Grow IT April 2025 – read about the best in horticulture

Pallet of citrus fruit

Hello

Wishing you a Happy Easter from Victoria where we’re installing ABCpacker at the Mildura Fruit Company. Not only are MFC one of Australia’s largest packhouses, the season kicked off earlier than expected. The energy’s high, the team’s all in, and we’re embracing the challenge, it’s a great time to be on the ground!

Sharon

News 

MFC

Where the crop meets the code

Having our developers on site during the MFC installation is highly valuable for both the project and the product. It gives them direct insight into how the systems are used in real-world conditions and allows them to see the challenges and workflows firsthand. For software developer Cory Evans, it was a great moment seeing his work come to life in a busy, high-pressure environment. MFC’s Senior Business Analyst, Peter Pizzilli, is pictured above with the first pallet of the season, and the first to be despatched with ABCpacker!

Sharon’s orchard upbringing has been a vital ingredient in ABC Software’s success. The entire ABC Software team is customer facing, and working directly with our customers reinforces a shared commitment to building software that works not just in theory, but where it really matters – on the farm, and in the shed.

Latest Enhancements

Onsite Log

ABCgrower’s Onsite Log is now fully integrated with Timesheets. Logins include a timestamp, photo capture and GPS location, and timesheet records can be auto created from login information, making record-keeping easier and more accurate than ever. Contact us to find out more.

Onsite Log map
Bins of picked oranges

PALM Scheme or RSEs?

PALM Scheme and RSE workers are entitled to minimum hours under the respective programmes. The new Minimum Hours Report helps ensure compliance by showing both hours worked, and hours offered but not taken. Make audits and reporting easier and more accurate with ABCgrower.

Blog 

The C14 Decision

The C14 decision, which took effect on 1st April 2025, meant a change to the Australian Horticulture Award pay rates criteria. Read more about it here, and how you can better manage your pay rates with ABCgrower.

Lettuce harvest

Meet the Team

Bri Collin

Having recently joined ABC Software as Sales Executive, Bri is as comfortable in gumboots on the farm as she is sitting behind a desk. Bri brings the perfect combination of skills and experience to hit the ground running with ABC’s on farm and packhouse solutions.

Events

Hort Connections 2025

We’re looking forward to returning to Hort Connections where you’ll find us partnered with J-Tech Systems on stands 357-360, next to the Woolworths Activation Lounge.

 

Flexible functionality

Comprehensive training included

Ongoing superior support

 

The ‘C14 decision’ means changes to Hort Award pay rates

Harvesting lettuce

Australian Horticulture Award Pay Rate Change

The ‘C14 decision’ was “to vary provisions in 47 modern awards which contain a rate of pay at the ‘C14’ rate, or below the ‘C13’ rate, to ensure they apply on a transitional basis only” (Changes to entry-level classifications in modern awards | Fair Work Commission). Issued on 19th November 2024, it came into effect on 1st April 2025

What is the C14 rate?

C14, or Level 1, is the lowest pay rate in the Horticulture Award, currently $23.46 per hour for permanent employees and $29.33 per hour for casuals.

What is the C13 rate?

C13, or Level 2 is the second-lowest pay rate in the Horticulture Award. It’s currently $24.10 per hour for permanent employees and $30.13 per hour for casuals, 2.75% higher than the C14/Level 1 rate.

What has changed?

In a nutshell, employees must progress to C13 after 3 months’ industry experience. Employers are to change the pay rate of employees who meet the new criteria.

What does industry think?

Many industry associations, including the Australian Fresh Produce Alliance, AiGroup, National Farmers Federation and Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers submitted opposition to the provisional view.

 Their arguments included:

  • Seasonal workers should remain at Level 1 because they are short-term employees and are casuals.
  • The progression to Level 2 should be after three months experience in a particular task.
  • The 3 months should be a number of hours equivalent to 3 months full-time work.
  • The 3 months experience should have been obtained within the 1 to 3 years (submissions varied).
  • The 3 months experience should have been obtained with a particular employer.

All submissions were rejected.

What do employers need to do?

  1. Identify which employees need to change from Level 1 to Level 2 by reviewing their engagement period and previous industry experience, noting that the 3 months is cumulative over horticultural employment and is not dependent on total number of accumulated hours.
  2. Discuss changes with effected employees and provide written notification.
  3. Update pay rates.

How can I manage this?

Easily with ABC.

  • Update the pay rates of all employees that fit the criteria at once in ABCgrower.
  • Additionally, instead of assigning individual hourly rates, you can assign a pay grade to each employee and manage pay rates centrally.
  • When Award rates increase again on July 1st, you’ll be ready—no manual updates needed.