Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL) is the national research, development and marketing organisation that works in partnership with the horticulture sector, through the Peak Industry Bodies, to invest in programs that provide benefit to Australian horticulture industries (see Table 1 for HAL’s member industries).

Due to the complexity of the horticultural industries and their geographical locations, HAL manages a dynamic range of industries that all fall within ‘horticulture’ and a diversity of topics including consumer marketing, market research, supply chain management, export marketing, market access, quality assurance, food safety, skills development, industry communication, biosecurity, biotechnology, breeding, plant health, crop protection, irrigation and sustainable practices.

Table 1: HAL’s member industries 
See HAL website for explanation of ‘A’ and ‘B’ Class members

HAL strongly supports the Government priorities for research and development (R&D) and key elements of the HAL Strategic Business Plan are aligned with Government R&D priorities.

HAL is managing the Horticulture for Tomorrow program on behalf of industry through the HAL Environment Portfolio.

Horticulture for Tomorrow is one of a number of national environmental programs being managed by HAL on behalf of industry.

A key objective of Horticulture for Tomorrow was to ensure that the program integrates with existing environmental programs to reduce duplication. Consequently, the first step in the development of the program included a scoping study of existing environmental programs.

The HAL Environment Portfolio integrates not only the Horticulture for Tomorrow program, but a number of other national scale environmental activities for the horticulture industry. The key initiatives are:

• Horticulture Water Initiative
• National Recycled Water Coordination
• Climate change and variability – managing climate change for horticulture
• Vegetable Soil Management Program 2007-2012
• National Program for Sustainable Irrigation

The HAL Natural Resources & Climate Manager is responsible for the delivery of environmental activities and programs through the HAL Environment Portfolio.