AUSVEG has welcomed the Government’s release today of the National Food Security Strategy Discussion Paper and commencement of a process to establish a National Food Council as steps towards a more food-secure Australia.

The peak industry body for Australia’s vegetable, potato and onion industry has long called for a National Food Security Strategy and looks forward to continuing engagement with the Government to ensure the views, needs and key issues of Australian vegetable growers are considered, reflected and addressed.

The launch of the process for development of the National Food Security Strategy also follows the 2023 release of the Australian Food Story: Feeding the Nation and Beyond report, following a House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture inquiry into food security – which in calling for adoption of the report’s recommendations, AUSVEG wholly endorsed.

With Australian vegetable growers continuing to face a range of severe economic, operating and productivity-inhibiting challenges that are threatening their viability, AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote said it is crucial to ensure tangible measures that secure the industry’s future are included in the strategy, and also adopted in the immediate term.

“Australian families depend on Australian growers for 98 percent of the fresh vegetables consumed in this country – so without a viable vegetable industry, Australia has no food security,” said Mr Coote.

“Since 2023, surges in the cost of production, poor pricing, lack of profit to reinvest in productivity-enhancements, workforce shortages, and overwhelming compliance burden have contributed to upward of one in three growers consistently considering walking away from the sector.

“To achieve the intent of a National Food Security Strategy, it is critical that these issues are addressed, and that Australian vegetable growers have a seat at the table as this strategy is developed and implemented.”

With the intended timeline for finalisation of the National Food Security Strategy being 2026-27, AUSVEG also emphasises the need for urgent action to improve vegetable grower viability.

“AUSVEG welcomes the Australian Government following through with its pre-election promise to develop and implement a National Food Security Strategy, as formal recognition of the importance of food security in the longer term,” said Mr Coote.

“However, the severe challenges facing vegetable growers are happening now, and many may not be able to hang on much longer.

“Through a range a range of forums, including our 2025 Federal election priorities and more recently our engagement with this week’s Unlocking Productivity in Australian Agriculture Roundtable, AUSVEG has continued proposing practical and achievable solutions that are needed to secure the viability of Australia’s vegetable industry, and the growers Australians depend on.”

“We need to see those solutions embraced before it’s too late.”