Podcast: Farmers Prue and David Bonfield discuss producing sustainable food

Australia has a huge opportunity to stand out on the global stage as a sustainable producer of food, these leading farmers tell The Australian Ag Podcast. LISTEN NOW

The agricultural industry has a huge opportunity to market itself as a savvy, sustainable producer of food on the global market in coming years, as more customers shop with the environment in mind.

That’s according to Prue Bonfield, who along with her husband, David, was named The Weekly Times Coles 2016 Farmer of the Year for their management of Palgrove, one of the nation’s largest beef operations.

Speaking on The Australian Ag Podcast, out today, Mrs Bonfield said Australia had “a really terrific opportunity” to market its agricultural products from a low-emissions perspective.

“We have the safe, high-quality food production to add to that group of promotional tools,” Mrs Bonfield said.

Even better for Australia’s reputation if the agriculture industry can achieve sustainability goals “faster than anyone else”, Mrs Bonfield said.

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With the recent Glasgow climate conference bringing sustainability and agriculture to the fore, Mrs Bonfield said it was a good time for agriculture to tell its success story.

“It brings us back into a conversation and has us actually at the table again,” Mrs Bonfield said.

“I certainly see it as an opportunity to review, and start to measure, and not be afraid of those improvements that we’ve made.”

David and Prue Bondfield. Mrs Bonfield says there is plenty of opportunity for Australian producers as leaders of sustainable food production globally. Picture: David Martinelli

As the inaugural chair of the Beef Sustainability Framework, Mrs Bonfield has seen the willingness of beef producers to search for more innovative, sustainable ways to run their operation.

“Producers in particular, don’t wait for governments to do stuff for them,” Mrs Bonfield said.

“I think most producers would say, let us just do our thing. Let us do what we know how to do well, let us adopt different practices. And I think there’s a really strong feeling now, certainly in the food and fibre production sector, that says we’re actually here to manage and help Australia get (to net zero).

“We’re not the hindrance.”