What was it all about?

This project helped drive the development and adoption of new practices, technologies and cultivars across the Australian processing tomato industry. Over five years, it connected growers, processors and advisers with research, on-farm trials, benchmarking information and peer-to-peer learning opportunities designed to improve industry capability, profitability and sustainability.  

The project combined an Industry Development Manager role with annual cultivar and on-farm trials, field days, industry forums, seed representative trial days and industry surveys. Key outputs included quarterly Tomato Topics newsletters, annual grower magazines and a range of extension activities that shared research findings and practical growing information with industry.  

Processing tomato growers operate in a highly competitive and evolving industry and need access to reliable research, practical demonstrations and industry information to support decision-making. Activities focused on priorities such as cultivar performance, irrigation efficiency, soil and disease management, biosecurity, seed security and emerging technologies.  

Cultivar trials supported commercial decision-making and adoption of newly developed varieties, while extension activities helped growers apply research findings within their own businesses. Together, the project's trials, publications, events and communications connected growers with practical information and industry knowledge.