News

Parliamentary inquiry into food security launched

Beef Central, 26/10/2022

THE Australian Parliament’s Agriculture Committee has today commenced an inquiry into food security in Australia and is calling for submissions from interested stakeholders.

Committee Chair, Meryl Swanson, said that food security was a growing issue nationally and internationally, with population growth, war, weather and climate all posing risks to the availability and accessibility of food.

“While Australia was one of the most food secure nations in the world, recent events such as the pandemic and widespread floods have shown that we cannot take anything for granted,” Ms Swanson said.

“Input shortages and disruptions to the global supply chains that Australian producers depend on are likely to have a significant impact on the productivity and profitability of the sector. More importantly, these factors will have a direct impact on the cost of living for all Australians’, The Committee will examine ways to strengthen and safeguard food security in Australia. In particular, it will focus on local food production and the impact of supply chain distribution on the cost and availability of food.”

The Committee is also interested in exploring the impact of climate change on food production in Australia. Ms Swanson said that ‘while climate change poses a continual risk to farmers, the Committee is keen to see how agricultural producers are adapting and innovating in response to these climate challenges.’

Submissions to the inquiry will be open until 9 December 2022. Further information, including the Terms of Reference can be found on the Committee’s website.

Source: Meryl Swanson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Comments

  1. Val Dyer, 26/10/2022

    There is no issue in Australia regarding food security. What is this really about?

    We’d suggest the emphasis will be on the entire food supply chain, Val – not just the production of food itself. Remember the episodes of fresh meat and other perishable products running out in supermarkets during the depths of the COVID event, and 40pc of the US meat processing industry being lost due to COVID sickness and distancing. Problems in logistics and distribution can cause food shortages, as much as production of the food itself. Editor

  2. Peter Dunn, 26/10/2022

    As innocent, well-meaning and innocuous as this inquiry appears, we must all fervently hope that no farmer is beguiled by the spin. This is an exercise in promoting ‘adaption’ and ‘innovation’, which are code for compromise and yielding to environmental zealotry.
    The food industry must be a ‘no go’ area for environmentalists while ever there are other industries and activities which have failed to achieve environmental neutrality.
    Food security surpasses all other causes.
    If the Committee wants to “examine ways to safeguard and strengthen food security”, it must find that food production has to be considered sacrosanct in the light of current national and global pressures. If it does not, it’s terms of reference must be questioned.

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