The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has welcomed the Australian Government’s investment in strengthening Australia’s agricultural traceability systems through a new industry-led national traceability governance mechanism.
The Australian Government has provided the NFF funding to establish the successor to the Australian Agricultural Traceability Governance Group (AATGG), supporting nationally coordinated implementation of the National Agricultural Traceability Strategy.
The NFF will bring together industry, governments and supply chain participants to strengthen national coordination, support implementation of the Strategy and improve alignment across Australia’s traceability ecosystem.
NFF CEO Mike Guerin said the investment recognised that Australia’s future traceability success depends on effective collaboration across the agricultural sector.
“Our role is not to replace existing traceability systems. It is to provide the governance, coordination and engagement that supports implementation of the National Agricultural Traceability Strategy and helps industry and governments address shared challenges together.”
The work will focus on supporting collaboration across commodities, jurisdictions and supply chains, identifying opportunities to reduce duplication, encouraging interoperable approaches where they deliver value, and providing a national forum to coordinate implementation priorities.
Mr Guerin said strengthening coordination would help ensure Australia remained well positioned to meet growing domestic and international expectations for traceability, particularly in overseas markets where more than 70% of what Australian farmers grow is ultimately sold, while building on Australia’s existing strengths.
“Farmers and supply chains already invest significantly in traceability. By improving coordination, we can better support practical implementation, share knowledge, reduce unnecessary duplication and maximise the value of those investments.”
The program will establish an industry-led national governance mechanism, coordinate implementation of priority activities under the National Agricultural Traceability Strategy, support engagement across the agricultural sector and assess future governance and funding arrangements to ensure long-term sustainability of national coordination.
