National Biosecurity Strategy Action Plan

Consultation:

National Biosecurity Strategy Action Plan 2024:
Connected, Resilient, Shared

Submission by:
The Australian Institute of Food Science & Technology Limited

22 August 2024

Enquiries should be addressed to:

Fiona Fleming, AIFST CEO fiona.fleming@aifst.com.au

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The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology Limited
(AIFST)

The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology Limited (AIFST) is a not-for-profit organisation representing food industry professionals working in all facets of the food industry including food science, food technology, engineering, sensory, new product development, innovation, regulatory, QA, nutrition, microbiology, and food safety, as well as those in leadership positions within the academic, industry and private sectors.

AIFST’s mission is to advance and inspire all food sector professionals through education, collaboration, and recognition, to champion a robust, innovative, science-based Australian agri-food industry to meet future food needs.

Food science is at the heart of what we do, and we champion food science and food scientists.

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Introduction
AIFST welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the National Biosecurity Strategy Action Plan.

In October 2020, the AIFST was commissioned by the Page Research Centre (PRC) to deliver a paper discussing the potential to grow Australia’s food manufacturing sector and proposing focus areas to support this growth.

AIFST worked with RDS Partners to deliver a report which synthesised current key reports related to the future of Australia’s agricultural and food production system with a series of conversations with 26 industry leaders, scientists, and stakeholders deeply embedded in the sector.

The resulting report, Exploring the growth potential of Australia’s food manufacturing sector: a new narrative for Australia’s agrifood system1, published in January 2021, provides the basis for the AIFST submission.

The report presented a series of recommendations arising from our review of contemporary information and from our discussions with industry experts. While priorities will change as the operating environment also inevitably changes, these recommendations point to some key activities that will help governments develop a clearer picture about what their food policy is and how they are going to support it.
The primary recommendation coming out of the report was:

The AIFST calls upon the Government to urgently work with food system stakeholders to establish an industry-led, food system strategic advisory body, chaired at the Ministerial level, to develop a
National Food Plan.

The recommended industry-led advisory body would be responsible, amongst many other things, for reviewing the recommendations in this and contemporary reports, and for developing and delivering against its own priorities.

There was a strong call for a well-coordinated and resourced national food system plan and strategy covering what, how and why we grow, harvest, store, value add, market, regulate and export our agricultural, aquacultural and wild harvest primary products and to be rid of the siloed, often piecemeal ways in which these activities are designed and delivered.

In short, we must view and integrate all these largely disparate activities under the auspices of a single, national food system. We need to decide what that system should do – what success looks like – and then design policies and effective actions to achieve that vision. This should not be a short-term vision, but take into consideration impacts such as climate change, so needs to be adaptable.

If the Australian food system is to be positioned to take advantage of the huge opportunities foreseen by our experts, and to mitigate the threats, a serious, nationally coordinated approach to food must occur.

A nationally coordinated approach to food needs to be prioritised so that it is led by industry with true commitment, collaboration, and support from the highest levels of government.

1
Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) - Research and Technical Papers

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This recommendation is important in the context of the National Biosecurity Strategy Action Plan.

AIFST comments on the National Biosecurity Strategy (NBS) priority areas

AIFST notes the NBS priority areas as follows:

1. NBS priority area 1: Shared biosecurity culture.
2. NBS priority area 2: Stronger partnerships.
3. NBS priority area 3: Highly skilled workforce.
4. NBS priority area 4: Coordinated preparedness and response.
5. NBS priority area 5: Sustainable investment.
6. NBS Priority area 6: Integration supported by technology, research, and data.

The AIFST submission will address NBS priority area 3: Highly skilled workforce.

NBS priority area 3: Highly skilled workforce

Future workforce and skills needs

Recommendation: recognise the necessity of investment in higher education to ensure learning
and training is reflective of these critical knowledge areas.

AIFST’s mission is to advance and inspire all food sector professionals through education, collaboration, and recognition, to champion a robust, innovative, science-based Australian agrifood system to meet future food needs.

Attracting and retaining people into the fields of food and agriculture remains a challenge. Replacement and succession planning are of concern. Participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects in Australian schools is declining, with enrolments in these subjects at the lowest level in 20 years (1). Australia’s performance in STEM subjects is also slipping.

The role of STEM and food science and technology will be critical to transforming Australia’s agrifood system and ensuring the integrity of our biosecurity systems.

Biosecurity and food safety in the supply chain2
The Australian Government commissioned Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) to undertake a capacity study on the workforce needs of the food supply chain. The study will provide critical evidence, insights, and recommendations to support workforce planning, policy development and program design.

