Food forum for Launceston

National identities in the field of food production surety will lead a policy forum organised by the state’s peak farming body, the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, in Launceston in June.

The forum will be a pathfinder in setting out Australia’s options to ensure that its farmers can continue to provide sufficient high quality food to meet domestic and world demand.

The presenters include:
• Professor Julian Cribb, one of Australia’s leading science communicators;
• demographer Bernard Salt;
• Mick Keogh, executive director of the Australian Farm Institute;
• Dr Tony Press, CEO Climate Futures for Tasmania; and
• Professor Anthony Arundel, professor of Innovation at the Australian Innovation Research Centre at the University of Tasmania.

“Food security is a hot topic of discussion,” TFGA chief executive Jan Davis said today. “With climate change and changing population demographics, we really need to reassess what we are doing.

“In Tasmania have what the world needs: water, land, sunshine and people. We have less than one per cent of Australia’s land mass, but more than 13 per cent of its water.

“Our ratio of arable land to population is the highest in Australia. Being further south, we have the most usable sunshine; less than the mainland in winter, but more in the critical ripening periods of summer and autumn. And we have highly skilled farmers and researchers.

“However, if we are to capitalise on this, we need to ensure decision-makers understand what we’re talking about. The policy forum will provide some context for a more informed discussion in Tasmania,” Ms Davis said.

The policy forum will be held at Country Club Tasmania in Launceston on Thursday, June 2. There will be a field trip the following day. Registrations have opened.
Jan Davis http://www.tfga.com.au/