National security dominates National Food Council agenda

March 31, 2026

The National Food Council met last week and the agenda was dominated by national security, and the impacts on food supply chains and critical inputs, arising from the conflict in the Middle East.

“The global upheaval we are currently experiencing highlights precisely the importance of our work to develop a National Food Strategy which considers Australia’s national security and resilient supply chains,” said Su McCluskey, Chair of the Crawford Fund for Food Security and Member of the Council.

The Council was briefed on Australia’s strategic environment and national and regional security implications for the nation’s food security; the likely impacts of the Middle East conflict on agriculture, as well as on supply chain resilience for food, fuel and freight; and, on what the government is doing to address the immediate challenges.

“We supported the Government’s fast-tracking of an urgent targeted food supply chain assessment initially focused on liquid diesel supply chains, and then expanded to other critical agricultural inputs, like fertilisers,” said Su.

“Ensuring our supply chains are resilient to global shocks like the recent pandemic, and now this conflict, is vital for a stable and accessible food system for all,” she said.

“Our hope is that the situation in the Middle East is resolved as soon as possible, and we can return our focus to the broader and longer-term opportunities and challenges for the food system including equitable access to affordable, healthy food, strategic trade and supply chain relationships, productivity and innovation,” she concluded.

The National Food Council was established to advise on the development of the Feeding Australia: A National Food Security Strategy, which seeks to set a vision for a sustainable, resilient and secure food system that serves all Australians from producers to consumers.

The meeting Communique is available here: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/about/news/stay-informed/communiques/national-food-council-mar-2026