The food supply chain workforce includes individuals involved in:

• growing food crops; farming livestock for food; fishing; breeding, raising, or farming fish, molluscs,
and crustaceans; and activities that aid in food production, or in the running of a food production
enterprise (‘food production’)
• processing and manufacturing food and beverages (‘food manufacturing’), and

2
Jobs and Skills Australia Food Supply Chain Capacity Study Discussion paper, April 2024

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• (to the extent that their activities relate to food and beverages) transporting freight; providing
transport support services or warehousing and storage services; and engaging in wholesale trade
(‘transport and distribution’).

Biosecurity is central to the food supply chain. Australia’s biosecurity system protects our plants, animals, and ecosystems, enables us to generate high-quality primary produce, provides access to export markets and supports our trusted international reputation with trading partners.

Biosecurity also goes hand in hand with food safety, which protects the health and wellbeing of people.

The study has identified roles and pathways relevant to biosecurity and food safety in the supply chain as set out in Figure 1. Food Technologists are identified among the relevant occupations.
Figure 1: Roles relevant to biosecurity and food safety in the supply chain

Education, research, and skills
The food sector is regarded as a critical source of economic growth and job creation in Australia.
Strategic investment in research capacity, innovation, infrastructure, and skilled workforce have been identified as crucial to strengthening the productivity and competitiveness of the food industry and capturing trade opportunities in Asia (2).

Education

The scope of education spans vocational education and training (VET), apprenticeships and traineeships and higher education from undergraduate to post graduate levels.

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The majority of Australia’s employment growth over the past five years has been in occupations that generally require post-school qualifications – either VET or higher education. In 2017 VET enrolments were 3.4 million, with 1.08 million domestic students enrolled in higher education (3).

In 2016, 9.6 million Australian adults held a post-secondary qualification – 56% VET and 44% university.
Just over one quarter had a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) qualification. The definition of STEM qualifications used by the Office of Chief Scientist encompasses the fields of:

• Natural and Physical Sciences
• Information Technology
• Engineering and Related Technologies
• Agriculture, Environment and Related Studies.

Each of these areas has a critical role to play in developing the future of manufacturing in Australia and contribution to the National Biosecurity Strategy and the growth of Australia’s food system.

Australia’s STEM Workforce report (4) provides a comprehensive overview of people with STEM qualifications in Australia.

Agriculture

In 2016 there were 32,418 people with university qualifications in Agricultural studies, a modest increase of 4,200 since 2011.

Other Natural and Physical Sciences (Other NPS)

The 2020 report included a section on the field of Other Natural and Physical Sciences (Other NPS) which include food science and biotechnology. In 2016, there were 42,311 people in Australia with university qualifications in ONPS fields with 25% of these food science and biotechnology graduates.

Research

Research and development expenditure by government and business in Australia as a percentage of
GDP was 1.79% (2017-18)3compared to the OECD average of 2.4%.4 Further, in the 2015 Global
Innovation Index, Australia ranked 72nd (out of 141 countries) in “innovation efficiency” – the ratio of innovation output (e.g., commercial outcomes) to innovation input (e.g., R&D spending) (Cornell
University 2015). When compared against OECD peers, Australia’s innovation efficiency rank is 30 out of
34.

In 2018-19 total business expenditure on research and development was AUD$797 million of which
AUD$490 million was in food and beverage manufacturing and AUD$307 million was in agriculture (5).
This compares unfavourably with total R&D spending of AUD $18,000 million across all sectors and

3
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/technology-and-innovation/research-and-experimental- development-businesses-australia/latest-release
4
https://data.oecd.org/rd/gross-domestic-spending-on-r-d.htm

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accounts for only 4.5%5. Further incentives and structures to increase business research expenditure are therefore warranted.

The Australian Government provides support for the research workforce through various mechanisms: grant funding and tax transfers to industry, paying the salaries of researchers in government agencies and departments, and providing both grant funding through research councils and block funding to universities. In 2019–20, this was budgeted to be a total of $9.6 billion – $2.1 billion to industry, $2.1 billion for Australian Government research activities (including CSIRO, Australian Institute of Marine
Science, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and Defence), $3.6 billion to universities, and $1.8 billion to medical research institutes and other sectors like agriculture and energy.6

A report from the Australian Academy of Science Rapid Research Information Forum on the impact of the pandemic on Australia’s research workforce (6) found that Australia’s research workforce will be severely impacted by the pandemic and the effects are likely to be felt for an extended period. Industry sectors may experience a reduced capacity to innovate given that universities perform approximately
43% of all applied research in Australia. A decline in innovation may limit economic growth by slowing the development of new technology, skills, and efficiency gains in service and production processes.

Skills

New and emerging industries often lack experience, expertise, and awareness in regulatory requirements and potential food safety hazards involved in bringing new and emerging food products to market hence it is crucial to provide clear and supported pathways for regulatory frameworks including import and export, labelling and novel foods regulations (7, 8, 9).

