Submission to the National Food Security Strategy

We made a submission in response to the National Food Security Strategy: discussion paper. Our submission advocates for a transformative shift in Australia’s agricultural policy towards sustainable, organic, and biodynamic farming practices to ensure long-term food security, environmental health, and economic resilience.

Key Points

Urgency for Sustainable Agriculture: With global food demand projected to rise by 50% by 2050, current industrial farming practices are unsustainable, degrading ecosystems and threatening biodiversity, soil health, and water quality.

Organic and Biodynamic Farming: These methods offer proven benefits including improved soil health, carbon sequestration, resilience to climate extremes, and reduced environmental harm. Organic systems have demonstrated higher profitability and yield stability, especially under stress conditions like drought.

Policy and Regulatory Reform: Australia lacks domestic regulation for organic certification, unlike other advanced nations. The submission calls for harmonised national standards, a 2030 target for organic land use (similar to the EU’s 25% goal), and market mechanisms to discourage unsustainable practices.

Consumer Trust and Education: Despite growing demand for organic products, consumer understanding and trust in organic labelling remain limited. Regulated certification and public education are essential to support industry growth.

Support for Smallholders and Ecological Intensification: Small farms, which produce the majority of food in developing regions, can be highly productive when adopting sustainable practices. Ecological intensification—enhancing ecosystem services to reduce reliance on synthetic inputs—is a viable pathway for sustainable yield improvement.

Research and Development: The submission highlights the need for a dedicated RDC (Research & Development Corporation) focused on sustainable agriculture, to better represent organic producers and drive innovation across all farming systems.

Sustainability and Global Alignment: The submission urges the Australian Government to align agricultural policy with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, implement ecosystem service payments, and develop national sustainability reporting frameworks.

Conclusion

Australia’s current agricultural trajectory risks environmental degradation and export market exclusion. Organic and biodynamic farming offer a viable, scalable solution. The submission calls for strategic policy reform, regulatory support, and investment in sustainable agriculture to secure Australia’s food future.