In November 2012, nine female vegetable growers traveled to Italy and Israel as part of the inaugural Women in Horticulture Grower Study Tour. The tour was designed to further emphasise the role that women play within the Australian horticulture industry and to provide them with the chance to learn from international growers and horticultural experts. The centrepiece of the tour was EIMA International in Bologna, Italy, which is one of the largest agricultural machinery exhibitions in Europe. The tour also featured visits to vegetable producers as well as members of the supply chain and technical experts. Participants were selected from a range of ages and geographical locations, covering all states except Queensland. Growers traveled from their home states to Bologna on 6 and 7 November 2012. The group was led by AUSVEG Assistant Manager – Marketing and Administration, Lauren Winterbottom. EIMA International Expo featured more than 1,700 exhibitors and attracted around 196,000 delegates from agricultural industries across the globe. Feedback on the tour was extremely positive with participants stating that it was a fantastic opportunity to learn from the international community whilst at the same time networking with other females from our domestic industry.