The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) is urging the Federal Government to put strong support behind Australia’s local food manufacturing and supply chains, describing them as essential to the nation’s long-term food security.
As part of the government’s work on a new National Food Security Strategy, the AFGC has made a formal submission calling for practical measures that will help build a more resilient food system. The initiative follows a national consultation launched by Agriculture Minister Julie Collins to develop a coordinated, long-term plan for protecting Australia’s food supply.
The AFGC’s message is clear: Australia’s ability to process and manufacture food locally is a key part of national resilience. Transforming locally grown produce into finished, shelf-ready goods helps ensure that the country can continue to feed itself even during times of global disruption. Without strong local manufacturing, Australia risks being overly dependent on imported ingredients, packaging, and other critical components sourced from a small number of overseas suppliers.
In its submission, the AFGC highlights several areas of vulnerability in both domestic and international supply chains. It calls for government action to secure local production capacity, improve logistics efficiency, and support manufacturers facing rising costs and uncertain global conditions.
The organisation believes that a well-designed strategy must back Australian producers and processors, ensuring that they have the tools, infrastructure, and workforce support needed to thrive. It also emphasises that collaboration across industry, government, and the broader community will be essential in turning policy into progress.
For independent supermarket owners, this push for local resilience is good news. Stronger domestic manufacturing and stable supply chains mean greater reliability, fresher products, and fewer disruptions on shelves benefits that flow directly to local retailers and their customers.
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