The National Vegetable Extension Network (VegNET) project aims to build regional capacity of the vegetable industry by providing research and development (R&D) extension services, products, and communication to vegetable growers.

VegNET Victoria (South-East, West and Northern regions) is one of 10 regions within the national VegNET project and has been delivered by RM Consulting Group (RMCG) since 2016.

The key objectives of the VegNET project are to:

• Improve capability of levy payers to adopt best management practices and new innovations, arising from the improved extension of research outputs to address a geographically and culturally diverse vegetable industry
• Improve levy payer awareness and attribution of the vegetable levy investments.

This iteration of the VegNET Victoria project builds upon the services provided through the previous VegNET Victoria Phase 1 VG15048 (2016-19) and Phase 1 Extension VG18003 (2019-March 2020) investments. These projects provided extension services to Victoria’s south-eastern, western, and northern vegetable industry in areas related to farm productivity, resource use, business management, markets and consumers, and technology.

Phase 2 (this phase) operated from April 2020 to September 2021 and had an increased focus on grower and industry stakeholder engagement, as well as improved linkages between growers and researchers as part of its coinnovation model.