Vegetable benchmarking program will help farmers improve, says Hort Innovation

Hort Innovation has announced a five-year benchmarking program so growers can identify opportunities to upgrade their operations.

Agricultural consulting firms Planfarm and RMCG will lead the program and provide vegetable and onion growers with the ability to benchmark their business against national and regional benchmarking data.

Growers will be able to track their own performance against industry averages and "best-in-class' performance.

It's hoped the benchmarking will provide the catalyst for change and farm business growth.

Ausveg chief executive officer Michael Coote said the initiative would enhance the resilience of the vegetable industry by providing clear and effective measures of success.

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"Growers currently do not have access to holistic data which gives them meaningful insights into how they are performing in comparison with others," Mr Coote said.

"This initiative will give growers a mechanism to evaluate their business's performance compared to others based on their specific crop type and location.

"The data will also provide insights to the industry as a whole, so that we can identify areas to invest more heavily in to enhance our competitiveness and unlock a more prosperous future."

Benchmarking experts will work closely with growers to track production and map out opportunities for improvement in businesses.

Hort Innovation chief executive officer Brett Fifield said the program will build an unparalleled level of farm data to give growers more confidence to make changes and improvements within their operations.

"Providing aggregated national benchmarks will enhance the financial and business literacy of vegetable and onion growers across the country," he said.

Planfarm horticulture director Paul Omodei said the national program would build on the experience, expertise and momentum from previous Hort Innovation investments in which Planfarm was a central delivery partner.

"Six years of benchmarking work for the vegetable industry in Western Australia has provided us with key relationships and invaluable production data that form the foundation of this initiative," Mr Omodei said.

"The benefits of this in-depth consultative approach extend beyond individual growers and supports a more robust and resilient horticulture industry, equipping growers with a financially sophisticated level of understanding of their business."

"Access to a robust set of industry benchmarks brings clarity to decision-making across industry, including business owners, peak industry bodies, research and development organisations, and financial institutions."

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