December 7th, 2025New plant protein hub

The future of agriculture is moving ahead with a new Plant Protein Hub and glasshouse at Agriculture Victoria’s Horsham SmartFarm.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence announced that the hub is operational following a $12 million investment – $9 million for the hub and $3 million for the glasshouse.

The Plant Protein Hub provides collaborative spaces for start-ups, researchers and growers, alongside a fully equipped test kitchen, advanced analytical equipment and facilities to explore new plant-based products.

The cutting-edge facilities will help researchers and industry partners discover and develop high-protein crop varieties that are tailored to meet growing global demand for plant-based foods such as lentils, chickpeas and field peas.

The hub is already a leading centre for innovation, with PhD students working alongside industry and researchers. It has capacity for up to 10 PhD students and three start-ups, and Agriculture Victoria is collaborating with industry to shape future research opportunities.

Construction of the hub created dozens of jobs across trades, suppliers, professional and technical services. Moving forward, it will continue to create opportunities in research, education and industry collaboration.

Students from primary school through to post-graduate level in the region will benefit from hands-on learning in a dedicated education space, creating pathways for future careers in agriculture.

The new glasshouse will accelerate crop research, improve pest and disease management and boost climate resilience – helping farmers adapt to changing conditions and maintain productivity.

Western Victoria is already a leader in growing crops for plant-based protein products. Victoria’s pulse industry generated $638 million in export income last year, and Australia exports around 2.5 million tonnes of pulses annually, making it the second-largest pulse exporter in the world.