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Sustainability in Australian agriculture is essential to ensure the long-term viability of the industry, protect natural resources, and meet global market demands. Producing food and fibre sustainably means practicing responsible stewardship of the environment, taking care of people and animals, and ensuring economic resilience for the community and industry.

Through innovation, best practices, and continuous improvement, Australian farmers are committed to meeting the challenges of climate change, market demands, and evolving societal expectations. The Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF) helps unify these efforts, providing a consistent and transparent way to communicate sustainability outcomes across the sector, ensuring that Australian agriculture remains resilient and globally competitive.

The Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework

The Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF) is a joint initiative led by the National Farmers’ Federation and supported by the Australian Government. The AASF was developed in response to increasing pressures on the agricultural sector to demonstrate sustainability performance, both domestically and internationally. Global shifts towards environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, combined with increasing consumer awareness and regulatory expectations, has put pressure on Australian agriculture to demonstrate its sustainability performance.

Environmental Stewardship

Agricultural practices reduce GHG emissions, protect, maintain & improve environmental assets and preserve natural capital.
The AASF embraces the theme of environmental stewardship through five principles. These principles aim to demonstrate sustainable agricultural practices, covering GHG and air, soil and landscapes, biodiversity, water and materials and resources.
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People, Animals & Community

The agricultural industry nurtures the wellbeing of its people, animals and communities.
The AASF theme people, animals and communities encompasses five principles designed to demonstrate the industry’s sustainable approach to supporting human health and wellbeing, livelihoods, rights, equity and diversity, animal wellbeing and social contribution.
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Economic Resilience

The agricultural industry upholds fair and ethical practices, transparent arrangements and compliance with laws.
The AASF addresses the theme of economic resolience through two principles focusing on stringent approaches to biosecurity, good governance, traceability, transparency and documented supply chains, demonstrating the industry’s dedication to eliminating unethical practices.
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The Framework

The AASF sets out a unified understanding of sustainability objectives through an overarching set of themes, principles and criteria. The framework is based on 17 principles across three themes encompassing environmental stewardship, wellbeing of people, animals and community, and bolstering economic resilience. Each principle is supported by criteria to aid in reporting against the framework. By aligning sector-specific and supply chain terminology, the AASF fosters stakeholder coherence and enables better communication of industry-wide sustainability goals.

Our Partners

The National Farmers Federation continues to lead the ongoing development and testing of the AASF, joined by project delivery partners the Australian Farm Institute (AFI), CSIRO, KPMG, ERM and Schuster Consulting Group.

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The Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework is funded by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry through the National Agriculture Traceability Grants Program. Project delivery is led by the National Farmers' Federation. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. © The Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework. Copyright of National Farmers Federation.