Australia’s plant science industry actively supporting farmers to ensure food security

    20 March 2020

    CropLife Australia and its members who make up the crop protection and crop biotechnology industry support the Australian and global efforts to prevent further spread and impact of COVID-19.

    We applaud the efforts of those working tirelessly to protect the Australian population and we are focusing our efforts to ensure ongoing support and supply to the Australian farming sector which is working to deliver a stable food supply during these challenging times.

    Efforts in Australia are being supported globally through our national associations in 91 other countries, through our global federation, CropLife International, and through our collective member companies worldwide.

    Farmers are the foundation of ensuring a stable and secure food supply. Australia is in the very fortunate position that over 80 per cent of the food on our supermarket shelves is Australian grown and 75 per cent of what is produced in Australia is above our own nation’s requirements and able to be exported.

    It is critical that farming operations – and those of critical input industries including the plant science sector – remain uninterrupted. The production, transport and delivery of crop protection products and seeds is critical to ensure maximum yields and high-quality harvests at this time.

    Government needs to assist to ensure there are no interruptions throughout the entire crop protection supply chain that would put farming and food supply at risk in both the short- and medium-term.

    The plant science industry will continue to work with governments so that any decisions they make do not interrupt these critical operations. The plant science industry will continue to provide the Australian and global farming sectors with the critical products and tools they need to maintain a stable food supply. The

    Federal Government must treat the entire cropping and food production sector as a key part of their COVID-19 response.

    This is not a challenge anyone will overcome alone. We stand ready with our partner organisations and industries, along with our international colleagues, to cooperate and assist in any way that is required to ensure a threat to food security does not further increase this challenge.