Horticulture is targeting new technologies that can make it easier for growers to trace their produce along the supply chain to support maximum food safety and quality and support sustainability claims.
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Backed by a $471,000 grant from the Australian Government, the initiative is being led by Hort Innovation in partnership with key players including Freshcare and Fresh Markets Australia.
Hort Innovation chief executive officer Brett Fifield said the RegTech grants aim to help businesses and exporters meet regulatory requirements more efficiently, giving Australian agriculture a trade advantage.
"Australia is a world-leader when it comes to having trustworthy processes and systems in place, but this funding gives us the opportunity see what else is out there and identify technology that can both bolster our traceability systems, while also reducing costs for growers," Mr Fifield said.
Freshcare chief executive officer Jane Siebum said the project would help identify 'regulatory technology' solutions that increased efficiency for growers and our industry as a whole.
"The solutions identified through this work will be made available to the whole sector, so that, together, we can future proof Australia's horticulture industry," Ms Siebum said.
National Farmers Federation Horticulture Council executive officer Richard Shannon said the announcement marked the start of a collaborative approach to remove unnecessary red tape and also bolster the way product claims were traced throughout the supply chain.
"It is great to see key players within the horticulture industry join forces in an effort to reduce duplication for growers and increase efficiency," Mr Shannon said.
This month, the Australian Government announced $6 million in funding for innovative solutions through the Regulatory Technology Research and Insights Grant Round of the National Agriculture Traceability Grants Program.
