Traceability in Victoria’s renowned agriculture sector will be taken to the next level through a record investment in the Victorian Budget 2021/22 – supporting jobs in the sector and demand for our quality food and fibre.
Visiting Ellinbank SmartFarm in Gippsland, Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas today announced $11.7 million to modernise agriculture traceability systems – supporting farmers, producers and jobs across the state.
The investment reinforces Victoria’s world-class agriculture sector, and will protect the long-term security of farmers by bolstering response systems in the event of biosecurity threats.
Sensors are currently used at Ellinbank SmartFarm to provide traceable data on each dairy cow’s welfare, as well as the quality of the milk produced and its origin. This is one of many traceability systems that allows the customer to see the ‘paddock to plate’ journey through all stages of production, processing and distribution.
In a citrus industry traceability pilot supported by the Andrews Labor Government, unique codes on stickers were applied to oranges in Mildura. Once scanned along the global supply chain, these codes confirm a Victorian orange’s bona fides.
The Labor Government’s new investment will build on projects like these, with digitalised and interoperable systems – important tools in growing our export reach.
In the year to November 2020, there were around 197,000 people employed in Victoria’s food and fibre production and manufacturing sectors – 89,000 in production and 108,000 in manufacturing.
These traceability systems will underpin Victoria's reputation across the globe as a producer of quality food and fibre products. Improved traceability is an emerging capability in the food supply chain that provides assurances to trading partners and consumers about how and where their food is produced.
This new investment will be rolled out across the state with a focus on research and pilot projects, reinforcing Victoria’s 10-year Agriculture Strategy, which is working to promote and build confidence in the sector for international and domestic markets.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas
“It’s never been more important for our producers to be able to market ‘paddock to plate’ traceability and provide assurances on their product’s integrity – both at home and around the globe.”
“Our farmers are rightfully renowned for their produce. With this investment, we’ll back that reputation and the jobs that rely on it.”
“This work will further move our agricultural traceability systems towards modern, digitalised systems – meaning more of Victoria’s food and fibre on the world stage.”
Reviewed 13 May 2021