Food plate targets paddock to plate

The Food Plan was unveiled by Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig at the Brisbane Markets fresh food markets in Rocklea last month, generating mixed reaction from key industry groups and the Federal Opposition.

One of its key elements is a $28.5 million Asian Food Markets Research Fund that’s designed to improve market opportunities for Australian producers and exporters into growing Asian food markets.

The Fund will comprise $19.7 million in grants and other money to fund key research and development projects.

he research includes, What Asia Wants, to identify food product requirements in the market and, Moving Food, to analyse necessary infrastructure support requirements.

Another $5.6 million will be invested in expanding Australian market access liaison officers across the Asian region, to improve and strengthen trading relations.

Another $2 million will help develop an Australian food brand and $3 million for increasing community education about food and expanding agricultural career opportunities.

Federal Trade Minister Craig Emerson praised the funding support to bolster Australian representation in Asian markets to provide regular and direct access to agricultural advocacy.

“Growth in Asia presents Australia and our food industry with huge opportunities,” Dr Emerson said.

“Asia’s expanding middle class wants high-quality food from clean, green suppliers, and Australia is in a perfect position to meet that demand.”

The Plan’s key goal is to increase Australia’s agriculture and food-related exports by 45 per cent by 2025.

It also builds on the Australian Government’s objectives outlined in its Asian Century White Paper.

A Productivity Commission review will also identify priority areas for reforming food supply chain regulation.

Minister Ludwig said his Food Plan would bring together various Commonwealth policies into a single national approach.

The Plan is one of Labor’s key election promises from 2010 for the agricultural sector he promised to deliver ahead of this year’s election.

“It’s about sustainability, it’s about growing markets, it’s about access to export markets, it’s about ensuring that people within the industry stay profitable all of that comes together in the Food Plan,” he said.

“If you look at food more broadly, right through from paddock to plate it’s a very long supply chain, with many different elements.

“What we want to make sure of is that the area from the paddock to plate line is as smooth as we can.

“We want to make sure that we’re right there, to be able to supply good quality fresh fruit and vegetables and meat and sugar and wheat all into those markets.

“It’s about ensuring how we grow this industry, about how we don’t add drag to the industry, how we find new opportunities for this industry and develop the people within the industry.”

Shadow Agriculture Minister John Cobb said the Plan recognised the farm sector’s concerns but ignored the critical importance of industry profitability.

He said the Gillard Government had undermined the farm sector’s profitability by introducing the world's biggest Carbon Tax and its “kneejerk” ban of live cattle exports to Indonesia.

“This latest con job conveniently ignores that agriculture is being strangled by regulation,” he said.

“Labor has latched onto the Asian Century for agriculture in words only, as everything the Gillard government does undermines our farm opportunities in Asia.”

The National Farmers Federation (NFF) said the government’s roadmap for the industry’s future also needed to connect with its strategic plan - the Blueprint for Australian Agriculture released in January.

However, NFF President Duncan Fraser praised the government’s Food Plan saying it responds to many challenges set for the Government by the NFF.

He said the NFF asked the Government to ensure; work beyond the farm gate to improve market opportunities for farmers; investment into technical capacity to build strong relationships with key markets; competitiveness and benchmarking tools to drive increased supply chain productivity; and government to work with the sector to improve consumers’ understanding and perception of agriculture.

“We are pleased to see today that the Government has listened,” he said.

“This is a great outcome for Australian farmers, the NFF and agriculture in general and we look forward to working with both current and future governments on the implementation of the Food Plan.”