This past financial year, Hort Innovation invested more than $913,000 through the Blueberry Fund, $1.65 million through the Raspberry and Blackberry Fund, and $1.93 million through the Strawberry Fund with advice and participation from the industry to achieve meaningful outcomes for the berry sector.

Some highlights have been implementing the new Berry Advisory Mechanism, with Angela Atkinson at Berries Australia consulting with industry and supporting R&D proposal development with Hort Innovation.

In June 2024, the three berry advisory panels met for the first time, endorsing projects for agrichemical access, pest and disease management, and the upcoming February 2025 BerryQuest Conference in Hobart.

New projects launched include the five-year multi-industry berry trade development project and the first whole-of-berries marketing campaign, the Berry Basket.

Grower visits spanned northern Tasmania, New South Wales (Coffs Harbor), Victoria (Yarra Valley, and Queensland (Stanthorpe and the Glasshouse Mountains).

Key information about Berry Industry investments

• Download the 2024/25 Annual Investment Plan for blueberry here, raspberry and blackberry here, and strawberry here.
• Access your industry’s key investments through an easy-to-read fact sheet here.
• See how the inaugural Berry Basket marketing campaign performed here.

How to get involved with Hort Innovation

We encourage you to explore the ways you can stay close to what your levy is achieving throughout the year…

• Keep an eye out for our regular news updates. Stay across the latest research and development, trade and marketing advancements and resources through our monthly Growing Innovation newsletter and the quarterly Impact Update, along with invites to events, webinars and other opportunities.
• Become a member. Paying a levy doesn’t automatically make you a Hort Innovation member, but signing up is free at horticulture.com.au/membership. As well as providing the opportunity for voting rights at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting, Hort Innovation membership brings you closer to investment activities and results in your industry, and to the organisation as a whole.
• Visit the Hort Innovation website. The Hort Innovation website (horticulture.com.au) is a repository of information about our organisation’s activities, as well as detailed information about our investments.
• Engage with your industry communications and extension program. Hort Innovation invests in a range of industry-specific programs that are dedicated to bringing you the latest information and advice for growers, including news, outcomes and resources related to your levy investments. Get in touch with us at communications@horticulture.com.au to find out more about how you can sign up and keep informed.

As the berry industry’s dedicated Industry Service & Delivery Manager at Hort Innovation, Adrian encourages you to get in touch if you have any questions. He can be reached at adrian.englefield@horticulture.com.au or 0427 143 907.

As we look ahead, we are excited to continue investing in a prosperous and sustainable Australian horticulture industry, built on innovation and in partnership with the sector.