GrainGrowers’ submission to the Federal Government’s National Food Security Strategy discussion paper has called for urgent, coordinated action to address the growing risks facing Australia’s food system.
GrainGrowers CEO Shona Gawel said global volatility, climate disruption, and domestic vulnerabilities had converged to place Australia’s food security under increasing strain, leaving the grains sector, which underpins national food production, particularly exposed.
GrainGrowers’ submission calls on the government to develop a comprehensive national food security strategy, outlining six foundational pillars essential to a resilient food system: secure access to fuel, fertiliser, and chemicals; resilient supply chains; protected agricultural land; stable trade access; robust biosecurity; and climate adaptation.
The submission makes nine key recommendations, including:
- Develop a National Feedstock Strategy to secure raw materials for low-carbon fuels.
- Commit $900 million annually to strengthen regional freight corridors.
- Establish a national land use trend database to inform planning decisions.
- Introduce national classifications for prime agricultural land to protect critical assets.
- Secure sustainable funding for the Agricultural Counsellor network.
- Improve transparency and performance reporting in biosecurity systems.
- Align the Food Security Strategy with the National Climate Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Plan.
- Develop detailed sector adaptation plans for agriculture and transport.
- Invest in Australia’s sovereign scientific capability, including climate and hazard data for grain-growing regions.
Ms Gawel said the approach outlined in the submission would help deliver both immediate and long-term benefits for national food security.
“The grains sector is heavily reliant on imported fuel, fertilisers and agricultural chemicals. With 91% of liquid fuel imported and no domestic urea supply until 2027, the sector is highly vulnerable to global price shocks, shipping delays and geopolitical tensions – all of which highlight the need for immediate action to rectify the situation.”
She said one of the most immediate and actionable opportunities is the development of sovereign biofuel capacity.
“The recent Federal Government investment of $1.1 billion into the ten-year Cleaner Fuels Program is an important development and is in line with our call for accelerated investment in this area. The delivery of low-carbon liquid fuels derived from Australian-grown canola - already exported for biodiesel production - must be a national security priority.”
The submission also highlights the urgent need for a national framework to classify and protect prime agricultural land.
Ms Gawel said without baseline land use data, government policy responses would remain reactive and fragmented.
“To address the issue of food security, we need the government to embed evidence-based policies, co-invest in sovereign capability, and adopt a whole-of-government approach to the issues.”
Ms Gawel said it was also important to also realise the vital role that trade and market access play in supporting domestic food security.
“Each year around 70% of our grain production is exported, providing a pathway that allows growers to diversify risk and manage seasonal variability by accessing multiple markets for Australian grain.”
“Export demand underpins the Australian production system by encouraging scale, which in turn leads to lower costs and high productivity. Maintaining access to export markets helps maintain our competitiveness while also delivering a reliable supply of food for Australian consumers.”
Ms Gawel said the strategy must be more than a vision; it must be a blueprint for long-term resilience that delivers economic stability, regional strength, and national sovereignty.
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