National Sustainable Food Summit Conference Report

CONFERENCE REPORT
Securing Australia’s future through integrated
and adaptive approaches to sustainable food

The urgent need to give priority attention to food production, whilst
maintaining the quality of the resource base from which it is produced,
is perhaps one of the greatest scientific challenges ahead and
certainly one that has apparently slipped from our gaze.”

– Dr John Williams, Commissioner, Natural Resources Commission, NSW
and Founding Member, Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists

National Sustainable Food Summit Conference Report 2011 2

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION 4
About the summit 4
Acknowledgement 4
About this report 5

AUSTRALIA’S SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM IN 2030 6

THE CURRENT FOOD SYSTEM: CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS 7
The case for change 7
Future constraints 9

OPPORTUNITIES: AUSTRALIA’S ROLE IN A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM 10
Ideas and recommendations 11

HOT TOPICS: FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION 14

WHAT’S NEXT? COLLABORATION, INNOVATION, ACTION 15

FURTHER READING 16

APPENDIX 1: Break out groups summary 17

APPENDIX 2: List of organisations present at the Summit 19


INTRODUCTION
Food. It sustains us. It nourishes us. It defines us and binds us together socially and culturally.

But can Australians assume we will always have enough of the right food, and how much will be produced locally? With
some Australians already going hungry, without the means to buy food, are we already showing signs of inequitable
access to affordable, nutritious food? Can we assume Australia’s food production system is resilient in the face of
compounding future challenges, including population growth, resource limits, land degradation and climate change?
How is Australia ensuring its food security, now and into the future? And what is the impact of our food production, in
terms of the land and in terms of our environment?

Over three hundred delegates including primary producers and members of the business, government, education,
public health, community and not-for-profit sectors attended the inaugural National Sustainable Food Summit in Mel-
bourne on April 5 & 6, 2011. The goal was to share ideas that could inform a vision for Australia’s food system in 2030;
to examine the challenges and constraints of the current food system, and explore opportunities for change that would
support a transformation to a resilient, adaptable and sustainable food system.

Designing a vision for the future allowed delegates to explore the types of capabilities – values, assumptions, business
models, economies, technologies, skills and behaviours – that would support a new system. By putting themselves in
the future space, delegates were asked to stretch beyond current vested interests to shape a more sustainable food
system that would provide for the world’s growing population and future populations, recognise the limitations of a
finite planet and adapt to a changing climate.

Recommendations that support the transition to this new system, as well as areas of contention and further explora-
tion, are listed further in the report (see pages 11-14). However, it was clear based on discussions and suggestions put
forward during both the plenary sessions and group workshops that a shared vision did emerge: one which, despite
the divergent backgrounds, occupations and interests of the attendees, is defined by the core values of respect for
planet, people and produce (see page 6).

About the summit
The National Sustainable Food Summit was organised by the 3 Pillars Network. 3 Pillars Network is an independent
membership and knowledge network for sustainability in Australia. Members represent business, government, inves-
tors and not-for-profits. 3 Pillars Network addresses vital sustainability issues by sharing knowledge and opinion from
stakeholders across multiple sectors with a systemic and inclusive approach. 3 Pillars aspires to set the agenda for
sustainability issues including food security, climate adaptation and resilience, behavioural change for sustainability
and social impact investment and measurement.

3 Pillars aspires to set the agenda for sustainability issues including food security, climate adaptation and resilience,
behavioural change for sustainability and social impact investment and measurement

Acknowledgements
The Summit could not have been possible without the support of Meat & Livestock Australia, the Australian Food and
Grocery Council, Sustainability Victoria, WWF and Net Balance, a strategic partner of 3 Pillars Network.

Liam Egerton and Michael McAllum, Directors from the Global Foresight Network, also played a key role in shaping the
design of the Summit, as did the chair and emcee Ian Porter, CEO of the Alternative Technology Association.

The strategic foresight approach was used to assist with program design. Opportunities for interaction, collaboration
and discussion were given high priority. Participants were encouraged to think beyond widely-held assumptions, linear
solutions and transactional thinking to explore transformation, systems, cycles, innovation and alternative beliefs.

Day One of the Summit focused on the challenges and constraints of the current food system, while Day Two explored
the opportunities, challenges and constraints of the food system of 2030.


The strategic foresight approach is designed to plan for risk, leverage new opportunities and capabilities and avoid
the “action driven by crisis” model. “We leap off the current system, and jump onto the curve of the new system. That’s
what really underpins the strategic foresight approach,” said Liam Egerton, Global Foresight Network.

