Australia's horticulture growers are set to benefit from new grant funding, with Hort Innovation approved to receive eight grants totalling $1.2 million through the Australian Government's AgVet Access Grants program.
Hort Innovation's Regulatory Affairs & Crop Protection Manager, Claud Warren, expressed that the funding will accelerate responses to priority challenges across multiple industries.
"AgVet Grants help us respond more quickly to emerging pest and disease pressures. This support means growers can access the safe, effective tools they need to protect their crops and maintain productivity while continuing to deliver high‑quality Australian produce," said Mr Warren.
Importantly, Hort Innovation has secured $8.8 million in AgVet Grant funding over the past 10 years, enabling the organisation to deliver more crop protection solutions without relying solely on levy budgets - meaning more solutions for more growers, with limited impact to R&D funds.
AgVet Grants support efficacy, crop safety and residue trials required for minor use permit (MUP) and label extension registration submissions. Minor use permits provide short‑term permission to use chemicals in minor use situations where no relevant registered products or use patterns exist, while label extensions add new approved uses to product labels, creating a more permanent outcome for growers.
Cherry grower Bernard Hall has seen the real impact of these grants by being able to manage Botrytis fungi on his premium cherries.
"The impact of Botrytis on our cherries has the potential to cause severe losses. Through the access to minor use permits for Miravis Prime in 2020, we've been able to better manage this threat on our orchards - which is critical for protecting both our yields and the long‑term viability of our operation," said Mr Hall.
In 2025, pineapple growers gained access to a critical herbicide through AgVet funding to help manage Blue Billygoat weed - one of Queensland's most invasive weeds affecting pineapple production. Yeppoon-based grower John Cranny shared the impact this has had on the industry.
"For pineapple growers, Blue Billygoat weed is not something you can afford to ignore. Gaining access to the Hexazinone herbicide in 2025 was critical for keeping this highly invasive weed under control and helping growers maintain productive, commercially viable farms," said Mr Cranny.
As Bernard Hall and John Cranny's experiences show, AgVet Grants play a critical role in giving growers access to crop protection solutions that help safeguard the future of their farms. Together, this support strengthens the resilience, productivity and sustainability of Australia's horticulture industries.
