What is the vegetable levy?

The grower-raised statutory vegetable R&D levy is set at 0.485 per cent of the sale value.

This levy is collected by the Australian Government and then entrusted to Hort Innovation. It is then Hort Innovation’s responsibility to work with industry to invest the levy together with Australian Government funds into strategic R&D initiatives.

You can find full details on the levy rate, plus information on how to lodge a return and make a payment with the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, on the government website here.

Where do investment ideas come from?

Great investments start with great ideas, and Hort Innovation encourages all growers and other industry participants to share their thoughts and suggestions for the work they want to see.

Ideas can be submitted any time via Hort Innovation’s investment idea form.

How are levy decisions made?

Investments specific to the Hort Innovation vegetable Fund are guided by the industry’s Strategic Investment Plan (SIP). The SIP was developed through close consultation with growers and other industry stakeholders, and outlines key industry priorities for investment.

The SIP document is used like a ‘roadmap’ by the vegetable Strategic Investment Advisory Panels (SIAPs), which are two panels made up of growers and other industry representatives that have a key role to play in the investment process.

The SIAPs discus investment ideas at consultation meetings, with the SIP guiding them, in order to provide advice to Hort Innovation on potential levy investments. Details of the SIAP panellists and summaries of the SIAPs’ meetings can be found further down this page.

What happens next?

The SIAPs’ advice is used by Hort Innovation to work suitable ideas into project proposals. The proposals are then made public for potential delivery partners to submit responses. Current opportunities are always listed on the Partnership opportunities page, in the delivery partners section of this website.

At the end of the process the responses are assessed, often with the assistance of industry, and the best delivery partner for the work is chosen. A contract is then issued and the work begins.

How can I keep track of investments?

Investments in the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund are detailed in the Your investments page of this Vegetable Fund section of Hort Innovation’s website. Resources that are produced by the projects – such as fact sheets and guides – are also available through the Research reports and more page.

Hort Innovation also sends alerts about project updates to its members. Paying a levy doesn’t automatically make you a Hort Innovation member, but signing up is free here.

The levy-funded communications program, run through the investment National vegetable industry communications program (VG18000), also provides regular information on levy-funded activity.

Financial documents