MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Supporting grain crop research in the plant-based protein market, the Victoria, Australia, state government announced May 9 that it will provide A$12 million (US$8.35 million) to the Grains Innovation Precinct at Horsham SmartFarm to build a state-of-the-art glasshouse and incubation hub.

The new glasshouse will help to advance research and innovation in plant varieties that are climate resilient, have higher protein content and support the growing demand for plant-based foods, including those made from lentils, chickpeas, field peas and almonds.

The glasshouse also will support innovation at a new Science and Business Incubation Hub, where Agriculture Victoria, entrepreneurs and industry can collaborate and explore product opportunities for plant-based proteins.

The SmartFarm is already home to two new glasshouses that recently were completed with an additional A$10 million co-investment partnership with the Grains Research & Development Corp. The project replaced six 50-year-old glasshouses with world-class facilities to accelerate the delivery of more profitable lentil and field pea varieties for Victorian growers.