The NSW Government has unveiled an action plan to tackle the growing global problem of food security, Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said today. The Minister launched the plan, Research for Action – Productivity and Food Security, as part of a major food security forum held in Sydney today, featuring experts from science and industry. “Food security is one of the biggest issues facing our planet,” Mr Macdonald said. “Today’s event in Sydney brings together... ...Read more »

Australian farmers will be vital players in the drive to secure the world’s food supplies, Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said on World Food Day (Friday), while also stating his case for genetically modified food. World Food Day on 16 October each year marks the day the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations was founded in 1945. The day focuses attention on agricultural food production, heightens public awareness of the problem of... ...Read more »

The carbon and water footprints of Australia’s food and grocery manufacturing industry are being reduced to safeguard the nation’s long-term food supply, a new report by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has indicated. Released today to coincide with World Food Day, AFGC’s Towards Sustainability report highlights that leading food and grocery companies are committed to more sustainable production while maintaining the high quality of Australia’s food supply in... ...Read more »

Australian food producers need to be wary of complacency to ensure the ‘clean and green’ image widely used to market Australian food remains accurate, a leading Australian contaminant scientist has said. Marking International World Food Day on Oct 16, Managing Director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), Professor Ravi Naidu, said that, despite excellent food regulation and safeguards in Australia, we and others... ...Read more »

A new report highlighting that Australia’s food and grocery industry continues to grow despite the global financial crisis has been welcomed by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC). Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke released the findings on Friday in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Australian Food Statistics 2008 report. The report showed the industry supported 14,000 new jobs in 2007-08, with the strongest long-term growth in... ...Read more »

Water resources are not capable of making the northern regions of Australia the new food bowl of South-East Asia, according to a new study from the CSIRO. There has been great hope for northern Australia to become the new hub of agricultural activity in the nation as drought continues to hamper a number of leading agricultural regions in NSW, Victoria and South Australia. However, the CSIRO has dampened such plans with a new study showing this area to be “water limited” thanks to high... ...Read more »

The Federal Government is strengthening its push to lure more tourists to regional areas by promoting the fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, nuts and other produce for sale at the farm-gate.Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke launched an initial study in March, to look at what drives food tourism and how the industry could grow. After a strong industry response, the Bureau of Rural Sciences study will be expanded to investigate particular businesses and regions in more detail. Food... ...Read more »

The Australian Conservation Foundation’s (ACF) call for the Government to establish a sustainable agrifood strategy has added momentum to safeguarding Australia’s food security, according to the nation’s leading organisation representing food and grocery manufacturers. The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) said ACF’s “Paddock to Plate” sustainable food announcement yesterday echoed a similar policy call by the AFGC for the establishment of a National Food... ...Read more »

The Federal Government has announced funding of $6.4 million to help 15 regional businesses boost innovation in Australia’s food industry, for both domestic and export markets.Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the funding was under the first round of the Regional Food Producers Innovation and Productivity Program. The Government suggests the program will help support regional jobs and regional economies through new technology and productivity improvements. The... ...Read more »

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) today released the first quarter results for the Total Diet Study (TDS), discovering that the average diet presents no chemical residue food safety concerns. The five-yearly study tested more than 120 commonly eaten foods to estimate New Zealanders’ dietary exposure to chemical residues, contaminants and selected nutrients.Foods tested for the study are split into two groups – those from the regions and those available nationally. The first... ...Read more »