Historical document
Facilitating the communication and development of the Tasmanian vegetable industry, continuation of VG00070 (MT07055)
Publication date: July 1, 2009
Delivery Partner: University of Tasmania
This is a final research report from Hort Innovation’s historical archives. Please note that as these reports may date back as far as the 1990s, the content and recommendations within them may be superseded by more recent research.
In 1996 a Vegetable Research & Development (R&D) Levy was introduced to put funding of projects on a secure basis and to better manage industry priorities and extension of outcomes. To facilitate industry driven research and to disseminate outcomes Industry Development Officers (IDO) were established in each State by Hort Innovation (which was then Horticulture Australia Limited). The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association hosted the first IDO commencing in January 2001 to service the levy paying Vegetable Industry. In 2006 the Potato and Onion industry IACs agreed to contribute to become part of the Tasmanian IDO project.
The value had been a dedicated person to facilitate two way communication and information transfer between growers, secondary industry, agronomy providers, R&D providers, AUSVEG (the Vegetable Industry peak body) and the then Horticulture Australia Limited. Networking of State IDOs had facilitated communication and actions on national issues.
Promoting the role of the IDO position was the first task which resulted in the IDO building a personal network with all the commodity industries, R&D bodies, service providers, key growers and groups.
To facilitate communications a database was built. A complete postal list had been compiled and progressively developed to include crop and other contact details. (Further work was required to capture full details for all growers.)
Targeted distribution of R&D information had been a major role. The IDO had produced a quarterly newsletter to highlight R&D results, industry events, topical issues and conducted surveys and reviews to gather information.
Other valued activities were managing chemical issues, facilitation and support of workshops and field-days and assisting with biosecurity and pest issues.
Industry priorities were actively sought to direct R&D. The IDO had worked with commodity industries, local Agricultural Research & Advisory Committees and the national Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) Production Advisory and Chemical Technical groups.
The main outcome had been greater two way communication at both a local and national level. The IDO had been the central contact for information flow to and from the R&D process. A challenge for the future would be delivering the services provided by the IDO that the industry had grown to expect and rely on.
The IDO project finishes on the 30th of June 2009. It was recommended that the new development program considered:
This historical project was a strategic levy investment in multiple Hort Innovation Funds
© 2026 Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited.
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