National Sustainable Food Summit Conference Report

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

National Sustainable Food Summit Conference Report 2011 2

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


Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 4

About the summit 4 Acknowledgement 4About this report 5

AUSTRALIA’S SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM IN 2030 6 THE CURRENT FOOD SYSTEM: CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS 7

The case for change 7Future 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


INTRODUCTIONFood. 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 summitThe 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

AcknowledgementsThe 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.

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

About this reportThis 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

focus

time

1. radar

2. feedback3. anticipation

4. design

5. change

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, PMSEIC Expert Working Group on Energy Water Carbon Intersections

http://www.3pillarsnetwork.com.au/kb/michael-mcallum.pdf

http://www.globalforesight.com.au

http://www.3pillarsnetwork.com.au


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

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 changeThere 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.

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


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

http://www.3pillarsnetwork.com.au/p3_Events-Resources.html?&event=68&page=4&entry=433







http://www.wfp.org/hunger


http://foodwise.com.au/did-you-know/expert-opinions/food-waste-in-australia.aspx


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).

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.”


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









http://www.fao.org/


http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_and_data_reports.shtml#1







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 constraintsThe 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



http://www.wfp.org/hunger

http://apps.who.int/bmi/index.jsp


http://foodwise.com.au/did-you-know/expert-opinions/food-waste-in-australia.aspx



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’


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.

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.

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

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

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


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.

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

– Michael Velders, Sustainability Consultant, ARUP

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


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, ACTIONCreating 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

http://www.australia21.org.au


“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 READINGVisit www.3pillarsnetwork.com.au for more resources on food security and sustainability.

http://www.3pillarsnetwork.com.au


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


AAustralian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and SciencesActionAid AustraliaAustralian Food and Grocery Council (Sponsor)Agrifood Skills AustraliaAustralian Graduate School ManagementAmcor LimitedArid Lands Environment CentreARUPAsian Foresight InstituteAlternative Technology AssociationAustralia InstituteAustralian Egg CorporationAustralian Food Sovereignty AllianceAustralian Industry GroupAustralian Institute for Food Science & TechnologyAustralian Lot Feeders’ AssociationAustralian Red CrossAustralian Water Engineering

BBarwon Regional Waste Management GroupBECA Pty LtdBeyond Zero EmissionsBiological Farmers of AustraliaBioNEWBond UniversityBulla Dairy FoodBungawurra Pastoral Company

CCattle CouncilCentral West Group ApprenticesCentre for Appropriate TechnologyCentre for Design, RMIT UniversityCHEP Equipment Pooling SystemsCiti Investment ResearchCity of CaseyCity of MelbourneColesCouncil of Australian Postgraduate AssociationsCSIROCultivating Community

DDepartment of Agriculture Fisheries and ForestryDairy AustraliaDairy Food Safety VictoriaDeakin UniversityDepartment of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (QLD)Department of Health Department of Health & AgeingDepartment of Health and Human Services

Department of Health (VIC) Department of Innovation, Industry, Science & ResearchDepartment of Premier and CabinetDepartment of Primary Industries (VIC)Department of Sustainability and Environment (VIC)Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and CommunitiesDepartment of Agriculture and Food (WA)Dewalla FarmsDieticians Association of AustraliaDietary Guidelines CommitteeDiversicon Environmental Foundation

EEast Pilbara Cattle CompanyEcho Hills Farming CompanyECO-BuyEcoscapeEcourbia NetworkEdge EnvironmentEdge Land PlanningElanco Animal HealthEnterprise ConnectEPA Victoria

FFairtrade Australia & New ZealandFisheries Research and Development CorporationFitzGerald ProductionsFonterraFood Connect FoundationFood LegalFoodbankFoodMatters Consulting Pty LtdForesight Nutrition & DieteticsForest Stewardship Council

GGene EthicsGlobal Foresight Network Global Permablitz MovementGlobal Research: IBM R&D Lab MelbourneGo Grains Health & Nutrition LtdGood Weekend (Sydney Morning Herald)Gordon TafeGreen Board / Street Book IncorporatedGreenpeaceGrowcom

HHealthy Food MagazineHeart FoundationHorticultural Skills AustraliaHorticulture Australia LtdHume City Council

APPENDIX 2: List of organisations present at the Summit


IIBMIndustry & Investment NSWInnerCircle WorksInstitute for Creative Industries and InnovationInstitute for Sustainable Futures (UTS)IntegralevolutionISEAL Alliance

JJames Cook UniversityJulian Cribb & Associates

KKathleen DaviesKnox City Council

LLandshare AustraliaLion Nathan National Foods

MMadeleine Write & CoMBDenergy LtdMetcashMinistry of Agriculture and Forestry, (New Zealand)Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA)Moonee Valley City CouncilMoreton Bay CollegeMornington Peninsular ShireMOSS Mountain Creek FarmMelbourne Sustainable Society Institute (Melbourne University)

NNAB AgribusinessNational Centre for Epidemiology and Population HealthNational Farmers Federation National Food Policy Working GroupNational Resources CommissionNet Balance North Coast Institute TAFE NSW Farmers’ Association

OObject ConsultingOceanWatch AustraliaOffice of the Chief ScientistOgilvy EarthOPS Asia Pacific Pty LtdOuter East Health and Community AllianceOxfam AustraliaOxford University (UK)OzHarvest

PPe AustralasiaPermaculture Design

Planet CircusPMSEICPollinatePrimary Industries & Resources (SA)Professional Nutrition Services

QQLD Farmers FederationQueensland HealthQueensland University of Technology

RRed Lantern food groupRegional Development AustraliaRegional Development VictoriaRig Network/ Southern ExchangeRMITRosemary Stanton Pty LtdRural Industries Research + Development Corporation

SSA HealthSandy Robinson & AssociatesSanitariumSeasol International Pty LtdSecond BiteSevern Park MerinosSimplot Australia Pty LtdSouthern Cross University Spade LandscapesSpringbank EcosystemsSurf Coast ShireSustainability Victoria Sustainable Business AustraliaSuzie Coulston

TTasmanian Farmers’ and Graziers AssociationTasmanian Food Security Council Teys BrothersThe AgeThe Australian Farm InstituteThe Biogenesys ProjectThe Climate InstituteThe Goods Unlimited The Mulloon InstituteThe University of MelbourneThe Water and Carbon GroupToulon Pastoral CompanyTownsville Public Health UnitTQA AustraliaTrafalgar Station

UUniting Church, AustraliaUniversity of CanberraUniversity of QueenslandUniversity of Technology SydneyUniversity of Wollongong


VVictorian Eco-Innovation Lab VicHealthVicRelief FoodbankVictorian Farmers’ FederationVictorian Farmers’ FederationVictorian Farmers’ Market AssociationVictorian Food Industry Training BoardVictorian Local Government Association Victorian Organic Industry Committee

WWaite Research InstituteWentworth Group of Concerned ScientistsWestern Australian Farmers’ FederationWiley & CoWilmot Cattle CompanyWorld Wildlife Fund

YYarallahYarrock Farms / Yarrock OilsYaubula

National Sustainable Food Summit Conference Report

Education

Transcript of National Sustainable Food Summit Conference Report