View all news

Parliamentary Friends of Regenerative Agriculture Group launches on National Ag Day

Categories

Words
Melissa Gulbin, Communications Officer, Regenerative Agriculture Alliance at Southern Cross University
Published
20 November 2020
Three images combined of a man and two women
Members of the Parliamentary Friends of Regenerative Agriculture Group include (L to R) Page MP Kevin Hogan, Regenerative Agriculture Alliance founder Lorraine Gordon and Indi MP Helen Haines.

The Parliamentary Friends of Regenerative Agriculture Group, which aims to garner cross-partisan government support for large-scale adoption of regenerative agriculture, will be officially launched today on National Agriculture Day.

An initiative of the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance and its Co-chairs federal MPs Kevin Hogan and Helen Haines, the Friends of Parliament Group members will meet for the first time online.

The group aims to provide a non-partisan forum for MPs to meet and interact with organisations, farmers and academics who are stakeholders in regenerative agriculture practices to better develop policy that supports agricultural resilience.

"Regenerative farmers and researchers are leading the way in showing us the economic and environmental benefits of regenerative practice," said RAA founder and Director of Strategic Projects at Southern Cross University, Lorraine Gordon.

"However, in order to see urgent large-scale transition required for climate adaption and resilience, we need to see regenerative agriculture practice incentives championed in parliament.

“If we are to prosper as a nation we need to see government policy that recognises the relationship between soil health, plant health, animal health and human health,” she said.

Kevin Hogan, Member for Page said: “Farmers have faced massive challenges, with drought, fires and now COVID-19. It is important we continue to support them and provide the means to build resilience. This group will be key to delivering these solutions.”

Helen Haines, Member for Indi, added: “This is an opportunity to develop and connect the science and practice of regenerative agriculture to policy making for thriving agricultural ecosystems.“

According to Charles Massey, author of Call of the Reed Warbler: “Regenerative agriculture is an ecological approach to farming that allows landscapes to renew themselves.” Mr Massey believes rgenerative agriculture revitalises the natural water cycle, improves the carbon cycle and promotes biodiversity in soil - essential for Australia’s continued agricultural productivity in the face of climate challenges.

Today's online meeting will bring together leading regenerative agriculture practitioners with representatives from all political persuasions to share their vision and discuss priorities.

“We chose National Agriculture Day to launch this parliamentary group because it is a day where we celebrate the people working every day for healthy landscapes and communities. Regenerative agriculture is the future of mainstream farming and needs to be celebrated as such,” Ms Gordon said.

“We all need to walk this path together.”

Visit the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance page for more information: scu.edu.au/regenerativeag/