Audio and video of Minister Littleproud .
- Australian Government is investing $68.4 million in agricultural traceability.
- Traceability is key to maintaining our international reputation and securing international market premiums for Australian producers.
- Initiative will see:
- A ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ traceability Summit and establishment of a national agriculture traceability alliance.
- A virtual hub to keep industry up to date with consumer trends, develop national data standards and take advantage of new technologies.
- Grants to promote uptake and development of new technology and systems to reduce regulatory and traceability costs.
More than $68 million in Australian Government funding will shore up Australia’s agricultural traceability systems and increase access to premium overseas markets.
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said investing in strong traceability frameworks and systems could add up to $1 billion a year to the bottom line of Australian farmers.
“Australia already has strong traceability systems in place, especially around food safety, origin and biosecurity,” Minister Littleproud said.
“But we can make these systems stronger by bringing them together with a national approach.
“That’s why we’re working with the states and territories and industry to create the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Agricultural Traceability Alliance and ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Agricultural Traceability Hub.
“It will bring industry groups, research bodies, state and territory bodies and governments and together. We’re organising a ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Traceability Summit so we can all share our ideas and map out how we can work to make the most of this multi-million dollar investment.
“The hub will be a way for government and industry groups to work together to create successful traceability projects that will deliver financial benefits to our farmers.
“Traceability systems will continue to show consumers that our products are safe, clean and meet sustainability standards.
“Customers have shown they are willing to pay more for a product that can meet provenance and sustainability standards so our farmers will get a better price for their product.
“On the other side of the coin, by using the latest technology and data we are helping our farmers reduce their costs of production.
The Government is committed to help and we are:
- Establishing a coalition of stakeholders across government and industry, the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Agricultural Traceability Alliance, to foster national leadership on traceability initiatives;
- Holding a ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Traceability Summit so we can all share our ideas, get on the same page and establish platforms for sharing experiences;
- Creating a ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Agricultural Traceability Hub to deliver a traceability capability, agree to common data standards and harnessing the power technologies such as blockchain in order to demonstrate the provenance of Australia’s agricultural exports while reducing compliance burdens;
- Providing grants to encourage innovation in traceability against the roadmap, to generate value and promote them across cross all our primary industries.
“We know we produce some of the best produce in the world. By enhancing traceability and transparency at every step in the supply chain, we can make sure the rest of the world knows this as well.”
You can find out more on agricultural traceability initiatives.
Fast Facts:
- Australia could lock in between $400 million and $1 billion of additional value if traceability can demonstrate provenance, sustainability or organics. For example, certified ‘grass fed beef’ gets an additional $1 per kilogram in the US market, of which half goes back to the grower.
- Harmonisation of traceability frameworks and regulatory technology could save businesses $225-$325 million per year by reducing staffing and streamlining paper processes.
- Enhancements to improve the speed and accuracy of traceability could reduce the economic impact of a biosecurity outbreak by 78-89 percent over ten years, saving $15-$17 billion.
