Be sure to put Aussie food on your plate on Australia Day

Australia Day is all about being Aussies and about appreciating the great place we live in, There’s no better way to do that than by eating Australian-grown food on Australia Day – with family or friends, on the BBQ, at the beach, or wherever you’re planning on celebrating, Tasmanian farmers said today.

When people buy food for Australia Day, they should be able to ensure that, when they think they are buying Australian, they are indeed getting what they think they are paying, the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) said today.

A recent survey by consumer group Choice found that most Australians say they would pay more for products that they knew were produced in Australia from local ingredients. “Poor labeling laws do not give consumers that option; nor do they provide financial benefits back to local farmers that recognise the high quality of the food they produce,” according to Ms Davis.

“At the moment, the ‘Made in Australia’ label can be used on a product if as little as 50 per cent of the cost is incurred in Australia and it undergoes ‘substantial transformation’ after being imported,” Ms Davis said.

“We say that is misleading. It should be that each significant ingredient has been grown in Australia and that all or virtually all of the processes involved in the production of the good have occurred in Australia.”

“We should support our local farmers every day. But, on Australia Day, it would be simply un-Australian to do otherwise,” she added.

“No matter what you’re planning, it is easy to make it a feast with the range of world-class produce that is grown right here in Tasmania. Oysters and salmon, lamb chops on the barbie a la Sam Kekovich, fresh crunchy salad vegetables, cherries and berries, sumptuous cheeses and Australia’s best bubbly, wines, beers or ciders – there’s something for everyone’s taste,” Ms Davis suggests.

“Choose Tasmanian or Australian, in that order, for your Australia Day plate. And remember, when you’re sitting down to your meal, to thank an Aussie farmer.”
Jan Davis TFGA Chief Executive http://www.tfga.com.au/