Local Food Systems

Food charities helping struggling families put food on the table can no longer rely on excess produce being available as farmers count their own cost of extreme weather events.

The business a young couple crowdfunded to grow a head-turning array of tasty, colourful fungi closes as failing machinery and crop losses due to constant rain prove too much to overcome.

The ACCC is investigating the disparity between supermarket check-out prices and farmgate prices and one thing it could recommend is a mandatory code of conduct. But would it make the market fairer for growers?

Farmers say the current food supply chain model is a "broken system" that gives supermarkets too much power and long-term solutions are needed.

Two friends — one from Spain, the other from Mexico — find the perfect ingredients for cold tomato soup in Western Australia's Midwest.

After Australia's two largest supermarket chains were accused of delaying price reductions for lamb despite a plummet in saleyard prices, questions now turn to how long it will take for them to increase prices as the market improves.

Far North Queensland farmers say their transport costs have skyrocketed due to flood damage closing the Palmerston Highway and, while some are trying to absorb the costs, they warn it is not sustainable in the long term.

Wet storage tanks are helping protect New South Wales' $35 million oyster industry from weather events and could help the industry expand into overseas markets.

Students from Toolamba Primary School, near Shepparton, have won a national competition with their eye-catching cow 'Moolamba', and along the way brushed up on their nutrition knowledge.

In a tiny country hamlet, where locals fight plans to transform their town into a food-tourism destination, who gets to decide what the future of the place looks like?

From shrinkflation to very small font, we look at the ways groceries are marketed to confuse shoppers.

Several wet years and this month's cooler, spring-type temperatures have been ideal for raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, but as prices drop at the supermarket there's a real fear expenses will overtake profits for growers.

Parents in Lucindale, in South Australia's south-east, can just ask their children to find out how the pig that became their Christmas ham lived.

Despite the cost-of-living crisis, consumers are looking for ways to directly support small-scale farmers like Sue Foureur.

As worker shortages worsen across Australia, some farmers are offering enticements such as cash bonuses, housing and food to retain prized employees.

The cost-of-living crisis is having a negative impact for smaller regional producers, where sales of food and wine usually ramp up ahead of the festive season.

New Zealand has completed a similar inquiry in recent years which yielded little for customers at the check-out.

A year-long parliamentary inquiry focused on the future of Australia's food security recommends introducing a minister for food among its 35 recommendations to the federal government.

Simplot Australia, which owns brands including Edgell, says natural disasters have led to a shortage of Australian-grown vegetables, forcing it to look outside the country for supply.

WA's lobster industry prepares for a special sales day before Christmas for people to stock up on lobster direct from boats.

More than 80 oyster farms on the NSW South Coast remain closed after severe storms and flooding hit this week. It's a flip of the coin as to whether they'll be open in time for Christmas.

State and federal consumer affairs ministers vote to implement compulsory country of origin labelling of seafood in all hospitality venues.

During the pandemic the virtual farmers' market concept took off across Australia and business boomed. Now it's evolving, with one Tasmanian collective hosting more than a dozen collection points.

Big Mac lookalike burger will continue to be sold, after McDonalds' loses bid to sue Hungry Jacks.

Sea urchin harvesters have received a 55 million dollar investment to deal with the invasive pest by creating a national sea urchin food export industry.