National conservation group says Australia's food system is in need of an urgent reset

The Australian Conservation Foundation has welcomed the release of the federal government’s National Food Security Strategy discussion paper as a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and renewed calls to deliver a food system that works for nature, consumers and farmers.

The announcement by Agriculture Minister Julie Collins, is part of the government’s election promise to develop Feeding Australia: a national food security strategy, and follows a CSIRO report that revealed the hidden environmental and health costs of Australia’s broken food system could be as high as $274 billion. 

Nathaniel Pelle, ACF’s business and nature lead, said Australia’s food system is in need of an urgent reset.

“The food system we currently have is delivering healthy profits for supermarkets and chemical companies, but it doesn't work for farmers, consumers, or the planet.”  

“Any national strategy must ensure that all Australians, including future Australians, have access to nutritious food they can afford, and to achieve that the food system must operate within environmental limits,” Mr Pelle said. 

“Every sector of the economy is dependent on nature to varying degrees, but no industry is more directly reliant on nature being in good health than agriculture.” 

“Farmers manage more than half of the Australian land mass, meaning no one has a bigger opportunity to protect and restore nature, and we should reward those farmers that protect nature, because we all benefit.” 

“Business as usual is not sustainable. We have cleared half of the country’s forest and woodland, and redirected whole rivers, to grow and export agricultural commodities, and the degradation that has resulted is, along with climate change, the biggest threat to food security.” 

“Minister Collins should be applauded for committing to a whole food system, and a whole of government approach, as the success of the food system relies on much more than how many tonnes of beef or wheat we can produce each year.” 

“Australian consumers, health experts and scientists, should have as much say in the food system as big players in the beef and grains industry. They must be given a seat at the table ahead of vested interests who are chasing bigger export volumes, lower environmental standards, or more opportunities to sell chemicals and fertilizers ”