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01 October 2025

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

GPO Box 858

CANBERRA ACT 2601

email: foodsecurity@aff.gov.au

To Whom It May Concern,

RE: National Food Security Strategy Review

AgForce Queensland Farmers Limited (AgForce) is a peak organisation representing Queensland’s cane, cattle, grain and sheep, wool & goat producers. The cane, beef, broadacre cropping and sheep, wool & goat industries in Queensland generated around $11.2 billion in on-farm value of production in 2022-23. AgForce’s purpose is to  advance sustainable agribusiness and strives to ensure the long-term growth, viability, competitiveness and profitability of these industries. Over 6,000 farmers, individuals and businesses provide support to AgForce through membership. Our members own and manage around 55 million hectares, or a third of the state’s land area. Queensland producers provide high-quality food and fibre to Australian and overseas consumers, contribute significantly to the social fabric of regional, rural and remote communities, as well as deliver stewardship of the state’s natural environment.

AgForce welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the National Food Security Strategy with the intent on helping inform the National Food Council and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

As a long-standing and proud member of our national body, AgForce has contributed to and supports the submission by the National Farmers Federation (NFF) which should be read in conjunction with ours. Where any divergence of views exist, AgForce’s positioning is representative of members within our state.

Executive Summary

Agricultural sustainability is food security.

A robust national food security strategy must address not only production and supply but also the principles, risks, and systems that underpin Australia’s ability to feed its people and contribute to global markets.

Key principles include strengthening domestic markets to reduce reliance on volatile exports, protecting the right to farm to safeguard productivity, embedding strong biosecurity systems to protect production and market access, and decentralising supply chains to mitigate shocks. These priorities ensure reliable access to food, economic opportunity for regional producers, and stronger community wellbeing.

Action across the strategy’s priority areas is essential. Investment in regional infrastructure, secure telecommunications, diversified input supply chains, and research and development will underpin productivity, competitiveness, and resilience. At the same time, protecting prime agricultural land, addressing workforce shortages, and supporting local retailers and processors are critical to balancing cost-of-living pressures with long-term food system sustainability.

Furthermore, it is integral to note that policy decisions that abruptly restrict or end market access, such as the cessation of live sheep exports, stand in direct contradiction to the objectives of food security.

Together, these actions will create a food security framework that is resilient, forward-looking, and firmly rooted in the realities of Australian production, trade, and community needs.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. What other principles should government, industry and community prioritise to support the development of the strategy and why are these important?

To support the development of a robust and sustainable national food security strategy, government, industry, and community should also prioritise the following principles:

Regulatory Surety and Audit risk

  • Under increasing complexity between Federal and State regulation, investment confidence is undermined and resilience upgrades in production operations are delayed. Non-agricultural policy settings, particularly environmental market commitments under the EPBC framework, intrude on productive capacity. As climate-market regulation expands, the first-order effect is to constrain output. Returns from environmental credits do not offset the reduction in total production; they function as cash-flow support for landholding viability rather than contributing to food production. 
  • Audit and compliance time costs rise as regulation increases, creating a material drag on productivity. As the volume of regulation grows, food production systems become less flexible and less adaptable. For significant shifts in practice or technology, producers can only move as quickly as government updates, amends, or repeals legislation, which is often slower than the speed required for systems and supply chains to survive necessary transitions.

Strengthening domestic and local markets

  • While the strategy currently focuses on overall Australian outputs, there is a critical need to develop and protect domestic supply chains and local markets. For example, the goatmeat industry holds significant untapped potential within Australia, with there being strong cultural demand locally. By strengthening domestic markets, Australia can ensure consistent food availability, reduce dependency on international trade fluctuations, and create economic opportunities for regional producers. This also supports community resilience in times of global disruption.

Protecting the right to farm

  • Farmers and landholders must have the ability to operate without undue interference from activism or other external pressures that could compromise food production. Ensuring a clear and enforceable “right to farm” protects agricultural productivity, safeguards livelihoods, and maintains the stability of the national food supply. Without such protections, activists or regulatory ambiguity could unintentionally threaten the security of essential food production.

