Agriculture Victoria

What Agriculture Victoria does

Agriculture Victoria is a state government agency operating within the Victorian Government's Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), headquartered in Melbourne with a majority of its sites based in regional Victoria. The agency's core function is to regulate, support, and advance Victoria's agricultural sector, which encompasses approximately 29,000 farms producing over 22 million livestock, 62% of Australia's milk, and more than 40% of Australian lamb. It delivers this mandate through three integrated functions: (1) regulatory services including livestock identification via the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS), biosecurity management, food safety oversight, industrial hemp licensing, and animal welfare compliance; (2) scientific research through Agriculture Science and Technology, including world-leading medicinal cannabis genomics, RNA-based pest control research, dairy genetics analysis via DataGene, and custodianship of the Australian Grains Genebank holding 190,000+ seed accessions; and (3) direct farmer support through statewide networks (BetterBeef, BestWool/BestLamb, Rural Women's Network), grant programs (Trees on Farms, Farm Drought Support, On-Farm Emissions Action Plan), data analytics projects (Dairy and Livestock Farm Monitor), training programs (Animal Disease Investigation courses), and digital tools (Agriculture Victoria Connect portal, eLearning courses, podcasts).

The business model is government appropriations and grant administration, not commercial revenue generation. The agency is funded through Victorian Government budget allocations and supplemented by strategic partnerships with industry bodies — notably a $30M joint investment with GRDC, a $6M partnership with Meat & Livestock Australia, and $3.5M in mRNA Victoria grants. Services are provided at no cost or minimal regulatory fees (e.g., industrial hemp licensing at $500-$1,500 annually). The go-to-market approach is community-led and event-driven, combining direct field presence, peer-to-peer farmer networks, on-farm demonstrations, and digital self-service through the Connect portal. Customer segments include Victorian farmers and producers (primary), private livestock veterinarians, horticulture and pollination-dependent businesses, and beekeepers.

The agency's strategic positioning is reinforced by its regulatory monopoly, data assets, and specialized scientific talent. It supports Victoria's $22.1 billion food and fibre export industry (28% of Australia's national total, surpassing the $20B 2030 target six years early), with strategic moves focused on capability expansion in RNA technology, biosecurity preparedness (H5N1, Varroa mite, foot-and-mouth disease), climate adaptation, and digital transformation of the Australian Grains Genebank into a bio-digital resource centre.

Name

Agriculture Victoria

Legal name

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

Website

https://agriculture.vic.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Agriculture Victoria is a Victorian Government agency that regulates, supports, and conducts research for the state's agricultural sector, serving approximately 29,000 farmers and producers through biosecurity, scientific research, grant programs, and statewide farmer networks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Agricultural Services

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Farm Management Services (115116)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration (BPAIAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Capital Projects & Farm Expansion Advisory (Feasibility, Site Planning, ROI) (AFACAJAN)

Keywords

• Agricultural regulatory services
• Biosecurity management
• Livestock traceability systems
• Farm advisory services
• Agricultural research

Headquarters

HQ city

Bacchus Marsh

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government appropriations: Agriculture Victoria is a government agency within the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), funded through Victorian Government appropriations and budget allocations to support agricultural sector growth, protection, and development.
2. Grant administration: Administers various grant programs for landholders and producers including Trees on Farms grants up to $40,000, Farm Drought Support Grants, and other sector-specific funding programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Agriculture Victoria is the Victorian state government agency responsible for agricultural policy, regulation, research, biosecurity, and producer support. It administers statutory programs covering livestock identification, agricultural chemical use, animal welfare, and food safety, and delivers advisory, diagnostic, and network services to farmers and producers across Victoria. It also operates major research assets such as the Australian Grains Genebank and leads applied science programs in animal health, plant biosecurity, and medicinal cannabis.

