The national industry development program had operated and been managed by Industry Development Officers (IDO) based in each state of Australia. The Western Australian program had successfully delivered on industry development issues for 10 years across two five year projects. The role was to assess growers’ needs in order to facilitate industry driven research projects, manage industry development imperatives and to disseminate the resultant research information to all stakeholders.

The IDO project in Western Australia (WA) had:

• Facilitated the establishment of a communication network to link growers, grower groups, private Research and Development (R&D) providers, agronomists, field officers, Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA), and other research agencies within WA,
• Created a link and cooperative research and development arrangements with the Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA),
• Initiated research projects to address industry development issues and opportunities for growers and industry through various state and national funding bodies,
• Developed linkages between government from local, departmental and state and the industry to strategically manage industry issues and development,
• Expanded a comprehensive database through a process of consultation and review with stakeholders in the Western Australian vegetable industry to include vegetable growers, details of their crops and production, staff levels, industry stakeholders and,
• Provided communication and extension opportunities for further industry development and exchange of information throughout the supply chain.

Two independent reviews of the WA IDO project indicated a broad understanding of the vegetable levy and how it worked for growers. Respondents expressed an appreciation of the IDO’s role as an organised independent and universal point of contact and communication across the breadth of the industry.

The second stage of the WA IDO program in 2004 created the opportunity to build on the existing framework and knowledge base. This provided the impetus to identify new directions in the vegetable industry and engendered a view of the vegetable industry as responsible and proactive across a range of issues vital to the sustainability and efficiency of the vegetable industry in Western Australia. The continuity of the position also facilitated the understanding of the way the vegetable levy worked for growers and stakeholders in the industry. It had also been advantageous to create a sense of cohesiveness in an industry that was based on self-reliance and driven by supply and demand.

Underpinning the above was the development of a comprehensive communication network that continued to expand with the industry. This was crucial to the development of the Australian vegetable industry’s vision of an industry that was cohesive, market focused, a producer of quality produce, profitable, environmentally responsible, and positioned as a serious competitor in the global food industry.

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