Education and food literacy

  • Food security starts with knowledge. While food literacy is embedded into education, young Australians risk growing up disconnected from the food system, limiting their ability to make informed, sustainable choices. Teachers need support to teach these topics. Professional development and strong industry partnerships give educators the tools and confidence to bring food and fibre to life in the classroom.
  • Education builds resilience and food literacy is lifelong. By equipping students with practical understanding of where food comes from and how it is produced, we strengthen future food security and community wellbeing. Investing in food education across schools and communities ensures every generation is empowered to value nutrition, sustainability, production methods and the role of Australian agriculture in their life.

2. What timeframe should the strategy work towards, and why?

The strategy should incorporate a nationally recognised risk matrix to identify, categorise, and prioritise food security risks over different time horizons. This framework would enable the identification of immediate and distinguish them from medium and long-term risks.

Given the rapidly changing geopolitical environment, climate pressures, and shifting consumer demands, the strategy must be actively monitored and reviewed on a rolling basis. A three year to five year review cycle is appropriate to balance stability with agility, ensuring the strategy remains responsive without becoming reactive.

A national food security strategy cannot be static. Without mechanisms for risk assessment and regular review, the strategy risks becoming outdated or ineffective in the face of emerging pressures. A risk matrix provides clarity and prioritisation, while structured reviews ensure Australia’s food security framework remains relevant, resilient, and forward-looking.

3. Are there examples of current or planned initiatives by you or your organisation to improve food security in your sector?

Agricultural sustainability is food security.

AgForce’s ongoing policy work focuses on ensuring the long-term viability of Queensland’s agricultural sector, addressing challenges such as biosecurity, market access, and sustainable land management. By advocating for resilient production systems, supporting domestic supply chains, and promoting responsible farming practices, we help secure reliable food production while strengthening regional communities.

4. Do the proposed key priority areas and whole-of-system considerations adequately represent the actions needed for an effective food security strategy? If not, what is missing?

The proposed priority areas partially capture the actions needed for an effective food security strategy. However, it is important to recognise inconsistencies in the messaging that undermine confidence in the strategy. For example, while there is a focus on nutrition, there is no mention of red meat as part of a balanced diet. Similarly, the strategy  emphasises securing trade, yet current policy developments, such as the end of live sheep exports, conflict with this objective. Furthermore, biosecurity is a critical component of food security that warrants separate consideration from ‘Resilient Supply Chains’ due to its unique role and importance.

5. What actions could the strategy take to address challenges under each key priority area?

Resilient Supply Chains

Biosecurity

  • Biosecurity is a critical component of resilient supply chains and overall food security. Protecting Australian production systems from pests, diseases, and invasive species ensures continuity of supply and safeguards both domestic and export markets. Early detection, rapid response, and coordinated management of biosecurity threats minimise disruptions to production, processing, and logistics. Integrating biosecurity measures into supply chain planning—from farm to processing facilities to export channels—strengthens system-wide resilience and maintains confidence in Australian food products both at home and internationally.

Developing North Queensland:

  • AgForce emphasizes the potential for significant broadscale farming and grains industries in North Queensland. Recognising this, the strategy should prioritise infrastructure investments that support the development of this region, ensuring it becomes a key player in the state's agricultural output.1

Increasing transport efficiency through infrastructure upgrades:

  • If Australia's rural and regional exporters are to remain internationally competitive it will be necessary for the quality of infrastructure supporting their export efforts to continue to improve. Transport is a critical factor in ensuring that agri-food exports arrive at destination markets on time and in the best condition, maximising shelf-life.
  • One example is there is a need for improved infrastructure to facilitate higher load weights and reduce the number of trucks on the road. This includes enhancing heavy vehicle transport routes and investing in rail networks to efficiently move livestock and other agricultural commodities.