3. anticipation
2. feedback

1. radar

focus 4. design

5. change

time

For more information about strategic foresight, download Michael McAllum’s presentation or
visit www.globalforesight.com.au

About this report
This report provides a record for Summit delegates, as well as a reference for those that could not attend. It is hoped it
will be used as a catalyst for further discussion and may also be a useful input into the Federal Government’s National
Food Plan or other policy discussions. Madeleine Brennan, Principal, Madeleine Write & Co, was commissioned by the
3 Pillars Network to write the report.

This report presents summaries of the key themes and discussions of the summit. It aims to provide a record of the
plenary and breakout sessions. However, it does not – and could not – capture it all, nor does it represent an endorsed
view of the proceedings by any of the delegates or the 3 Pillars Network. The vision for the food system of 2030 future
is based on key themes and discussion points from the Summit, but should not be seen as an endorsed vision of all
participants.

Statistics have been cited. Web links to relevant presentations or other sources are embedded within the document.

Full audio and visual records of presentations are available at www.3pillarsnetwork.com.au

Our collective stories – the indigenous, the immigrant, the farmers,
the arts and sciences – form our wellspring for developing what we
need: a new narrative that empowers the transformation that we’re
going to undertake.”

– Michael Raupach, Chair, Prime Minister’s Science, Innovation and Engineering
Council And Member the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists


AUSTRALIA’S SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM IN 2030 SHOULD:

Value equity
· Provide our population with equitable access to affordable, nutritious food
· Be an exporter of high-quality, sustainably produced food and knowledge

Value efficiency
· Consider food security in relation to all government policy and planning
· Support locally-grown food production and distribution in order to minimise economic and environmental
cost

Value resilience and adaptability
· Be a resilient system that can recover from disturbances and shocks, adapt by learning and undergo
transformation when necessary

Value ecology
· Include the environmental and social cost in food production and supply
· Create minimal, or zero waste
· Minimise the use of high-polluting, fossil-fuel based technologies
· Support ecological systems to ensure the ongoing viability of food production for future generations

Value produce and producers
· Support local farmers, producers and manufacturers to deliver high-quality, nutritious food to Australian
and international customers through: adequate funding of research and development; policy settings that
promote a fair price across the supply chain; a regulatory environment that fosters innovation
· Connect people to each other and to food through increased participation in food production, in cities and
in regional areas

Value information and knowledge
· Empower citizens to make informed choices about the food they eat by providing independent information
· Promote knowledge of food production and its impacts to citizens
· Be a leader in research, development and extension through multi-disciplinary approaches to food security
· Be a world leader and teacher in sustainable food production and technologies.

When we think about the future of food, we are talking about the future
of society. Because food is part of what we are socially and culturally,
it’s not just some sort of economic abstract.”

– Michael McAllum, Director, Global Foresight Network

We must enlist the food processing industry, the supermarkets, the
cookbook writers and nutritionists, the TV chefs and restaurants and
the health departments to promote the same universal messages: Eat
well but eat less. Eat more vegetables and less energy-intensive foods.
Choose foods that spare our soils and water. Be happy to pay more for
such good food, so our farmers can protect the precious resources and
environment that produce it.”
– Julian Cribb, Author, ‘The Coming Famine’


THE CURRENT FOOD SYSTEM: CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS

Make no mistake. This is the greatest challenge of our time.”


Most Australians currently enjoy access to high quality, safe and cheap food. Our food system currently produces
enough food for 60 million people – domestically and internationally (see R Batterham).

The food sector is an important part of the domestic economy and Australia is regarded as a stable supplier of food of
high-quality food globally.

However, this situation is not one we can take for granted.

The case for change
There was general consensus amongst plenary-session speakers and during the breakout sessions that the current
economic model has produced a food system that is out of balance and unsustainable – socially, economically and
environmentally.

Over the last 200 years, there has been exponential growth in many measures of human activity and influence on the
planet including population, land and resource use, greenhouse gas emissions and water use (see M Raupach).

This is different from anything that has happened over 4.5 billion years and should be viewed in this context (see M
Raupach). As was noted by members of the Kulin nation in the Summit’s welcome to country ceremony, indigenous
Australians are acutely aware of the pace and scale of change to the Australian continent in 200 years.

The current food system in Australia is characterised by an unsustainable reliance on emission-intensive fossil fuels
in both production and distribution. In a world of rising energy prices, diminishing resources and a price on carbon, a
system heavily reliant on oil for fuel and fertilizer will also result in higher food prices (see J Cribb; R Batterham).

Productive capacity in agriculture is also in decline. This is due to both biophysical constraints – such as soil nutrient
loss, scarcity of arable land and climate change – as well as capacity constraints such as workforce and knowledge gaps,
inadequate investment in infrastructure (e.g irrigation and transport); and lack of investment in research and development
(see R Batterham).

There is also an increasing problem with equity, both locally and globally. Some Australians currently go hungry, with-
out access to affordable, nutritious food Globally, nearly 1 billion people go hungry (see World Food Program).

