Opening of the NFF 2009 National Congress

David Crombie

President

National Farmers’ Federation

Brisbane Convention Centre

22 June 2009

Ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome to the National Farmers’ Federation’s 1st National Congress. You are part of history.

This Congress celebrates the vital role that agriculture has played in the development of our national identity and also looks to the future to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

It is my hope that this NFF Congress will become the annual event where Australian agriculture can come together to discuss the big issues and to celebrate the role of agriculture.

Seldom before have the issues facing agriculture been so closely aligned with the issues of the nation and, indeed, those of the global community.Issues such as:

  • World population growth and food security,
  • The threat of a changing climate, and
  • the debates that lie behind these – food production versus the environment – food production versus urban encroachment and food production versus mining.

Not to mention the Global Economic Crisis and its impact on world economies, on currencies, on trade, on food price volatilities and importantly on the policy responses of sovereign Governments around the world.

World population is projected to increase from the current 6.2 billion to over 9billion by 2050 – an increase of some 50 percent. There is little scope to increase the area of arable land and, in fact, arable land and water are under threat from population growth and over utilisation...we will hear more of that in the presentations that follow.

In Asia projected population growth will see over half of the world’s people living within our region. This is also the region with the fastest rate of economic growth, so, in addition to more mouths to feed, there will be a shift in consumption patterns in a segment of the market where personal incomes are rising.

All of this has important implications for Australia and, in turn, has economic, environmental and social implications for our farmers and our supply chains in what they produce and how they produce it.

We are located in the Asia Pacific region, we are net exporters of food and fibre, we have technologies to produce more from less resources and to assist our neighbours to do the same.

We have opportunities and, at the same time, we have responsibilities to play our part as world citizens within our region.

The agricultural sector through chain is important for Australia:

  • Agriculture generates $103billion to the economy, with $30billion in exports,
  • It creates some 1.3million Australian jobs – over half of which are in the cities,
  • We enjoy safe fresh food that is competitively priced – 93 percent of everything consumed is produced right here at home...facts all too often taken for granted,
  • Our farmlands occupy over 60 percent of the continent so engagement with a healthy farm sector is the key to environmental delivery, and
  • Agriculture is the mainstay for healthy regional communities.

So, it is important to get the policy settings right.

Food production and environmental management are not mutually exclusive.Our farm sector has recorded annual productivity gains of 2.8 percent per annum over the past 20 years and, at the same time, Natural Resource Management is actively practised on 94 percent of farms.

Our farmers have always adapted to changing seasonal and economic circumstances.They simply need the tools to adapt and these come from research. They also need the backing of sensible policies based on encouragement through partnerships as opposed to prescriptive and punitive legislation.

Remarkably, in the face of the global food crisis we often find ourselves having to justify food production. There are those who would play food off against the environment. It’s a proposition most rational people reject, particularly those who have experienced food shortages.

Australia’s low emission farming systems are renowned the world over and have enabled Australian farmers to boost production to meet increasing demand while, at the same time, delivering sustainable environmental outcomes. And there is more that we can do.

I read recently that Sir Paul McCartney seeks to lump meat consumption with the power station sector as representing a major threat to world climate. It frustrates me, as I know it does most farmers. Their music was great but there are shades of Sergeant Pepper in his commentary.

The largely vegetarian India is not only home to the gurus who guided the Beatles, but it also is home to the world’s largest cattle population.

And while some would seek to vilify ruminants, the largely vegetarian Hindus hold their cows to be sacred.

And what about the ruminants of the Serengeti and the Masai Mara, the vast herds of wildebeest and that other dear old ruminant the giraffe...do we get rid of them in the cause of climate change?

Ruminants have a unique ability to convert roughage to protein and, at the same time, re-circulate waste as soil building humus. Individuals will always exercise their meal choice, but I call on them not to do so in the mistaken belief that they are in some way saving the planet.

The solution to reducing emissions is in engaging with all sources across all sectors across all countries. A kilogram of carbon in the atmosphere is the same if it comes from a Chinese factory, a Kalimantan bush fire or from my tractor.

Also, we need to measure not only emissions but also biological sequestration and storage and we need to send the right signals to reward and/or penalise behaviours.

We cannot sacrifice food and fibre production at the CO2 altar at a time of increasing world food demand and diminishing production.

The National Farmers’ Federation is a leading voice in the international farmer community. From recent discussions in Copenhagen, as well as Indonesia, international farm groups are bewildered by Australia’s seeming preparedness to risk cutting food production to pursue an even lower carbon footprint.

Our footprint is already low and it would be paradoxical for Australia to penalise our farm sector and, in so doing, lose market share to countries with heavier emissions.

I am reminded of a friend from Zambia who spoke of the interesting debate about the cause and effect of climate change and the potential for GMO’s, but reminded us of the urgent needs of the one billion people currently living in poverty and of their increasing need for food, including proteins.

Over the course of the next two days we will hear from speakers on Australian agriculture and its role in a hungry world. We will cover climate change and, importantly, the policy responses for managing emissionsand we will focus on opportunities for food and fibre supply into Asian markets.

Tomorrow we will talk about that most precious of all resources water. We will gain a better understanding of what drives our customers, and we will talk about the responsibilities that we have as part of accountable supply chains in meeting consumer expectations.

We will look at trade barriers that impede the movement of food and the need to tear these down. We will highlight the need for better technologies to reduce waste in the interests of moving food from where it is produced to where it is needed.

Tomorrow we will be lifting the veil and talking openly about new technologies, including GMO’s, and the contribution that they may make in producing more from less.

These are the big issues that challenge Australian agriculture. These are the areas where the NFF seeks to represent the Australian farm sector.

We seek to develop good policy settings at home to empower our farmers and allow them to get on with the job...and that is to meet demand for food and fibre at home and to contribute to meeting increasing world food demand, particularly within our Asian region.

It’s with great pleasure that I know introduce our Keynote Speaker, Professor David Hughes from the Centre for Food Chain Research at Imperial College in the United Kingdom.

David is a leading international authority on consumer trends and food marketing. I know he is known to many of you, please make him feel welcome.

Thank you.

[ENDS]

NFF Speeches – Official Opening of the NFF 2009 National Congress- 1 -