On World Food Day, on Friday, October 16, they said our nation was not doing enough to support food production.
As a result, if changes are not made Australia is likely to be a net importer of food within a decade, and our ability to provide essential staples to starving humans in drought-stricken countries would be compromised.
The Murray Regional Strategy Group, representing farming and community organisations in the NSW Murray, said the Federal Government is struggling to understand the importance of policy settings that encourage food production.
It has a particular issue with water buybacks, that are unnecessarily removing water, which is the key ingredient for growing food.
NSW Irrigators’ Council said there was a “critical link between water security, food producing and sustaining regional communities”.
It has launched its first irrigated agriculture calendar, ‘Growing NSW: Irrigated Food & Fibre’.
“Many people don’t realise the scale of irrigated agriculture or the vital role it plays in supporting local jobs and regional communities,” its CEO Dr Madeleine Hartley said.
“The gross value of irrigated agriculture production in NSW is estimated at $3.5 billion annually.”
MRSG executive officer Shelley Scoullar said World Food Day was a chance to reflect on the consequences of failing to appreciate the value of our region’s farmers.
“Even a decade ago it would have been impossible to think that Australia could get itself into a position where we were not growing enough food to feed our population,” she said.
“Yet under the current trajectory that’s where we are heading.
“We need the Albanese Government to take the issue seriously and start supporting food production, instead of taking away the key ingredients - like water - that our farmers need,” Mrs Scoullar said.
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