It is becoming more expensive to eat a variety of nutritious foods, yet energy-dense foods, often of low-nutritional
value, are cheaper and more accessible than ever. This has helped to create a society where many Australians are
overweight or obese (see Amanda Lee).

Many Australians are disconnected from food production – both geographically and emotionally. Most Australians
take access to a wide variety of affordable foods for granted, throwing away $1.1 billion worth of fresh fruit and veg-
etables every year without a thought for what it took to grow it or the contribution it will make to increasing greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere (see Foodwise). And despite the fact that cities are naturally situated in productive areas near
rivers and by sea, very few feed themselves.

One of the biggest impediments to facilitating change is the current
constraints around supply and distribution – getting it from farm gate
to consumer cost effectively and shortening the supply chain.”

– Rose Wright, Regional Industry and Development, Southern Cross University


The current model is also forcing farmers to produce more, for less money, despite rising input costs. Many farmers
have been forced off the land or are under increasing economic pressure. The ongoing viability of some regional areas
is being undermined by the lack of economic opportunities.

The current system is degrading the ecological systems that we rely on to produce food: land is degraded and nutri-
tionally depleted; ground water is becoming increasingly scarce; population changes are swallowing up agricultural
land; and biodiversity continues to diminish. The earth is a closed, ecological system and the world is becoming
increasingly interconnected. Therefore, environmental degradation of local ecologies has global consequences (see
T Flannery; J Williams; R Batterham).

Pressures on earth and land
· There is less “peak land”. In the last 24 years, 24% of the world’s land is has become degraded. 1% is lost
each year (see J Cribb).
· Demand for nutrients to grow food will progressively outrun the discovery and development of new mineral
resources (see J Cribb).
· The global urban footprint is now half the size of China or the US. By 2050 it will be larger than either country
(see J Cribb).
· The world currently wastes around 80 per cent of its applied nutrients, which leach off farm or are lost in the
food chain or waste disposal (see J Cribb).

Pressures on water and sea
· Groundwater levels are depleting (see J Cribb; R Batterham).
· Many of the world’s fish stocks are fully exploited or overexploited (see Food and Agriculture Organisation).
· High nutrient levels pollute many water bodies, preventing aquaculture (see J Cribb).

The threats from non-fishing activities to ecosysytem productivity, that
underpins fishery productivity in Australia, are largely inadequately
managed. Continued production of seafood is threatened much more
by the ever-increasing non-fishing impacts on the marine environment,
than is ever likely to be from current fishing practices.”

– Brad Warren, Executive Chair, Oceanwatch

Pressures on sky and air
· The rise of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is causing the planet to heat up with various climate-related
consequences (see IPCC).

Growing economic instability
· The average Australian eats the equivalent of 60 barrels of oil a year, such is the dependency of our food
system on fossil fuels (see J Cribb).
· Food supplies are becoming increasingly unstable (see R Batterham)
· We have reached peak oil in the US, in Australia, Britain and in 49 out of 65 of the world’s oil producing
regions (see J Cribb).
· Connectivity as a global ecosystem and economic system brings both opportunity and risk (see M Raupach;
R Batterham).

This is the size of the challenge facing the coming generation of
farmers. It is to double the global food supply using half the water,
on far less land and with increasingly depleted soils, without fossil
fuels, with scarce and costly fertiliser and chemicals, amid spreading
diseases and pests, under the hammer of climate change.”



Growing reliance on imports
· There has been a 40% increase in food imports into Australia over the last five years alone (see K Carnell; R
Batterham).

Health inequity
· 1 billion are starving while obesity is growing (see World Food Program; World Health Organisation).
· The world wastes enough food to feed an additional 3-4 billion people (see J Cribb).
· $5.2 billion of food wastage annually in Australia (see Foodwise).

Future constraints
The earth will be under increasing ecological pressure from human activity. Population projections indicate the
world needs to produce an additional 70 million tonnes of food per year (more than the current total annual output of
Australia) (see J Williams).

If the demands for more food are not met, more people go hungry. If people cannot afford food, they go hungry. If
people can only afford nutritionally low-quality food, governments are left to pick up the tab of other health related
issues.

Lack of access to affordable food threatens political stability and promotes unrest, including increased numbers of
refugees and war. Therefore, food insecurity in the world, particularly the Asia-Pacific region, threatens Australia’s
own security. Australia must value its own food security and recognise its interconnectedness to global systems.

As we look at the way we are making a living and what we are asking out
of the system, we need to do it in the context of a true understanding
of the earth’s system. There is nowhere else we can turn except the
earth’s system for our requirements. We are all embedded in it, we are
inextricably part of it, we are not separate; every intervention we make
ramifies throughout the system and has an impact.”

