Greens launch plan to link farmers and consumers

Monday, 29 July, 2013

The Australian Greens have proposed an $85 million plan to connect farmers directly with consumers to challenge the ‘supermarket duopoly’.

Greens leader Senator Christine Milne says the party will push for $85 million in grants over four years for infrastructure and initiatives such as farmers markets, community food box schemes, producer cooperatives, local food hubs and creating and marketing regional food brands.

“Farmers don’t have many options for selling their produce outside the low prices offered by the big supermarket chains,” Senator Milne said. “The Greens want to help farmers access infrastructure and markets so they can make a decent living off the land and improve our access to reasonably priced, fresh, local food.

“The communications revolution, particularly fast broadband, heralds a new era of direct connection between growers and consumers.”

“Regional food hubs are where small-scale farmers can store, package, pickle, juice and bottle their produce,” said Greens agricultural spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewer. “By sharing the equipment with other food producers they bring production costs down and improve their range of goods.

“Farmers’ cooperatives allow producers to band together to supply bigger contracts or start their own product lines with greater surety of supply than if they were working solo.

“Grant money could also be used to market a region for its products. Tasmania has a strong brand for high-quality food and wine, as do WA regions like the Margaret River. Other regions and their specialities need similar opportunities and the Greens will help them do that.”

Related News

Two more Italian tomato exporters investigated for dumping

Vegetable producers and processors have welcomed an announcement that the Anti-Dumping Commission...

Global Food Safety Conference to feature LRQA, Cargill, Metro Group and World Bank

Representatives from LRQA, Cargill, Metro Group and the World Bank are among some of the keynote...

Labelling review recommends 'per serving' information be scrapped

The independent review of labelling has issued a recommendation that proposes the declaration in...


  • All content Copyright © 2024 Westwick-Farrow Pty Ltd