The Australian Food and Grocery Council said today that commitments by both of the major political parties to reforming anti-dumping laws in Australia will benefit Australia’s food manufacturers. Dumping occurs when goods are imported into the domestic market at below production cost or through unlawful subsidies from other foreign governments. The AFGC said that smaller Australian food manufacturers are hit hard by these practices. Yesterday, the Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott launched... ...Read more »

The “2020: Industry at a Crossroads” report, launched today at Australian Food and Grocery Council’s Industry Leaders’ Forum in Canberra forecasts severe job losses and continuing loss of competition in the food and grocery manufacturing sector by 2020. “Industry turn-over is forecast to decline by 0.2 per cent per annum over the coming decade from $108 billion to between $105 billion and $106 billion in 2020. Over that same period, retail demand is due to grow at 3.7 per cent per annum... ...Read more »

Australia’s peak farming industry body, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and multinational Australian-based Westpac bank have launched plans for a Blueprint for Australian Agriculture. The blueprint will allow Australia’s food producers to help map Australia’s role in global food production over the next 40 years. Launching the Blueprint at Parliament House, Canberra, NFF President Jock Laurie said, “This initiative provides the opportunity for industry stakeholders to highlight... ...Read more »

Consumer advocacy group CHOICE claims unpackaged meat products sold in Australia should be subject to the same country of origin labelling requirements as other food products. Currently, the only unpackaged meat products that require country of origin labelling under the Australian Food Standards Code are pork and seafood. CHOICE wants mandatory labelling extended to unpackaged beef, sheep and chicken meat in accordance with a proposal by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). FSANZ’s Proposal... ...Read more »

New research by Professor Boyd Swinburn and Gary Sacks, with the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Obesity at Deakin University, Melbourne, has found that global obesity rates began to rise in the 1970s, and that by 2008 an estimated 1.46 billion adults were overweight while a further 502 million were obese. The research paper concludes that the changes needed are likely to require many sustained interventions at several levels, but that national governments should take the lead. Professor... ...Read more »

The federal government has established a new working group to advise on the challenges and policies impacting on the future of Australia’s food supply and agriculture industry. The National Food Policy Working Group is being launched today, and will be made up of supermarket giants, farmers, service providers and leading scientists. Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said he wanted Australia to adopt the same “strategic approach to food manufacturing” that has been taken with... ...Read more »

With only a month until the federal election, peak horticulture body Growcom today called for the major parties to outline their agricultural policies. Chief Executive Officer Alex Livingstone said it was pleasing to see that in recent weeks both major parties had “made the right noises” in accepting the need for a ‘sustainable Australia’ rather than just a ‘big Australia’, whichever side of the population debate they are on. “The Minister for Agriculture and for... ...Read more »

Peak horticulture body Growcom welcomed confirmation by the Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke at the Rural Press Club’s Post-Budget breakfast of some progress on national biosecurity reform and of a fresh approach to national drought policy. Growcom Chairman John Bishop said he welcomed the Minister’s commitment to the continuation of reforms to national biosecurity policy and the announcement of an additional $20 million in the budget to enhance biosecurity operations within AQIS. Mr... ...Read more »

The Federal Government’s commitment to spend $900,000 over three years to make foods healthier in Australia has been applauded by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) today. In this week’s Budget, the Government committed new funding to the Food and Health Dialogue to develop a rationale for food reformulation – which includes reducing salt, fat and increasing fibre in foods for all Australians. Under the Dialogue, leading food manufacturers are working to improve the... ...Read more »

Ministers responsible for food regulation in Australia and New Zealand met in Melbourne last week where they finalised a draft Intergovernmental Agreement that will assist Australian consumers and industry to understand food regulation in Australia.Chaired by the Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Mark Butler, members of the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council discussed the various components of the Agreement which is designed to provide nationally consistent... ...Read more »