Making Organics Accessible to All

The aim of this study was to make organics accessible to all, by reducing inputs, increasing outputs and suggest pathways for the organic vegetable industry in Australia.

Focus areas for reducing inputs included:

1. Compost
2. Cover cropping and mulch
3. Microbiology and biofertilisers
4. Weed control
5. Reduced tillage/ no tillage
6. Natural pest and fungus methods

Focus areas for increasing outputs to ensure profitability included:

1. Direct to market
2. Packaging / private label
3. Farmers markets
4. Diversity of crops but also be more presentable to customers.
5. Basket of crops versus one crop
6. The retail produce buyers/ the end consumer
7. Farmer - distributor model
8. Niche products

A number of farms were visited as part of this research. Almost all mentioned the importance of having a genuine production story to tell, having an open gate for consumers, diversifying the product offering for convenience purposes and making products look fresh and appealing. These were the main take home messages from a range of businesses visited.

Into the future, there will be continued discussion around organic produce and produce grown in sustainable or regenerative methods. The role of the small family farm will also be under the spotlight. In a post-COVID19 world, there is every chance that consumers will prefer to buy local, sustainably grown produce direct from farm, but only time will tell. It is hoped through this research, that organics can indeed be accessible to all.