Local experience in establishing safety of new foods is lacking across both regulators and industry. DAFF needs to leverage overseas expertise to build its own competency, but it must be resourced at a level that permits this.

The skills of those employed in Australia’s food system are a key enabler of industry growth. Businesses need the right people to create new products and services and business models that will increase exports and productivity.

Securing enough people with the right skills will be a growing challenge to 2025. The food industry needs to expand the size and skills base of its workforce or, if this is not possible, adapt to a smaller labour pool (2).

Over the past two decades, there has been a shift away from medium-skill jobs towards higher-skill jobs.
This is potentially due to the increasing use of technology leading to automation, creating the need for workers to develop, use or supervise new technologies – for example – use of 3D printing.7

5
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/technology-and-innovation/research-and-experimental- development-businesses-australia/latest-release
6
https://www.industry.gov.au/data-and-publications/science-research-and-innovation-sri-budget-tables
7
https://www.futurebridge.com/industry/perspectives-food-nutrition/3d-printing-and-its-application-insights-in- food-.

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3D printing is a technique used for the manufacture of three-dimensional objects with high
accuracy and quality finishing in their dimensions. The technique finds applications in
industries, including aviation, automotive, packaging, construction, pharmaceuticals, and food. In the food sector, 3D printing is widely investigated across areas, such as customized
food designs, personalized and digitalized nutrition, simplified supply chain, and
broadened source of available food material.

Section 2.5 of the AIFST/RDS Partners report addresses this further.

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Food Science skills requirements

AIFST conducted an industry survey in July 2022 to gain an understanding of the core competencies the food industry values in new food science and technology graduates from Australian universities and
TAFE. The survey was based on the graduate criteria identified by the Institute of Food Technologists.

A summary of the findings is provided in Figure 2.

The full industry survey report is available on the AIFST website.

Figure 2: Food Science Graduate - Industry survey results

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Skills Shortages Analysis

Jobs and Skills Australia leads work on skills shortage analysis including the annual Skills Priority List and reports on Skills Shortages8.

The Skills Priority List (SPL) provides a detailed view of occupations in shortage in Australian and by each state and territory including the future demand for occupations in Australia.

The definition used for occupation shortages listed in the SPL is:

An occupation is in shortage when employers are unable to fill or have considerable difficulty filling vacancies for an occupation or cannot meet significant specialised skill needs within that occupation, at current levels of remuneration and conditions of employment and in reasonably accessible locations.

Based on this definition the primary measure of an occupation shortage is the ability of employers to fill vacancies (fill rate)9.

Food Technologist is identified as ‘S’ shortage in the 2023 survey as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Skills Priority List 2023 - Food Technologist

8
https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/skills-shortages-analysis
9
2023 Skills Priority List – Key Findings Report, Sept 2023, https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/skills-shortages- analysis

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References

1. Kennedy, J., Lyons, T & Quinn, F. (2014). "The continuing decline of science and mathematics
enrolments in Australian high schools." Teaching Science 60(2): 34-46.

2. DAFF (2013). National Food Plan: Our food future. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry,
Canberra.
http://www.ftaaus.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/JUNE-national-food-plan-white-
paper1.pdf

3. DJSB (2019). Australian jobs 2019. Department of Jobs and Small Business. Canberra.
https://docs.employment.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/australianjobs2019.pdf

4. Leigh, K. et al. (2020). Australia’s STEM workforce. Office of the Chief Scientist, Canberra.
https://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-07/australias_stem_workforce_-
_final.pdf

5. FIAL (2020b). Capturing the prize: The A$200 billion opportunity in 2030 for the Australian food and
agribusiness sector. Food Innovation Australia Ltd.
https://www.fial.com.au/sharing-knowledge/capturing-the-prize

6. Larkins, F. et al. (2020). Rapid Research Information Forum: Impact of the pandemic on Australia’s
research workforce. Office of the Chief Scientist, Canberra.
https://www.science.org.au/sites/default/files/rrif-covid19-research-workforce.pdf

7. CSIRO (2023) Reshaping Australian Food Systems - https://www.csiro.au/-
/media/Services/Futures/Food-Systems/23-
00258_FUT_REPORT_FoodSystemsRoadmap_WEB_230609.pdf

8. CSIRO (2023) Reshaping Australian Food Systems – Additional actions areas - https://www.csiro.au/-
/media/Services/Futures/Food-Systems/FoodSystemsRoadmap_SupInfo-
AddlActionAreas_WEB_230609.pdf

9. FAO. 2022. Thinking about the future of food safety – A foresight report. Rome.
https://doi.org/10.4060/cb8667en

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