Productivity, Innovation and economic growth

To bolster food security, the strategy should focus on enhancing productivity and fostering innovation across Australia's agricultural sector. Key actions include: 

Supporting Research and Development (R&D):

  • Investing in R&D, particularly in areas like animal genetics, regenerative agriculture, and productivity-enhancing technologies, can drive long-term growth and improve efficiency. Emerging sectors represent under-recognised opportunities for productivity gains and domestic market expansion. For example, the goatmeat industry, which has seen increased global demand due to its resilience and lean characteristics, presents an opportunity for expansion through targeted R&D efforts.2

Infrastructure Development:

  • The future of agriculture is inherently tied to regional, rural and remote communities. Currently, the quality of infrastructure services for rural and remote communities does not meet the standards the average Australian expects. Infrastructure can catalyse quality of life and productivity by improving connectivity and efficiency.

Integrate critical inputs into productivity planning, recognising that access to fertiliser, fuel, and digital connectivity are as central to productivity growth as land and labour. 

  • Australia’s ability to produce food is dependent on the supply of critical agricultural inputs. The insecurity of supply of key inputs poses a substantial risk to Australia’s agricultural production capacity. Australia’s access to many critical inputs continues to be at the mercy of geopolitical tensions and global supply disruptions, worsened by a general overreliance on imports from very few global trading partners. Each input supply chain is plagued by different risks, and appropriate solutions to mitigate vulnerabilities will vary. However, the absence of any single input would pose a substantial if not disastrous risk to Australia’s domestic food security and contribution to global food security. Key risks to critical agricultural inputs include, for example:
    • Global input shortages;
    • Supply chain disruptions (i.e. freight, logistics, and lack of adequate supply chain efficiency/backlog compromising continued and timely input supply);
    • Overreliance on overseas labour and expertise;
    • Overreliance on the import of key inputs;
    • Lack of input market diversification.
  • The ultimate consequence is a loss of product, which can also limit the growth of total agricultural productivity, increase the price of staple food and fibre, create significant domestic inflationary pressure, and restrict the development of export markets.

Competition and Cost of Living

At present, agriculture faces significant pressure from competition with the minerals and resource industries for freight, energy, and infrastructure access, which undermines both competitiveness and food security. 

Support local butchers and independents

  • Concentrated supply chains, particularly supermarket dominance, reduce producer margins and increase consumer vulnerability.
  • Supporting local butchers and independent retailers, combined with investment in regional processing and distribution infrastructure, can shorten supply chains, reduce freight costs, and strengthen regional economies. 

Address energy costs.

  • Australian farmers are likely to continue experiencing elevated input costs for the foreseeable future. This will have implications for farm operations and profitability, particularly if global food prices fall or seasonal conditions worsen.3
  • by introducing an agriculture-specific electricity tariff to ensure power for farming, irrigation, and processing is supplied at the lowest possible cost. Electricity is a key enabler of irrigation, cold storage, and processing, all of which are vital for food security under variable climate conditions. 
     

Ensure fair access to infrastructure so that agricultural industries are not disadvantaged compared to the minerals sector in competing for rail and road freight capacity.

6. What actions could the strategy take to address challenges under these whole-of-system considerations?

Climate change & sustainability

  • Efforts to respond to climate change should be done in a manner that does not threaten food production.
  • Embed climate variability and preparedness into the strategy, with regional vulnerability mapping and scenario planning. Food security risks need the same systematic threat analysis used in national security planning.4
  • Invest in water and irrigation infrastructure to reduce exposure to droughts and floods.
  • Protect prime agricultural land from urban, mining, and energy development.
  • Build resilience in critical inputs: Australia imports over 90% of fertiliser used in cropping and relies on international supply chains for AdBlue and fuel. Domestic capacity and stockpiles are needed to avoid systemic risks.
  • Recognise that industry is best placed to set sustainability goals and outcomes which impact production, as demonstrated by frameworks such as the Sheep Sustainability Framework and the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework,5 which track and report on progress in emissions, welfare, biodiversity, and community outcomes. 
  • Government should align with and support these initiatives rather than duplicate them.