Product overview

Agriculture Victoria is a government department providing a comprehensive suite of regulatory, information, and support services for the agricultural sector. The portfolio operates as a platform-plus-services model centered on Agriculture Victoria Connect—a business system for regulatory compliance—alongside sector-specific networks (BetterBeef Network, BestWool/BestLamb), data analytics programs (Livestock Farm Monitor Project, Dairy Farm Monitor Project), and traceability infrastructure (National Livestock Identification System). Supporting services include the Feeding Livestock Website for drought management, Australian Grains Genebank for plant genetic resources, Diagnostic Services for animal and crop health, eLearning courses, podcasts, and the Great Biosecurity Quest citizen science initiative. The department also administers various grants and funding programs including the Trees on Farms Program and manages Animal Welfare Victoria.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agriculture Victoria Connect Central online portal providing Victorian farmers, producers, and the public with access to agriculture-related tools, calculators, eLearning, podcasts, program information, and advisory resources.
• National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) National livestock traceability database and regulatory program that records livestock movements and identifies properties through Property Identification Codes (PICs), supporting biosecurity and market access for cattle, sheep, goats, and pig producers.
• BetterBeef Network Extension and benchmarking program for Victorian beef producers delivered through producer groups to share research, technical updates, and best practice.
• BestWool/BestLamb Producer group-based extension program for Victorian wool and prime lamb producers, providing seasonal technical updates and benchmarking.
• Dairy Farm Monitor Project Industry benchmarking project that collects physical and financial data from Victorian dairy farms and produces comparative reports for participating producers.
• Livestock Farm Monitor Project Benchmarking project for Victorian livestock producers that collects physical and financial data and produces comparative reports.
• Australian Grains Genebank National seed bank operated by Agriculture Victoria holding more than 190,000 seed accessions for research, breeding, and conservation of grain crop genetic material.
• Diagnostic Services Laboratory diagnostic testing services provided to veterinarians, producers, and researchers for animal health, plant health, and biosecurity investigations.
• Farm Management Tools and Calculators Online decision-support tools and calculators hosted through Agriculture Victoria Connect to assist producers with farm business, agronomy, and emissions planning.
• eLearning Courses Online training courses hosted on the Agriculture Victoria platform covering livestock, biosecurity, and farm management topics for producers and industry participants.
• On-Farm Emissions Action Plan Pilot Pilot program supporting Victorian farmers to develop on-farm emissions reduction action plans.
• Agriculture Victoria Podcasts Podcast series produced by Agriculture Victoria covering agricultural research, producer stories, and extension topics.
• Animal Welfare Victoria Animal welfare program that delivers regulatory oversight, education, and reporting services for livestock animal welfare in Victoria.
• Great Biosecurity Quest Biosecurity education program providing classroom resources and activities for students, teachers, and community participants.
• Feeding Livestock Website Online resource providing livestock feeding advice and decision-support information for Victorian producers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Victorian food and fibre exports reached record $22.1 billion in 2024-25, growing 10% from previous year and accounting for 28% of national total
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and Agriculture Victoria launched a $6 million partnership program to help Victorian livestock producers improve farm performance and profitability. The program directly engages around 1,600 producers with tools such as MyFeedback for carcase performance analysis, benchmarking for profitability drivers, and support through BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef networks, reaching a further 6,000 producers through broader adoption activities.
• mRNA VictoriacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Scientists at Agriculture Victoria lead two RNA-based research projects funded through mRNA Victoria's $3.5 million RNA in Agriculture Grant Program. One project ($1.77M) focuses on sustainable RNA-based pest control for grape phylloxera and carpophilus beetle, while a second project ($1.74M) develops mRNA treatments for dairy cow mastitis.
• Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner$30 million joint investment between GRDC and the State of Victoria through Agriculture Victoria for the Australian Grains Genebank Strategic Partnership. This partnership unlocks genetic potential of plant genetic resources through applied digital and genomic innovation, transforming the genebank into a future-oriented bio-digital resource centre.
• Victorian Varroa Transition ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded through the Victorian Varroa Transition Program, Agriculture Victoria appointed James Rowe as horticulture sector officer to support pollination-dependent businesses and beekeepers affected by Varroa mite. The role provides information, guidance, and resources to horticulture, cropping, and pasture industries.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• AgriFutures Australia: AgriFutures funds R&D for emerging and rural industries, with a thematic overlap with Agriculture Victoria's farm diversification, emerging industries, and producer engagement work.

Direct peers

• Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (WA): Western Australia's DPIRD combines agricultural R&D, biosecurity, and industry development functions for its state, mirroring Agriculture Victoria's mandate across a different geography.
• NSW Department of Primary Industries: NSW's primary industries agency delivers comparable agricultural research, biosecurity, regulatory, and farmer support services to another major Australian state, making it the closest structural peer to Agriculture Victoria.
• Meat & Livestock Australia: MLA is a core partner running the $6M producer program with Agriculture Victoria and delivers comparable research, marketing, and producer engagement services for the Australian red meat industry.
• Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Queensland): Queensland's DAF delivers state-level agriculture, fisheries, and forestry policy, science, and regulation, paralleling Agriculture Victoria's role for Victorian producers.
• Hort Innovation: Hort Innovation is the national R&D and marketing body for Australian horticulture, sharing Agriculture Victoria's mandate to support horticulture producers through research, extension, and biosecurity services.
• Grains Research and Development Corporation: GRDC co-invests $30M with Agriculture Victoria in the Australian Grains Genebank and funds grains R&D nationally, sharing a research-and-adoption mandate for Australian grain growers.
• Dairy Australia: Dairy Australia is the national industry body for dairy, operating R&D, extension, and marketing services that overlap with Agriculture Victoria's dairy monitoring, genetics, and biosecurity work.

Broad incumbents

• CSIRO: Australia's national science agency conducts agricultural and biosecurity research at national scale; Agriculture Victoria collaborates with CSIRO on science programs and is a comparable R&D performer in the same domain.
• Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia): Australia's federal agriculture department operates national policy, trade, and biosecurity functions that overlap with Agriculture Victoria's regulatory and market access work but at a broader, multi-state scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=Gh3l9na6Ebc&list=PLFDdaBaOVmBBZh4AXMPafs4ReWLIBJEWO
• Facebookfacebook.com/agriculture.vic.gov.au
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agriculture-victoria

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Agriculture Victoria