7.  Funds generated by the Voluntary Levy will be used for research into increasing productivity and quality associated with walnut production in Australia and for market research purposes. 

  8.  Only Growers who have contributed to the  Voluntary Levy Fund can propose research topics.

  9.  The Voluntary Levy and Research Committee will collate all proposals and put them to Levy Paying Growers to vote upon. The Committee will be elected by the AWIA Executive Committee.

10.  Voting powers of each eligible Grower will be proportional to the contribution made by that Grower compared with the total Voluntary Levy funds collected.

11.  Once topics have been selected, the Voluntary Levy and Research Committee will develop a Research Strategic Plan outlining longer term objectives and an Annual Investment Plan based on the Strategic Plan detailing short term
       priorities.  Detailed project briefs will be put out to various research providers to tender upon and then apply to Horticulture Australia Ltd or a similar body for $ for $ funding assistance.

12.  Only Levy Paying Growers will be privy to progressive results and reports from the research, and the results and reports will not be  published for a period of 1 year.

13.  The Rules may be changed at any AWIA AGM.

Voluntary Levy and Research Committee.  9/9/04

Why Australian Walnuts are better:

  Free from Pesticides

  Free from chemical treatments

  100%  sold in the year of harvest

  They taste better

Australian Walnut Industry Association: Working to benefit both industry and consumers

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