Trade & market access

Policy decisions that abruptly restrict or end market access, such as the cessation of live sheep exports, stand in direct contradiction to the objectives of food security.

These decisions not only remove established Australian markets but also create profound social and economic impacts for regional communities, eroding producer confidence and destabilising supply chains.

These decisions also risk undermining Australia’s reliability as a trading partner in non-targeted commodities. Australia’s trading partners are acutely aware of their own food security, within which Australia plays a critical role through stable and science-based trade policy. Political, non-scientific and speculative actions erode confidence in Australia’s dependability.

As Australia consistently produces well above domestic consumption needs, any reduction in export market access arising from non-geopolitical or non-environmental interference is effectively self-imposed and counterproductive. Such actions deliver production shocks that reverberate through the supply chain. Once contraction occurs, the inertia required to reestablish capacity increases exponentially, and if sufficient time passes, full recovery may not be possible.

Australia is uniquely placed globally alongside few other nations in trade negotiations to be offering food security in exchange for regional stability and other trade concessions. This also makes us a target in a geopolitical instability. 
 

For a food system to be truly resilient, market and trade policies must prioritise stability, ensuring that producers retain both confidence and opportunity. Where policy change is deemed necessary, it must be carefully managed with transition pathways and support mechanisms so that communities are not left vulnerable. The live sheep export example demonstrates how sudden, policy-driven shocks can have irreversible consequences, underscoring that food security depends not only on production capacity but also on the preservation of secure, sustainable markets that sustain both producers and the broader community.

People

Persistent labour gaps threaten the sector’s capacity to produce food reliably and efficiently. Structural barriers, including an ageing workforce, limited domestic training pipelines, and restrictive migration policies, exacerbate the problem. Expanding agricultural apprenticeships and Vocational Education and Training (VET) pathways is essential to developing a skilled domestic workforce, providing long-term stability and reducing reliance on temporary or foreign labour.

Attracting and retaining workers in agriculture depends not only on wages and job opportunities but also on the quality of life in regional areas. A lack of affordable housing, healthcare services, education options, and reliable telecommunications creates a significant deterrent for workers considering rural employment. Addressing these challenges is critical to ensure regional communities can sustain a consistent workforce capable of supporting ongoing food production.

Investment in essential services such as broadband connectivity, postal networks, healthcare facilities, and transport infrastructure underpins both workforce retention and overall food security. At the same time, streamlining visa requirements for specified primary production skills and roles filled by migrant workers—outside of the PALM scheme—is critical. Many agricultural businesses depend on this workforce, yet current processes are clunky, expensive, and limit timely access to labour. By reinforcing rural liveability and improving labour pathways, Australia ensures its food production systems remain resilient, sustainable, and capable of meeting both domestic and global demands.

National & regional security

Treat telecommunications as sovereign infrastructure.

  • Modern food systems rely on robust, secure, and resilient digital networks to function efficiently. Disruptions to telecommunications can quickly cascade through supply chains, affecting logistics, market operations, and emergency responses. In the context of food security, reliable communications are not a convenience—they are a critical enabler that ensures agricultural production, processing, and distribution can continue uninterrupted during crises, natural disasters, or cyber threats. Recognising telecommunications as sovereign infrastructure places it on par with other essential services, guaranteeing its prioritisation and long-term certainty.

Invest in secure satellite, fibre, and regional data infrastructure.

  • As copper networks are decommissioned, there is an urgent need to expand secure, modern communications across rural and remote regions. Investments in fibre-optic connectivity, and satellite systems enable farmers to adopt digital tools, access critical market information, coordinate logistics, and respond rapidly to biosecurity threats or natural hazards. By strengthening digital infrastructure, Australia safeguards the productivity and viability of its regional communities, ensuring that food systems remain resilient and capable of supporting both domestic and international demand.

Health & nutrition

The nutritional role of red meat must be recognised.

