This paper will report on a project aimed at increasing the use of sustainable practices in horticulture, incorporating biophysical, social and extension science perspectives. The initial aim of the project was to understand the barriers to adoption of sustainable practices in the horticultural industry in Victoria. Interviews were conducted with a range of vegetable growers and service providers. The interviews explored the external factors which impact on growers and which help shape their particular production practices.

One strong theme from the interviews was the dominance of the individual consultant model of extension in the vegetable industry in Victoria. This is a less well understood model than most other models of extension, and has significant implications for the project. The second theme of relevance to this paper was some of the issues relating to the complexities of integrating science and extension. While significant research has been conducted relating to sustainable practices in horticulture, the interviews highlighted the barriers that exist to the integration of this science into practice. Growers specifically mentioned having access to timely information as a problem; the project has also identified a lack of synthesis of information and a lack of trust in the quality and sources of information as possible barriers. This paper will discuss the findings from the interviews, and the implications of those findings for the project.

Three key learnings: (1) Social and extension science perspectives are important in “delving below the surface”; (2) Lack of trust between growers and government appears to limit the success of traditional extension models in the vegetable industry; (3) The individual consultant model of extension is dominant in the Victorian Vegetable industry, but is a less well understood model.