Coronavirus shines a light on a small Mornington Peninsula grain grower

Tuerong Farm, Tuerong, grows and mills heritage, ancient and modern grains at the heart of the Mornington Peninsula.

Tuerong Farm trials and selects various varieties of old and rare wheat, which owner Jason Cotter said offered different protein profiles, flavour and performance values.

Mr Cotter said demand for his flour and grain had skyrocketed when supermarket shelves were stripped of the product, at the height of the pandemic.

"While I can't see what the future holds, I can say we've seen a massive increase in demand for our grain and flour, particularly selling direct and into local outlets," Mr Cotter said.

"It has cemented the idea with evidence that local food production and availability is key to food security and important to support."

He said Tuerong farm had been able to step in and sell flour online, at the farmgate and in local produce outlets, when stockouts occurred in the major stores, due to supply chain failure.

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Writing to Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, Mr Cotter said he trusted that local agriculture, food production and sales remained an important factor in future decision making, "particularly in regards to on-farm sales of local produce and products."

Mr Cotter is also a 2020 Nuffield farming scholar, investigating ways of restoring nutrition, flavour and resilience in grain systems, particularly in a low input context.

He said local outlets, selling local produce, had been the only ones ensuring food security, during the crisis.

Mr Cotter said his output had easily doubled.

Tuerong was selling flour produced on the farm, and bread made off-site, while it used another grower's spelt to supplement its supplies.

"I can't believe how much flour I am putting into Melbourne, and we are a tiny business," he said.

"And it's not just for the people who can afford ten-dollar loaves of bread and expensive flour; it's for everyone."

He said he was building a "local grain economy" on the Peninsula.

Production was limited as Mr Cotter said he could only grow a certain amount of grain, each year.

"More and more farmers on the Peninsula are putting in grain, and long may that continue," he said.

"I'm not saying we'll have local mills take over all the supply from larger mills, it's too radical a change, and not necessarily a viable one.

'But it's shown that centralised mechanisms have been inadequate for comprehensive supply of flour and grain, particularly in a market that's become more demanding."

Farmgate shops on the Peninsula represented local producers.

"We should be supporting our local producers, any way we can," Mr Cotter said.

"We've destroyed half the productive land, close to Melbourne."

He said he could see the intention of trying to maintain farming land, with strict planning rules in green wedge zones, but not allowing farmers to run viable businesses on their properties would have a negative impact.

"If I were a main street retailer, I would be more concerned with the supermarkets, the Aldis and the Coles, that crop up in the area.

"While the panic buying has backed off a little bit, the exposure to a broader market is going to be long-lasting and good for business."

While it was true Australian producers grew enough food to feed the nation, coronavirus had brought food security into people's minds.

Small producers, like Tuerong, played an essential role.

"It's not just about specifically supplying to artisan bakers and very keen sourdough makers," he said.

"It extends to other foods - fruit and vegetable supply is pretty good in Australia, but coronavirus has highlighted how important food security is.

"We still import a lot of stuff; the supermarkets are full of products, which are not local products."

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