The nation’s peak farm body has hit back at the Australian Conservation Foundation’s The Future of Food Report, as an ill-informed swipe at farmers and food companies.
The report lambasts supermarkets and food businesses for not setting deforestation targets.
³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Farmers’ Federation President David Jochinke said it was incredibly disappointing to see this kind of attack on farmers and the food companies they supply.
“Peddling this kind of ideology spreads harmful misinformation and completely ignores the facts.
“Inflammatory language suggesting when people are just trying to feed their families, they’re contributing to wildlife extinction is extremely poor form. It’s a transparent attempt to line their fundraising coffers by beating up on household brands that buy from Aussie farmers.
“As custodians of more than half of Australia’s landmass, farmers play a central role in caring for and improving our natural environment – it’s in their best interests to do this and they do it on behalf of all Australians.
“Australia’s regulatory framework is some of the most stringent in the world, and we’re seeing clearing rates continue to drop further each year.
“Evidence shows in Queensland clearing has dropped 50% year on year and 80% of what is being cleared is repeat management of woody regrowth required to maintain a healthy biodiversity balance.”
Beyond rigorous state and territory regulations around land clearing, the farm sector is also working closely with the Federal Government on environmental reform through the Nature Positive Bill and has developed a whole-of-industry to demonstrate sustainable agricultural practices, covering greenhouse gas emissions and air, soil and landscapes, biodiversity, water and materials and resources.
“Farmers are working hard to balance the sustainable production of food and fibre while managing complex landscapes as part of the ongoing emissions reduction journey.
“The red meat sector has already reduced its emissions by about 59% on 2005 levels.
“We’d encourage the Foundation to step out its office in Carlton and visit farmers to see the work they are doing towards emissions reduction on behalf of all Australians.
“Any campaign that diminishes these wins for climate change lacks research, credibility and needs to work with agriculture on the challenges farmers face when it comes to emissions reduction and land management.
“It’s imperative policy is driven by science and tailored to Australia’s unique environment, not based on ideology.”