– Tim Flannery, Founding Member, Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists


OPPORTUNITIES: AUSTRALIA’S ROLE IN A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM
Australia is a wealthy country, currently producing more food than it needs for its population. Australia has more
opportunities and more resources than many countries.

Australia should play a key role in building a sustainable and resilient food system, both locally and globally. It can
create new opportunities that shape its future resilience by doing so – and we must start now (see J Cribb; M Raupach).

Australia should aim to become a world leader in sustainable, low-input agriculture, exporting sustainably produced,
high-quality food and sharing expertise and knowhow with the world – particularly its experience of food production
under climate variability and climate change (see R Batterham).

It should leverage Australian expertise globally, influencing the international food agenda and linking to global initia-
tives.

With the development of a coordinated approach to food production and security in cities and regional towns, Australia
can set itself up as a world leader in peri-urban and urban food production, freeing up public land for agriculture and
incorporating water recycling and varied production techniques into buildings and urban developments. Innovative
urban food production methods should be supported and trialled.

The Australian food sector should be supported to incorporate life-cycle analysis across supply chains to identify
opportunities for improved resource efficiency, cost efficiency and productivity.

Australia should support research and development into new industries that work within the constraints of resource
scarcity and climate change (for example, utilising waste to produce vegetable, microbial, fungal and animal protein in
biocultures which can become healthy processed food) (see J Cribb).

Our intentionality shapes our systems. How would the food system
be different if we approached it from the viewpoint of abundance and
cooperation, rather than competition and scarcity?”

– Richard Hames, Distinguished Professor and Director, Asian Foresight Institute

Most businesses ‘help’, they ‘assist’, they ‘aid’, they ‘partner’, they
‘sell to’: Food Connect works ‘with’. We work with people that aren’t
staff, they are not co-workers, they are people that work with you.
And once you change that word, a whole new set of creative energies
emerge that help you to find innovative solutions to old problems…
And it’s exciting.”
– Robert Pekin, Founder, Food Connect


A sustainable 21st century food system needs to be different from
the kind of system we have now. And therefore it needs to be about
transformation – not tinkering at the edges. We really have to re-think
the whole thing.”

– Michael McAllum, Director, Global Foresight Network

IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

REGULATION AND POLICY

National:
· Coordinate food policy and programs across all levels of government – especially land use and planning,
climate change and water, and preventative health. This includes prioritizing national data collection on
environment, food production, processing, distribution and consumption patterns to inform analysis and
investment decisions
· Integrate the food regulatory system
· Look at establishing a food security agency that works closely with the National Preventative Health Agency
· Establish an Australian standard for sustainable agriculture for local and imported products. The ‘Australian
Sustainable Agriculture Standard’ must include life-cycle analysis of energy, water, land and biodiversity inputs
· Food production and security must be given the highest priority in relation to land use and planning, and it
must be coordinated
· Medium and high-density housing development should be favoured over low-density development that
encroaches on land suitable for agricultural production
· Open spaces – including areas for community gardening and/or local food production – should be included
in new developments
· Relax the regulations relating to use by dates to minimise the unnecessary waste of food to landfill. For
example; ‘Use By’ could be changed to ‘Best By’
· Create tax incentives for people who open up land to farming or community gardening
· Put a price on the environmental and social cost of food
· Provide incentives for new business models that grow local food economies and community-supported
agriculture
· Expand the opportunities for generating income on the land through environmental credits (ecological goods
and services) – carbon credits, biodiversity credits, water management salinity credits and biofuels
· Develop industry incentives for innovative and healthy food products
· Ensure consumers can make informed choices through comprehensive product labelling
· Resource accounting has to be comprehensive and consistent
· Market mechanisms must be consistent with non-market mechanism (such as behaviour change and price
signals).

“Worldwide we can see democracy spinning its wheels…and we’re
not making good decisions. We need a new way of getting informed
consensus that allows us to make far reaching and large decisions
without having these protracted arguments. We have to have the
conversation a lot more efficiently.”

Julian Cribb, Author, ‘The Coming Famine’


For as long as the cost of maintaining and improving the natural
resource base in agricultural systems is not included in the price of
food, farmers will never be able to farm sustainably and profitably.”

– John Williams, Commissioner, Natural Resources Commission, NSW
and Founding Member the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists

Without looking after the farmer, we have nothing.”

– Jock Laurie, Chairman, National Farmers Federation

Global:
· Articulate Australia’s role in global food security
· Australia should market its sustainable seafood practices and lead global efforts to restrict overfishing
· Increase efforts to tackle global poverty to reduce risks from food insecurity and reduce population growth.

It’s not the role of farmers to make sure there is equity. It’s for
governments.”

– Kirsten Larsen, Policy Research Manager, Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab

We need to decide. Are we going to be a food bowl for Asia or the
world’s biggest national park? We need a national vision, one in which
farmers and producers are seen as custodians of the land. Cattle
production and conservation values can coexist.”

