AUSVEG has welcomed the commitment from the Australian government to a national food security strategy as a recognition of the importance of shoring up future food supply and the long-term viability of Australia’s vegetable industry.
The peak body for Australia’s vegetable, potato, and onion industry has long advocated for a national food plan, including supporting the recommendations of the 2023 Parliamentary inquiry into Australia’s food security, The Australian Food Story: Feeding the Nation and Beyond.
AUSVEG confirmed these calls in its 2025 federal election priorities, alongside the need for measures to bolster sovereign manufacturing capability for food products and key farm inputs to secure future food supply.
AUSVEG chief executive Michael Coote says the government's commitment to a national strategy, and by extension, the viability of the national vegetable industry, is a welcome and long-awaited development.
“Australia has historically been a lucky country to enjoy an abundant supply of fresh, domestically grown vegetables across the year,” Michael says.
“Australian vegetable growers provide 98 per cent of the fresh vegetables bought and consumed in Australia, which gives an indication of how critical the sector is to national food security,” he says.
“In recent years, questions have increasingly been raised about the longer-term supply of fresh Australian vegetables, as challenging business conditions, a cost-of-production crisis, compliance burdens, workforce shortages, over-reliance on imported farm inputs, and unsustainable returns Michael Coote continue leading one in three vegetable growers to consider leaving the industry in the next year.
“A commitment to a national food security strategy is an important acknowledgment of the central role Australia’s vegetable industry must play in Australia's future food security.”
Michael says AUSVEG is eager to engage with the development and implementation of the strategy, as part of the proposed National Food Council.
He says addressing the many diverse issues and challenges threatening the viability of vegetable growing businesses– and their ability to continue supplying fresh, healthy, and safe vegetables to Australian consumers – will be key to the strategy's success.
“AUSVEG is continuing to call on all parties contesting the next election to commit to a secure food future for Australia, alongside the further commitments identified in our 2025 federal election priorities to secure the long-term viability of Australia’s vegetable industry.
