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The Australian Vegetable Industry Development Network operated for ten years between 1998-2008. The network enhancing communication and information flow between growers, researchers and other members of the vegetable industry and maximised the benefits of its investment in research and development. The network included Vegetable Industry Development Officers (IDOs), from each state. Their primary goal was to help bridge the gap between researchers and growers, and ensure maximum benefit is gained from the growers levies and Government contributions that fund R&D programs. They did this by working closely with growers to determine the industrys R&D priorities and passed this information on to researchers to ensure their future R&D work meets these priorities. The IDOs also played a major role in coordinating the extension of information from R&D programs, so that growers received the information they need in a timely and useful manner. In addition to regularly communicating with members of the vegetable industry, the IDOs maintained frequent contact with the 50+ IDOs in other horticultural industries throughout Australia. This allowed them to tap into the latest knowledge, ideas and technologies from all facets of the broader Australian horticulture industry, and then make this information available within the vegetable industry. The key objectives of the IDO network were:
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