Risk assessment of antimicrobial resistance in the vegetable industry

AMR is now recognised globally, including in Australia, as a threat to food security and public health. In agriculture, it reduces the effectiveness of disease control, affects productivity, and can disrupt trade. AMR also includes the contamination of fresh produce with antibiotic resistant microorganisms that can cause human disease. These resistant microorganisms can enter the supply chain at any point from field to retail shelf and are particularly concerning in ready-to-eat vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, and leafy greens.

Over the next year, the project team will consult with growers, agronomists, packers, and processors to gather insights and co-design practical, science-based recommendations, with the ultimate goal of helping growers address the financial, agronomic, and reputational risks associated with AMR, while building resilience and sustainability across the sector.

To effectively respond to this challenge, we must first understand where resistance is already occurring and how it is emerging within different production systems.

The project aims to map AMR risks across the vegetable supply chain. It will identify critical control points where targeted interventions can be most effective in underpinning grower incomes and reputations. These may include chemical stewardship programs, enhanced hygiene protocols, and smarter product rotations to prolong the efficacy of current treatments.

The economic impacts of AMR can be felt at multiple levels: individual growers, local regions, the national economy, and international markets. Gaining an understanding of where AMR can develop in the production cycle will help growers reduce the financial, agronomic, and reputational risks associated with AMR and build flexibility and reliability across the sector.

This project is jointly funded by Hort Innovation and SAAFE CRC and is undertaken in partnership with AUSVEG, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), the University of South Australia/Adelaide University, the University of Queensland, and Curtin University.

This project (VG23004) is funded by Hort Innovation using vegetable research and development levies, with contributions from the Australian Government and the Cooperative Research Centre for Solving Antimicrobial Resistance in Agribusiness, Food, and Environments (SAAFE^CRC). Hort Innovation is a grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.