New grower-informed Horticulture Investment Roadmaps help focus investment where it matters most

A more prosperous and sustainable Australian horticulture industry starts with clear priorities and targeted action. Reflecting the grower and industry priorities that informed Strategy 2031, Hort Innovation's new Horticulture Investment Roadmaps provide a grower-informed framework for directing levy investments to the opportunities and challenges that matter most, helping ensure every dollar is invested where it can deliver the greatest value for growers and long-term benefit for Australian horticulture. 

Strengthening industry capability, improving farm productivity, generating domestic demand, enhancing biosecurity resilience and driving export growth have emerged as some of the highest priorities for future investment across Australian horticulture. 

Developed through input from more than 1,000 growers and industry stakeholders, the Horticulture Investment Roadmaps identify the priorities that matter most across 37 horticulture industries and provide a clear direction for future levy investments to support industry productivity, profitability and long-term growth. 

For the first time, growers can also see those priorities, alongside funded projects and levy investments, through a new digital Dashboard. 

Hort Innovation General Manager, Industry Service and Delivery Andrew Francey said: "These Roadmaps put growers at the centre of future investment decisions, providing a clear and responsive framework for directing levy investments to the opportunities and challenges that matter most across Australian horticulture.” 

"Growers have set these priorities. They have told us where investment can make the greatest difference, whether that's lifting productivity, building capability, strengthening biosecurity or unlocking new market opportunities." 

"For the first time, growers can see the direct connection between the priorities they've identified, the projects being funded and the investments helping shape the future of their industry." 

The new Investment Roadmaps also introduce a more responsive approach to investment planning, with priorities reviewed annually to ensure they continue to reflect changing industry conditions, emerging opportunities and grower needs. 

To support this new approach, Hort Innovation has launched a digital Horticulture Investment Roadmap Dashboard, making it easier for growers and industry to access information about industry priorities, funded projects and levy investments in one place. 

Through the Dashboard, growers can explore the priorities identified by their industry, view current research, development and marketing investments, and see how funded projects align with agreed industry priorities. The Dashboard also provides greater visibility across horticulture, helping show shared industry challenges and opportunities for cross-industry collaboration.

Together, the Horticulture Investment Roadmaps and Dashboard provide a more transparent and responsive approach to investment planning, helping ensure levy investments remain aligned to industry priorities and focused on delivering productivity, profitability and long-term growth for Australian horticulture.

From September 30, 2026, growers and industry stakeholders will be able to access the Dashboard via the Hort Innovation website:

• To view the Investment Roadmap Dashboard, visit here.
• To learn more about using the Dashboard watch the ‘how-to’ videos here.
• To hear what growers are saying, go here.