About the National Food Plan

What is the scope and purpose of the national food plan?

The aim of the national food plan is to foster a sustainable, globally competitive, resilient food supply that supports access to nutritious and affordable food. To achieve this outcome the government proposes to focus on the following objectives, helping the government better integrate what it already does and help identify if and where a better approach might be needed.

• Identifying and mitigating potential risks to Australia’s food security
• Contributing to global food security
• Reducing barriers to a safe and nutritious food supply that responds to the evolving preferences and needs of all Australians and supports population health
• Supporting the long-term economic, environmental and social sustainability of Australia’s food supply chain
• Supporting the global competitiveness and productivity growth of the food supply chain, including through research, science and innovation
• Reducing barriers faced by food businesses to access international and domestic markets
• Contributing to economic prosperity, employment and community wellbeing in regional Australia.

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator the Hon. Joe Ludwig, is leading this initiative, and is working closely with a number of ministerial colleagues to ensure a whole-of-government approach to the development of the plan.

The government has also established strong collaborative arrangements between departments to ensure a coordinated approach to consultation and development of the national food plan and is using existing mechanisms to engage with state and territory governments. Further sources of advice are being drawn upon, including Minister Ludwig’s Food Policy Working Group and Minister Carr’s Food Processing Industry Strategy Group.

What is the government doing to develop a national food plan?

As a first step towards developing a national food plan. Minister Ludwig released the Issues paper to inform the development of the national food plan on the 23 June 2011.

The government intends to draw upon your ideas and suggestions from the public consultation process on the Issues paper to develop policy options for a national food plan through a green paper/white paper process.

The green paper will outline the government’s vision and approach to food policy to canvas potential changes to policy, programs and governance arrangements.

Feedback on the green paper will inform the national food plan, to be released as a white paper. The white paper will be a significant policy statement that acts as a platform for better outcomes for food sector and the community.

How does the national food plan integrate with other government food-related initiatives?

The Australian Government recognises the wide range of work by governments and other stakeholders on food-related initiatives. In developing a national food plan the government does not seek to replicate past or ongoing policy processes or other initiatives, but to work on drawing linkages between them. Stakeholders wanting to provide feedback on specific policy issues being considered elsewhere—such as the national policy response to the Blewett review of food labelling law and policy—should do so through the relevant avenues or consultation opportunities.

Is there an opportunity to contribute to the development of a national food plan?

Stakeholder consultation is a very important part of developing the national food plan and there will be multiple consultation opportunities throughout its development.

So far, broad public consultation has been used to gain feedback on the Issues paper including written submissions, a webcast, and a series of small face-to-face meetings (roundtables) with a range of stakeholders from across the supply chain and other interest groups. Public consultation on the Issues paper closed on 2 September 2011.

There will be a further round of public consultation following the release of the national food plan green paper.