– Roger Landsberg, Producer, Trafalgar Qld

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
· Support research, development and extension (RD&E) into increasing productivity, promoting low-input
agriculture and creating a carbon-neutral food sector
· Ensure government and industry investment in RD&E is an ongoing priority and does not stagnate or decline
· Support linkages in RD&E – multi-disciplinary, integrated assessments
· Foster public-private partnerships
· Expand understanding of and opportunities for multi-function farming; intensive farming; vertical farming;
perennial agriculture and indigenous foods
· Support RD&E for alternatives to petrol and biofuel (biofuel crops will often have to be used for food)
· Collect consistent scientific data, publicly and freely available.


SKILLS AND TRAINING
· Support farmers and promote farming and agriculture through schools and the tertiary sector to address the
growing decline in skilled farmers and food producers
· Include the science underlying food production and nutrition in national school curricula
· Develop nationally coordinated tertiary programs to support student movement and build expertise
· Foster programs that link teachers, researchers and farmers to facilitate technology adoption
· Education training needs to be more holistic and integrated, in line with systems thinking
· Knowledge of the earth and its systems should be prioritised in education.

ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOURS
· Encourage peri-urban and urban farming, including community gardens, to promote interest and knowledge
about food and grow local food economies
· Recognise that we are part of the ecological system and not separate from it
· Value ecological capital
· Foster a culture of knowledge sharing, collaboration, innovation and common interest in the community and
in business
· Take a life-cycle approach to the food system to minimise waste and support a culture that value’s food as a
resource.
· Foster an emotional connection and respect for the land and the food we eat.

If we value Australian goods and we are willing to pay for them, then
there is a future in regional Australia. Let’s grow our regional areas.”

– Kate Carnell, CEO, Australian Food and Grocery Council

We need to transform ourselves. We have become passive, accepting and
disempowered – but we need to be food citizens that are empowered
and can make choices in relation to our health and future prosperity.”

– Bob Phelps, Director, Gene Ethics

“We could reduce 50% of any resource use and carbon emissions
through behavioral change alone.”

– Michael Velders, Sustainability Consultant, ARUP


HOT TOPICS: FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION
· What role does genetically modified food have to play in the current and future system?
· To what extent should the externalities of food production – the environmental and social cost – be factored
in to food prices? How is this achievable in a global economy?
· How does food security relate to climate change policy (carbon tax/ETS) and water policy (Murray Darling)?
· What role will organic farming play in the new food system?
· What role do biofuels play in a climate of food scarcity?
· What does a new economic paradigm look like? What is the “no-growth” model?
· Is there any value in looking through other cultural mindsets through these problems? Is the western mindset
getting in the way?
· How can we apply systems thinking to governance (both corporate and public) and public policy making?
· What principles underpinning the economy should we change?
· What role does private ownership play in the future?
· Do we need more food or better quality food?
· What can we do to reinvigorate rural areas?
· Have we reached peak phosphorous?
· What role should marine parks play in a sustainable fishing system?
· How do we raise food prices to factor in environmental cost and still ensure equity?


WHAT’S NEXT? COLLABORATION, INNOVATION, ACTION
Creating a sustainable food system will rely on the conversations we have and the choices we make, today and over
the next decade.

Here, some conference delegates share their thoughts on the challenge ahead:

“Food security is an issue for Australia. We are not immune to energy prices, to nutrient loss, to lack of water, to varia-
tions in climate, to price volatility, to lack of suitable land, to food insecurities including riots in nearby lands, to wast-
age post harvest and of course to inappropriate nutrition. That said we have more opportunities than most. How do we
change attitudes to food and its importance? Is this a case of encouraging urban and per--urban food production? How
do we change land use planning? Is this an enhanced role for COAG or perhaps an Australian food security agency? At
the moment land use planning is not really driven by any strategy concerning food security. In the future, income from
sustainability matters could well equal that of agricultural production - just try a carbon price that approaches $30 to
$50 per tonne and watch land use change. And finally, the biggest opportunity of all: how do we excel at low input
farming – the only sure path to a high resilience future?”
– Prof. Robin J Batterham, Deputy Chair, PMSEIC Expert Working Group on Australia and Food Security

“The value we have from (the Summit) is the interaction and the collaboration it has generated – and if we can keep it
going it will be invaluable. Australia21 will be taking on a Sustainable Food Lab so that we can keep the conversation
going and bring in other people. The resonance started here today will be continued.”
– Richard Hames, Distinguished Professor and Director, Asian Foresight Institute (Thailand)

