Vegetables Australia is a full colour, 52-page magazine distributed free to vegetable levy payers and industry members around Australia. The purpose of Vegetables Australia is to deliver timely, accurate, newsworthy industry R&D information to vegetable growers – the magazine’s primary readership. The publication is well-supported by the industry, and valued by growers as a reliable source of information. Vegetables Australia is audited annually by the Circulations Audit Board and is recognised as the most widely distributed magazine publication in horticulture, reaching around 6,000 recipients. In addition to covering R&D programs, reports and technological innovations, Vegetables Australia presents regular in-depth features with young and senior vegetable growers and other relevant members of the industry. The magazine canvasses a range of domestic and international industry news and includes a number of columns from regular specialised contributors, who offer practical advice relating to both on and off farm issues. Members of representative state bodies also contribute recurring columns to the magazine, which centre around news and issues specific to their home state. Vegetables Australia was launched in July 2005, after the Industry Communications Audit revealed that growers were supportive of a magazine designed to disseminate R&D information. The magazine subcontracts an external advertising agent on a commission basis, who is responsible for liaising with existing and prospective advertisers. The magazine is distributed in January, March, May, July, September and November – the alternate months to its sister publication, Potatoes Australia. Its readership has continued to grow and, thanks to several media releases issued subsequent to its distribution, Vegetables Australia has been the subject of heightened media interest, with many of the country’s high-profile metropolitan and rural media outlets requesting subscription to the magazine. This assists in building relationships with the media to ensure the communication of R&D more widely to growers.

This project has been funded by Hort Innovation, using the research and development levies listed below and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

• Vegetable Fund