A Rural Press Club Victoria panel talks food security challenges

A Rural Press Club Victoria industry panel last week focused on the supply chain's role in national food security and explored onshore capacity, supply chain disruptions, international exports, market transparency and investment.

The panel included Bayer Crop Science's Warren Wood, Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano, and international agricultural researcher Leigh Vial.

Ms Germano said there needed to be widespread government departmental support to "map out" the supply chain.

"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and that's really what the danger is because let's remember that time when you couldn't get diesel, or let's remember that time when they shut state borders," she said.

"On and on it goes and yet we have just bounced from one disaster to another without stopping and saying how do we think about the risk to agriculture and how do we think about the resilience of agriculture long term?

"And we just waste these opportunities."

Ms Germano said mapping the supply chain would be a government-wide responsibility that included trade, employment, water, agriculture and more.

"We're so far behind on that perspective of appreciating it on a national perspective and I think it's time to get with the program," she said.

She said stakeholder groups including commodity councils and advocacy organisations needed to collaborate.

"When they start fighting with each other, it is [like] you are standing on the beach arguing about what bikini you're wearing when there's a tsunami coming," she said.

Mr Inwood said there needed to be a stronger focus on showing a positive narrative and telling the story about agriculture and how farmers contributed to food security.

"Many of our farmers are really good at sustainable farming and want to pass those farms on to generations to come," he said.

Mr Vial said it was becoming more challenging for innovation and to find safe, affordable products for growers.

"One of the biggest limitations is cost of research and innovation, that's getting harder and if you look at the global chem market probably 90 per cent of the market now is generic," he said.

"Every agricultural product faces a battle to secure a sufficient margin at the supermarket shelves."

Mr Inwood said technology advancement would be a strong contributor to help Australian growers keep up with international competition.

"What we do have to realise is that our farmers are competing in a very competitive environment that is not the same as other countries," he said.

"It will be one tool that they need to rely on to make sure they remain competitive."