National AgDay is bringing people together across the country to celebrate the farming community’s contribution to Australia and the world.
The initiaive is aimed primarily at urban Australians. Events were organised at Southern Cross Station in Melbourne and Wynyard Park in Sydney to show the morning rush of commuters some top quality fresh farm produce.
The theme of AgDay 2018 is Grow for Good.
National Farmers’ Federation president Fiona Simson said Australians are asked to stop and consider how agriculture makes the world a better place.
“Whether it’s helping feed a hungry world, caring for our environment, or creating jobs in disadvantaged communities – every day our farmers Grow For Good,” she said.
The National Agriculture Day Poll, commissioned by NFF and conducted by TEG Insights, found an alarming number of young Australians aged 18 to 29 don’t care about where their food comes from.
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Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of people in this age range said they don’t care at all how their food and fibre is grown. This figure is 8pc higher than for respondents aged 30 to 49.
The AgDay Poll also found that more than half of 18 – 29 year olds felt disconnected with farming and uninformed about the industry.
65pc of this surveyed demographic had not had any contact with a farmer in the past year.
NFF chief executiveTony Mahar said young Australians apathetic attitude toward agriculture is a cause for concern.
“This is meant to be a demographic with a deep social conscience, yet almost one in four couldn’t care less how the food they put in their mouths is grown,” Mr Mahar said.
“While some might say this is a credit to the quality, safety and abundance of food and fibre we produce in Australia, it’s troubling that as a country we’re growing increasingly disconnected from life’s essentials.”
“We have to do a better job at getting in front of the community, and having an open and honest conversation about what we do.
“Otherwise we risk seeing generations of Australians with no understanding of where their food and fibre comes from.”