The development of the SIP used the following 8 key interconnecting components: 1. Planning – Included scope refinement, scheduling interviews, interview questions, literature review and kick off meetings with key stakeholders. 2. Direction setting – Involved understanding the challenges of the vegetable industry and how the R&D levy can be used to address these challenges. 3. Investigation – Involved more detailed analysis of key issues 4. Strategy development – Involved identifying priority solutions, assessing the risk of these solutions and modelling the economic impacts of these solutions to ensure R&D investment maximises the returns for industry. 5. National consultation – Was an additional activity used to test SIP drafts, and predominantly gained levy payers’ support for the proposed restructuring of levy fee expenditure. 6. White paper release – A working document of findings, recommendations and justification for these recommendations was made publically available for comment. 7. White paper feedback – Feedback from 20 respondents with over 116 specific requests for change were incorporated into the SIP. 8. Final Strategic Plan – The final Strategic Investment Plan has been delivered and approved by the IAC, AUSVEG Board and HAL Board. The SIP takes into account the disparate industry needs given the large number of leviable vegetables (over 100), disperse geographic regions, cultural backgrounds, size and sophistications of operations and organisational arrangements. The SIP will see the allocation of levy funds directed towards the following three priority areas: > Consumer alignment – This priority area has the objective of increasing the demand for vegetables through either increased price or consumption. 45% of levy funds have been allocated to this strategic priority area. > Market & value chain development – This priority area relates to the development of value adding processes, access to vegetable markets and competing successfully against imports and in export markets. 20% of the levy funds will be allocated to this strategic priority area. > Farm productivity, resource use and management priority – This priority area will develop techniques and technologies to improve on farm production efficiencies and defend against threats of rising input costs, climate change and emerging pests and diseases. 35% of levy funds will be directed to this strategic priority area. A balanced set of key performance measures will be used to track the health of the vegetable industry and impact the restructuring of levy funds has on the industry’s performance. The overarching measure of the SIP’s success will be an increase in the profitability of the industry. A detailed implementation plan will be used to guide the implementation of the SIP.