GrainGrowers welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the development of the National Bioenergy Feedstock Strategy.
GrainGrowers is a national organisation working to enhance the profitability and sustainability of Australian grain growers. GrainGrowers achieves this through the focus areas of policy and advocacy, grower engagement, thought leadership and active investment in future focused activities.
Australian growers are at the heart of all that GrainGrowers does and is the focus of its work.
Australia’s grain industry is poised to play a pivotal role in the development of low-carbon liquid fuels, leveraging decades of expertise in grain and oilseed production to help build a more sustainable and resilient energy future. By harnessing Australia’s abundant feedstock resources and fostering a domestic low-carbon fuel industry, the nation can accelerate its efforts to decarbonise critical sectors, enhance fuel security, support domestic manufacturing and regional economic growth.
The National Bioenergy Feedstock Strategy provides a vital opportunity to ensure grower voices are heard and to foster genuine collaboration across the value chain - from growers and bulk handlers to fuel producers and end
users.
However, to fully realise this opportunity, key barriers such as limited domestic crush capacity, high coastal shipping costs, and misconceptions around food security must be addressed.
To ensure the strategy delivers practical, enduring outcomes, GrainGrowers calls for:
- Market-led approach: Establish policy settings that enable commercial investment and private-sector leadership, avoiding feedstock reservation or centralised aggregation schemes that risk distorting markets.
- Fit for purpose sustainability certification: If sustainability certification for low-carbon liquid fuel is to be developed, it will be important that the approach is informed by growers and reflects Australia’s unique production systems. The design should align with international frameworks while remaining practical and low-burden, leveraging tools such as self-declarations, mass balance, and digital solutions.
- Research and development: Invest in productivity-enhancing innovation, such as high-oil lupin breeding, emissions accounting, and conversion efficiency to expand Australia’s feedstock base without increasing land use.
- Grower education and extension: Provide targeted, regionally relevant programs to help growers understand certification requirements, market opportunities, and best-practice participation in low-carbon liquid fuel supply chains.
- Market development: Facilitate market access for canola meal to strengthen crush profitability, diversify export opportunities, and enhance regional economic outcomes.
- Support for emerging feedstocks: Explore incentives and risk-sharing mechanisms that encourage growers to trial novel bioenergy crops, diversifying Australia’s feedstock base while maintaining a market-led
approach.
GrainGrowers looks forward to working with government, industry, and research partners to turn this opportunity into action and deliver lasting benefits for growers and regional Australia. Please contact GrainGrowers Policy Manager, Trade and Supply Chains Annabel Mactier (Annabel.mactier@graingrowers.com.au) should you have any questions.
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