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last mo.

CSIRO report reveals A$274 billion in hidden environmental and health costs in Australia’s food system

Charities back a national food donation tax incentive to curb waste by improving access to nutritious food.

Less than 5 per cent of Australians are getting enough fruit and vegetables in their diet. It's being driven by cost, location and a lack of choice.
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Overview

  • Australia’s food system is valued at A$800 billion annually, with 100,000 farmers feeding roughly 100 million consumers at home and overseas.
  • Environmental damage, such as biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, accounts for most of the hidden costs, with the rest driven by health burdens from diet-related diseases.
  • Fewer than 5 percent of Australians meet recommended fruit and vegetable intakes, while the proliferation of highly processed foods costs the economy billions in lost productivity.
  • About 3.4 million households suffered moderate or severe food insecurity over the past year, a figure that rises to 31 percent among remote Indigenous communities.
  • CSIRO leaders and charities are calling for a unified national food policy, coordinated reporting systems and a food donation tax incentive to reduce waste and improve access to nutritious food.