“There’s a long way to go, but this Summit was a shining example of how far we have come. The level of sophistication
in our understanding and conversations about the food system is increasing fast. Three years ago when we said ‘food
system’ people scrunched up their faces and said “you mean agriculture?” or “you mean the food industry?” or “you
mean food security?” or “you mean nutrition?” People representing all those things were in the room and we seem to
be embracing the complexity of meaning all of these at once – and working together on what we’re doing about it. The
exponential graphs are always the bad things, but there is also exponential potential. This summit gathered a rapidly
growing network of people ready to put our minds, and hearts, and hands, into the creation of a just and sustainable
food system. Bring it on.”
– Kirsten Larsen, Policy Research Manager, Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab

“We cannot possibly argue that we don’t know enough about this problem. There is so much information out there.
One of the challenges…is about turning analysis into action and that’s the approach we are trying to take with strategic
foresight: to link future’s work into strategy. So this is not just talking shop about what might happen; we need to start
putting things into place, some building blocks for a future system.”
– Liam Egerton, Director, Global Foresight Network

“The integration of sustainability considerations will allow the industry to unlock immediate and long-term value
through tangible cost savings and resource efficiencies, effectively manage risks, build trust in the community and
open up new markets and sources of innovation – it can enable Australia to achieve a competitive edge in providing
safe, healthy and affordable food and grocery products. The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) observations
indicate that sustainability considerations are increasingly being incorporated into business strategy. Additionally,
progress is being made to understand whole of supply chain impacts with the introduction of initiatives that promote
the adoption of supply chain policies and practices that are consistent with sustainable business. The AFGC aims to
support its members by building their capacity and understanding of the issues. Recognising that this path towards
sustainability will take a whole of supply chain approach, the AFGC is engaged with a range of industry stakeholders
such as retailers, regulators, consumers and suppliers.”
– Kate Carnell, CEO, Australian Food and Grocery Council


“I think there’s amazing opportunity in Australian agriculture. I’ve seen all different types of agricultural systems and
this is the country that I want to produce food in. I (attended the Summit) with two very other innovative young farmers
and all I can say is we’re committed to producing food as long as you cut a few regulations and let us get out and do
what we love doing. It’s a great industry to be a part of.”
– Annabelle Coppin, Producer, Yarrie Station, WA

“When considering food security it’s important to note that Australians are not consuming sufficient nutritious food
to promote health and wellbeing, but are consuming about 35% of our energy intake from energy-dense nutrient poor
foods and drinks, which are relatively cheap, readily available and heavily promoted. These dietary patterns are in-
creasing our risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
In turn, these diseases are contributing to escalating health costs, which are expected to double in the next 15 years,
severely impacting on health, social, environmental and economic systems. It is imperative to factor in the true soci-
etal costs of poor nutrition when developing national food policy.“
– Dr Amanda Lee, Director, Preventative Health Directorate, Queensland Health

“What assumptions have we got in front of us that are no longer valid? What are the pathways that get us from here to
there? Could we totally transform the food production and consumption systems within 10 years? If you don’t think it can
be done, imagine what Steve Jobs (Founder of Apple) did to the music industry, and it didn’t even take him 10 years.”
– Michael McCallum, Director, Global Foresight Network

“If we all, with the energy and intelligence we have, really collaborate to integrate and transcend the issues before
us, we can (leave this Summit) knowing that we‘ve created a very important milestone for thinking here, in Australia,
which can also be a beacon of hope to the rest of the world.”
– Richard Hames, Distinguished Professor and Director, Asian Foresight Institute (Thailand)

“Given our history, our skills and our resilient and generous character, Australia should lead the world in the devel-
opment of eco-agriculture. This is a shining challenge, both inspiring and well within our powers. I believe it is, once
more, Australia’s destiny to serve humanity in this way.”

“We will only do this if we work together. We share this planet so working with strange alliances is going to be key.”
– Michael Raupach, Chair PMSEIC Expert Working Group on Energy-Water-Carbon Intersections

“The future is not the same as the past.”
– Ian Porter, CEO, Alternative Technology Association

FURTHER READING
Visit www.3pillarsnetwork.com.au for more resources on food security and sustainability.


APPENDIX 1: Break out groups
Here are some of the thoughts and ideas that emerged from the break out group discussions.

Where does future value lie?
Reconnecting people with the land: Closing the divide between the rural and urban population, consumer and farmer.
Increasing knowledge and awareness on where food comes from. Placing an environmental value of the food we eat.

Intergenerational equity: Incentives for younger generations of producers and growers.

New R&D Models: Stakeholder led. Stakeholders should have more input into what is needed (e.g enhanced invest-
ment, education).

Greater decentralization of food distribution systems: Create more processing facilities and enhance resilience in the
food processing and distribution system.

Transparent, clear and consistent product messaging for consumers: Consistency and integrity of products is needed
across the entire food supply chain. Create a robust and trustworthy national food labelling scheme.