  • Red meat is naturally an excellent source of high-quality protein and is an important source of bioavailable iron and zinc.6 Beef and lamb contain more iron and zinc than pork, chicken and fish and is easier for the body to absorb than the iron and zinc found in plant foods.7 Furthermore, red meat contributes significantly to addressing nutritional deficiencies, playing a vital role in improving health outcomes for women and vulnerable populations. For example, globally, almost one in 10 women of reproductive age have anaemia. In developing countries prevalence rates are higher, ranging between 53.8 and 90.2%. Red meat plays a role in the prevention of anaemia. Pregnant women who consume meat less than or equal to, once a week have over twice the risk of anaemia compared to those who consume it more often.8 To omit red meat from discussions on nutrition is to disregard a vital food source that plays a critical role in addressing and preventing malnutrition, and therefore must be considered by the Strategy.
  • As Australia’s population and export obligations expand, the demand for high-quality protein increases. However, only approximately 4.06% of Australia’s total land area is arable and capable of cropping.9 This limitation constrains opportunities to expand high quality nutrition through conversion of plant-based protein production. Ruminant  livestock systems are uniquely suited to upcycling inedible raw materials into nutrient-dense, high-quality protein foods.10 Through this biological process, cattle, for example, convert cellulose, crop residues and other low-grade feedstuffs — materials unsuitable for direct human consumption — into edible protein that strengthens Australia’s food security. By contributing more protein than they consume, ruminant systems remain integral to a resilient and diversified food supply. They are the only tool available to utilise Australia’s rangelands and transform otherwise inedible materials into nutrient-rich, human-consumable protein.

Conclusion

Australia’s food security depends on resilient production systems, diversified supply chains, sustainable practices, skilled people, and stable markets. By embedding these pillars in policy, infrastructure, and community support, the national food security strategy can safeguard domestic and international food supplies, strengthen regional  communities, and maintain Australia’s position as a global food leader.

We thank you again for the opportunity to contribute, and should you wish to discuss further, please contact AgForce Policy Director Jaime Colley via email colleyj@agforceqld.org.au or phone 0428 889 052.

 

Sincerely,

Shane McCarthy

General President

AgForce Queensland Farmers Ltd


1 Northern Development Report 2023, AgForce Queensland Ltd, https://www.agforceqld.org.au/assets/submission-northern-development-report-2023

2 Analysis – Australian goat meat makes an impact on the global market, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 2023, https://www.agriculture.gov.au/about/news/analysis-australian-goat-meat-makes-an-impact-on-the-global-market?

3 How global energy prices are affecting the price of Australian farm inputs, Australian Trade and Investment Commission, 2023, https://www.austrade.gov.au/en/news-and-analysis/analysis/how-global-energy-prices-are-affecting-the-price-of-australian-farm-inputs

4 National Food Security Preparedness Green Paper, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2025, https://ad-aspi.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/2025- 04/National%20food%20security%20preparedness%20Green%20Paper_2.pdf?VersionId=RmroIr5P6nyulLsg6rjTVzZ8JzDpLAfK

5 Sheep Sustainability Framework, https://www.sheepsustainabilityframework.com.au ; Australian Beef Sustainability Framework, https://www.sustainableaustralianbeef.com.au/

6 Red Meat, Health Facts, Australian Good Meat, https://www.goodmeat.com.au/red-meat-green-facts/health/

7 Ibid.

8 Understanding Australian Red Meat’s Role in the Future of Health and Wellness: White Paper, Food and Nutrition Australia and Meat and Livestock Australia, 2024, https://www.mla.com.au/globalassets/mla-corporate/research-and-development/documents/mla-future-of-health-and-wellness-white-paper.pdf

9 Australia – Arable Land (% of Land Area), Trading Economics, https://tradingeconomics.com/australia/arable-land-percent-of-land-area-wb-data.html

10 The Role of Livestock in Climate Change: Friend or Foe?, Vaughn Holder, AllTech, https://livestockresearch.ca/uploads/cross_sectors/files/VHolderBeef-and-Climate.pdf


 

 

Keywords: Submission, National, Food, Security, Strategy, Review