Food and Farm

Asparagopsis, a little known species of red algae native to Australian coastal waters, offers the opportunity to tackle two of the greatest challenges currently facing global agriculture – fighting climate change and producing more food with fewer resources.Livestock contribute 16% of global anthropogenic methane emissions - more than the entire global transportation sector.Extensive research done by CSIRO via its Future Feed program has found that the Asparagopsis strain of seaweed significantly reduces the methane emissions of livestock when fed as a feed supplement to animals such as cattle and sheep.Sea Forest founder Sam Elsom, together with a team of experts, are pioneering the development of the world’s first commercial production of the methane-reducing seaweed Asparagopsis armata in southern Tasmania, where the specific strain of seaweed can be found naturally in abundance year round.This episode is a must listen for anyone who eats meat or is associated with the production and farming of livestock.

Have you ever closely considered the opportunities that exist in agriculture that might see production thrive in Australia’s dry and arid environment? ....Have you ever considered date palms?On this episode of the Food and Farm Podcast, Dave Reilly shares the story of his family run operation, Gurra Downs.Located in the South Australian Riverland, the Reilly family is leading the way for the Australian date industry at. Their commitment to developing the industry has seen them work closely with the Arid Zone Research Institute based in Alice Springs to identify tree varieties best suited to Australian environments.Production of this highly nutritious fruit has recently presented value-adding opportunities for the Gurra Downs business, which is now focused of building its own brand, product development and moving into new markets both locally and internationally.

Megan Williams and her husband Chris established the Camel Milk Co in 2014, inspired by the wild camels roaming outback Australia and a documentary that Megan watched, featuring overseas camel milk production and the nutritional benefits associated with the milk.Starting out with 3 camels, Jess and her 1 year old calf Marilyn and a cunning 2.5 year old named Katana, the couple have grown their operations as demand grew, now with over 350 camels on their Kyabram property.The Camel Milk Company is leading the way in supplying both domestic and international markets with Australian camel milk and a growing range of camel milk derived products. Supported by a strong team, Megan and Chris are focused building their brand, with animal welfare and sustainable farming are at the forefront of their operations.

The Food Next Door program in a progressive social and community initiative that matches unused farmland with newly arrived refugee and migrant farmers who have a background in agriculture; to support small scale, regenerative farming practices. With a focus on prioritising both social and economic impact, this exciting program was founded by Deborah Bogenhuber and offers a model that can build local food systems around communities. Food produced by the program is distributed amongst the farming communities, as well as through Out of the Box Sunraysia, a weekly produce subscription service.There is an abundance of opportunity to scale the program into the future, as this model tests the water and forges new boundaries for local and community agricultural production.

Jo and Don run Restdown, an award winning organic winery, farm and wetland located on the backroads trail in southern NSW.With a focus on regenerative farming practices, they have worked incredibly hard over the past 20 years to diversify their business to include a certified organic beef brand, vineyard and tourism venture that welcomes visitors to their property.Selling their produce direct to customers has played an important role in their success to date, with the ability to educate and connect consumers to the source of their food.Jo and Don also share some great tips for those curious about the opportunity to establish a similar tourism operation on their own property!

Tahlia Mandie, founder of the Kakadu Plum Company, shares her story about the journey to discover Australia’s very own ‘super foods’. Native Australian bush foods are abundant in traditional Aboriginal cultures and are becoming more mainstream, with growing awareness of the nutritional benefits that these foods provide.With a passion for working with indigenous communities to source ‘wild harvested’ products in a sustainable and ethical way, Tahlia’s commitment to creating opportunities for indigenous Australian’s is inspiring, as she speaks about the importance to protect this growing industry.In 2018 Tahlia also founded The Plum Project, with the purpose to fund the development of bush food projects in indigenous communities.It's clear that this is about more than just a business, as seeking opportunities to provide increased support to Aboriginal communities is clearly front of mind for Tahlia.