Co-operative approach to the National Food Policy: National Food Policy needs the input/leadership of a variety of
stakeholders (not just industry led or top down approach). Should engage with the broader community and local
government level to move beyond tokenism. Co-regulatory framework should be applied. Federal Minister for Food
should sit alongside Minister for Health.

Creating markets which recognise the true ‘value’ and cost of food: Food should be driven by value not price. Inter-
nalise externalities (i.e. the consumer should pay the ‘real’ cost for food). Introduce a new price paradigm (e.g. Higher
tax on unhealthy foods, incentives for healthy purchases).

Influential positions for women: Significant increase in roles for women in food policy and across boards in every
aspect of the food supply chain.

Equity outcomes for all: This includes those outside Australia who rely on our purchases and consumption for their
livelihoods and development (the interconnectedness challenge). A fair price for both domestic and overseas farmers.

Advocacy and Education: Across schools, business, local and global communities and farmers.

Community led initiatives: We must engage and empower individuals and communities to become food citizens.

A global approach to food policy: Australia cannot isolate itself. Our standards and approaches must connect with
global settings. We must mix scaling up local production on some products, while sourcing other products from global
supply chains that we help make sustainable and fair.

What are some of the policies, frameworks and business models that
will enable this shift to occur?
Tax Incentives for healthy food choices: Take away disincentives around the environment. Reward consumers with
food vouchers to spend at farmers’ markets, only on nutritional foods. Encourage consumers to produce their own
food and make farmers’ markets accessible to all. Policy enabling locally produced food for schools and hospitals,
food hubs.

Resilient distribution models: Make the system less vulnerable to shocks (e.g extending and further developing the
three existing models of food distribution). Decisions may need to be driven by factors other than efficiency/cost
(including possible collaboration between the big supermarkets, which is currently not allowed under ACCC anti-
collusion policy).


National Labelling Framework: A robust and trustworthy national framework is needed. Information on products may
include: carbon and water footprints; a nutrient density scorecard to help consumers make better food choices; label-
ling to distinguish exported from locally produced foods.

Global Sustainability Standard for food: Global standardised index for health, environmental impact and resource
use, applicable to all food products. Encourages the sharing of resources and knowledge across all areas. Australian
Standard with global links with a comparable matrix and third party verification.

Co-operative National Food Policy Framework: Aggregated model and shared understanding of systems complexity.
This will allow for innovation and nimbleness by sharing resources and knowledge across government departments
and portfolios.

Equitable Food Sourcing Policy: Need to strike a balance between local and internationally sourced foods. Both can
co-exist and are sustainable.

Review of Trade Policy: Policy has been largely driven by market economy of free trade – this needs to be challenged.
It should promote sustainability of Australia’s food systems globally. Applies to both domestic and imported food.

‘Fair Price’ framework for producers: Fair prices for producers can be achieved without necessarily increasing costs
for consumers through industry champions, leadership, scale. Price should be dictated by cooperatives (milk for ex-
ample). All prices from other agents then decided by this price. Possible price margin movement along the value chain,
with more money going to the farmers and without a significant impact on consumers. Must be led by business and
community for the benefit of producers and then let government catch up.

Policy on ‘true cost’ of food: (i.e. fair to farmers, sustainable land practice, etc). True cost will likely increase prices,
which may hurt those vulnerable, but we will need to find other ways to compensate for that (i.e. similar to Carbon Tax
discussions on compensation).

New Educational Frameworks: Mandatory inclusion of food and nutrition in school curriculum and food literacy at
all levels of education. Education initiatives should be supported by community initiatives and ‘healthy eating’ cam-
paigns. Make eating healthy fun (eg. Junior Masterchef). Policy also introduced to limit ‘junk food advertising’ (similar
to smoking model).

Skills and Education for food industry: Support marketing training for farmers and up skill professionals in sustain-
able practices across the supply chain.

National Food Waste Policy: Co-operative approach to recycling waste supported by legislation. Policy should include
recycling of nutrients back into the food system (e.g all sewerage waste composted and cycled back to food produc-
tion); humanure (composting human waste) supported by regulation; a ban on organic waste in landfill (food and
paper); incentives to farmers for turning compost into soil carbon.

Farmers are inherently innovative greenies. We aspire to be go beyond
sustainability. We want to be regenerative: we want our triple bottom
line to be increasing every year.”
– Sam Archer, Producer, Gundagai

If you want an example of systems thinking, try running a broad acre farm.”

