Hort Innovation has released the ‘Hort Innovation Strategy 2024-2026’, providing a roadmap for its investments over the next three years.
Released this week, the strategy was informed by feedback from growers across the nation through farm visits, surveys and advice garnered through industry advisory panels and meetings.
The strategy also considers the strategic investment plans of 37 levy-paying industries and growth projections for the $16 billion horticulture sector, revealed in resources such as the recently released ‘Contribution of Australian horticulture industry report’.
Hort Innovation Chair Julie Bird says the strategy reflects horticulture growers’ priorities, and the organisation is fully committed to working with industry to achieve its objectives.
“The value of Australian horticulture is projected to surge by up to 22.5% by 2030,” she says.
“Equipping growers with the necessary tools to manage this remarkable growth is of utmost importance. We are attuned to the needs expressed by growers, and Hort Innovation is actively adapting to address them.
“We have a new strategy and a new structure that supports Australian horticulture to grow more, sell more, and get bang-for-buck from levy investments. These changes position us to get ahead of key issues in partnership with industry and to work together on larger, transformative projects.”
Hort Innovation CEO Brett Fifield says the new strategy builds upon Hort Innovation’s progress over the past year.
“We have made changes internally, including a new Industry Service and Delivery team which consolidates our partnerships, adoption and investment work,” he says.
“We have also restructured our business so that production-related R&D and sustainability work are in the same team, and our biosecurity R&D projects sit alongside our international trade efforts.
“In partnership with industry, these changes position us to get ahead of key issues and work together on larger, transformative projects.”
The full ‘Hort Innovation Strategy 2024-2026’ can be found here.
