Supported by the Australian Government, through the National Landcare Program - Sustainable Industries Initiative, it commenced in April 2005 and will be funded over two years, becoming a major component of Horticulture for Tomorrow.

The Strategy has been developed for horticultural industries through broad consultation and is a “collective” strategy – designed to be delivered by industries individually and collectively.

It will help to coordinate the many good environmental initiatives occurring within horticulture and show people external to the industry how horticulture is meeting the challenges of natural resource management. The strategy will help industry to manage the environmental debate as it affects horticulture.

The Research and Development Corporations (RDCs) NRM Working Group was established in 2004 to improve analysis, reporting and communication of NRM R&D and the practical benefits it delivers to governments and the wider community.

Rural RDCs collectively invested $78.5 million during 2004/05 to tackle NRM issues. This million is a significant proportion of Australia’s total NRM research and represents more than 20% of the RDCs’ research investment. Reporting of this investment is ongoing.