– Mick Keogh, Executive Director, Australian Farm Institute


APPENDIX 2: List of organisations present at the Summit
A Department of Health (VIC)
Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Department of Innovation, Industry, Science & Research
Economics and Sciences Department of Premier and Cabinet
ActionAid Australia Department of Primary Industries (VIC)
Australian Food and Grocery Council (Sponsor) Department of Sustainability and Environment (VIC)
Agrifood Skills Australia Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water,
Australian Graduate School Management Population and Communities
Amcor Limited Department of Agriculture and Food (WA)
Arid Lands Environment Centre Dewalla Farms
ARUP Dieticians Association of Australia
Asian Foresight Institute Dietary Guidelines Committee
Alternative Technology Association Diversicon Environmental Foundation
Australia Institute
Australian Egg Corporation E
Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance East Pilbara Cattle Company
Australian Industry Group Echo Hills Farming Company
Australian Institute for Food Science & Technology ECO-Buy
Australian Lot Feeders’ Association Ecoscape
Australian Red Cross Ecourbia Network
Australian Water Engineering Edge Environment
Edge Land Planning
B Elanco Animal Health
Barwon Regional Waste Management Group Enterprise Connect
BECA Pty Ltd EPA Victoria
Beyond Zero Emissions
Biological Farmers of Australia F
BioNEW Fairtrade Australia & New Zealand
Bond University Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Bulla Dairy Food FitzGerald Productions
Bungawurra Pastoral Company Fonterra
Food Connect Foundation
C Food Legal
Cattle Council Foodbank
Central West Group Apprentices FoodMatters Consulting Pty Ltd
Centre for Appropriate Technology Foresight Nutrition & Dietetics
Centre for Design, RMIT University Forest Stewardship Council
CHEP Equipment Pooling Systems
Citi Investment Research G
City of Casey Gene Ethics
City of Melbourne Global Foresight Network
Coles Global Permablitz Movement
Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations Global Research: IBM R&D Lab Melbourne
CSIRO Go Grains Health & Nutrition Ltd
Cultivating Community Good Weekend (Sydney Morning Herald)
Gordon Tafe
D Green Board / Street Book Incorporated
Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Greenpeace
Dairy Australia Growcom
Dairy Food Safety Victoria
Deakin University H
Department of Employment, Economic Development Healthy Food Magazine
and Innovation (QLD) Heart Foundation
Department of Health Horticultural Skills Australia
Department of Health & Ageing Horticulture Australia Ltd
Department of Health and Human Services Hume City Council


I Planet Circus
IBM PMSEIC
Industry & Investment NSW Pollinate
InnerCircle Works Primary Industries & Resources (SA)
Institute for Creative Industries and Innovation Professional Nutrition Services
Institute for Sustainable Futures (UTS)
Integralevolution Q
ISEAL Alliance QLD Farmers Federation
Queensland Health
J Queensland University of Technology
James Cook University
Julian Cribb & Associates R
Red Lantern food group
K Regional Development Australia
Kathleen Davies Regional Development Victoria
Knox City Council Rig Network/ Southern Exchange
RMIT
L Rosemary Stanton Pty Ltd
Landshare Australia Rural Industries Research + Development Corporation
Lion Nathan National Foods
S
M SA Health
Madeleine Write & Co Sandy Robinson & Associates
MBDenergy Ltd Sanitarium
Metcash Seasol International Pty Ltd
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, (New Zealand) Second Bite
Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) Severn Park Merinos
Moonee Valley City Council Simplot Australia Pty Ltd
Moreton Bay College Southern Cross University
Mornington Peninsular Shire Spade Landscapes
MOSS Springbank Ecosystems
Mountain Creek Farm Surf Coast Shire
Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute (Melbourne Sustainability Victoria
University) Sustainable Business Australia
Suzie Coulston
N
NAB Agribusiness T
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health Tasmanian Farmers’ and Graziers Association
National Farmers Federation Tasmanian Food Security Council
National Food Policy Working Group Teys Brothers
National Resources Commission The Age
Net Balance The Australian Farm Institute
North Coast Institute TAFE The Biogenesys Project
NSW Farmers’ Association The Climate Institute
The Goods Unlimited
O The Mulloon Institute
Object Consulting The University of Melbourne
OceanWatch Australia The Water and Carbon Group
Office of the Chief Scientist Toulon Pastoral Company
Ogilvy Earth Townsville Public Health Unit
OPS Asia Pacific Pty Ltd TQA Australia
Outer East Health and Community Alliance Trafalgar Station
Oxfam Australia
Oxford University (UK) U
OzHarvest Uniting Church, Australia
University of Canberra
P University of Queensland
Pe Australasia University of Technology Sydney
Permaculture Design University of Wollongong


V
Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab
VicHealth
VicRelief Foodbank
Victorian Farmers’ Federation
Victorian Farmers’ Federation
Victorian Farmers’ Market Association
Victorian Food Industry Training Board
Victorian Local Government Association
VOICe

W
Waite Research Institute
Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists
Western Australian Farmers’ Federation
Wiley & Co
Wilmot Cattle Company
World Wildlife Fund

Y
Yarallah
Yarrock Farms / Yarrock Oils
Yaubula


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