As reported in Food and Beverage Industry News –https://www.foodmag.com.au/national-food-council-meets-to-shape-food-security-future/

Members of Australia’s newly appointed National Food Council met for the first time in Canberra, marking the next step in progressing the Australian government’s National Food Security Strategy, Feeding Australia.

The meeting included a briefing from ABARES on the economic drivers of food insecurity

and discussion on the possible scope of the strategy. Members reviewed stakeholder feedback and identified priority areas to guide the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s upcoming co design and consultation process, scheduled for the first half of 2026.

Feeding Australia will aim to support the security and resilience of agriculture and food production systems. Australia’s agricultural production is forecast to reach a record value of almost $100 billion this financial year.

Although Australia has a well established food system supported by strict food safety and biosecurity measures, the council noted that new and emerging pressures on food and supply chains cannot be overlooked.

“Australia has a world class food system, but we know the future brings new threats and challenges to this system,” said minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry, Julie Collins.

“Feeding Australia, guided by the advice from our National Food Council, will enable us improve food security across our supply chains, no matter what the future brings.”

The membership reflects the diversity and complexity of Australia’s food system, with expertise spanning small scale farming, large scale primary production and processing, innovation, supply chains, public health, nutrition and Aboriginal health.

The council’s appointment followed the first stage of public consultation on Feeding Australia through a discussion paper. More than 400 submissions were received from groups across the food system, outlining a broad range of views on challenges and opportunities.

Early themes from the consultation included nutritional security, producer productivity, supply chain resilience, market access, climate change and ecological stewardship. These submissions, along with a summary of feedback, have been published. Further consultation will take place in 2026 to support development of the strategy.

“Every Australian has a stake in our food future and community consultation on Feeding Australia will be ongoing as the strategy is developed,” said Collins.

“I encourage everyone with an interest in our food system to keep an eye out for these opportunities in 2026.”