Sustainability is not just a marketing buzzword – it’s about future-proofing Australian farming systems to ensure generational food and economic security. The Australian Farm Institute will provide an introduction to the Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF), explaining the drivers behind development, the state of the current framework, its use at a high level, and where Australia sits in the global agricultural sustainability landscape.

The AASF is a clarification of what the Australian agricultural industry sees as ideal states for the natural, human and social capital needed to continue sustainably producing food and fibre for generations to come. Many Australian farm sectors have developed commodity-specific sustainability initiatives; however, a lack of system-wide consistency in language, structure and format means that understanding of sustainability often varies across industries, locations and stakeholders. The AASF seeks to amplify the efficacy of these initiatives by articulating universal principles and proffering a cohesive structure to communicate the sustainability status and goals of Australian farmers to markets and to the community.