Government releases National Food Plan green paper


Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Joe Ludwig yesterday released the National Food Plan green paper for public consultation. This paper’s key outcome is to ensure Australia has:

a sustainable, globally competitive, resilient food supply, supporting access to nutritious and affordable food.

To achieve this outcome the Australian Government intends to focus its efforts on seven objectives:

  1. Support the global competitiveness and productivity growth of the food supply chain, including through research, science and innovation.
  2. Reduce barriers food businesses face in accessing international and domestic
    markets.
  3. Contribute to economic prosperity, employment and community wellbeing in
    regional Australia.
  4. Identify and mitigate potential risks to Australia’s food security.
  5. Maintain and improve the natural resource base underpinning food production in
    Australia.
  6. Reduce barriers to a safe and nutritious food supply that responds to the evolving
    preferences and needs of all Australians and supports population health.
  7. Contribute to global food security.

The government is seeking public feedback on options to further improve innovation across the food supply chain, which could include:

  • increasing public funding of rural R&D over the next 10 years
  • improving the rural R&D model to enhance its effectiveness and efficiency
  • increasing innovation in the food manufacturing sector through improved collaboration
  • developing a national strategy on modern biotechnology in agriculture (including genetically modified crops)

View the green paper PDF or visit their website for more information.