The Farming For The Future (FFTF) program, established by the Macdoch Foundation in 2021, was specifically designed to address the intertwined challenges of environmental sustainability and agricultural productivity, with a strong focus on actionable insights for farmers. This initiative represents one of the most significant global data collection efforts to date for detailed farm natural
Registrations are open for our next Community of Practice Online Forum. It’s been a huge year for the Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework and as 2025 draws to a close, we invite you to join us on 3 December, 10am – 12pm AEDT, for the AASF Community of Practice Online Forum. Be part of the conversation
The Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF) is a national, industry-led initiative that provides a common language to describe sustainability in Australian agriculture. The AASF translates commodity-specific goals into common principles aligned with global frameworks and standards, providing international markets and trade partners with confidence in Australia’s agricultural sustainability credentials. This document outlines the sustainability Themes,
With the stunning Gold Coast as our setting, the Agricultural Sustainability Australia Exchange today unveiled the fifth version of the Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF). NFF President David “DJ” Jochinke said the refreshed Framework reinforces Australia’s national reference point for sustainability, helping agriculture speak with one voice in domestic and international discussions. The Exchange also
Connect | Collaborate | Contribute Back by popular demand: the Sustainability Showcase! Returning to the Agricultural Sustainability Australia Exchange on 23 September, the TED-style Sustainability Showcase brings you rapid-fire talks that inspire, challenge, and spark fresh ideas. In this session, speakers will deliver sharp insights and bold perspectives on the future of sustainable agriculture —
Mark your calendars! National Agriculture Day returns 21 November 2025! It’s Australia’s biggest celebration of the people, places, and innovations that keep us fed and clothed. From backyard BBQs and school events, to social posts, competition entries, and Ag Day merch purchases, every celebration and participation helps shine a spotlight on Aussie agriculture – and
Connect | Collaborate | Contribute Real-world change. Tangible outcomes. At the Agricultural Sustainability Australia Exchange on 23 September, we’ll spotlight how sustainability plays out across farms, processors, and supply chains. This session will unpack: ✅ Digital product passports and credentials fuelling market access – “data sans frontiers”✅ What sustainability looks like inside Australian dairy processing✅
Connect | Collaborate | Contribute Incredible speakers. Powerful ideas. At the Agricultural Sustainability Australia Exchange on 23 September, we’ll explore the shifting global and domestic forces reshaping agriculture’s sustainability expectations. Our first session for the day will examine: ✅ The sustainability credentials valued in key international markets✅ Carbon emissions traced across the value chain from
A $39 million, 5-year national Low Emissions Intensity Farming Systems (LEIFS) initiative is set to demonstrate the benefits of monitoring, managing and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) accounts at the farm scale. It will include practical options to manage emissions risks and identify which GHG markets and sustainability credentialing schemes align with their goals. The project
What could productive, resilient, and sustainable farming systems look like in Australia by 2050? This is the question the Ag2050 Scenarios Report, spanning land-based farming, forestry, aquaculture and fisheries, aims to answer through exploring the significant trends, risks and opportunities facing Australian agriculture. With growing threats of climate change, net zero mandates, rising geopolitical uncertainty,
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Matt Lowe is the Deputy Secretary for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy Group, responsible for the Agricultural Policy, Agvet Chemicals, Fisheries and Forestry, Sustainability, Climate and Strategy, and Farm Resilience divisions, as well as ABARES. Matt is also the Care and Ability inclusion champion.
Previously, he was the Chief Executive of Agriculture Victoria, and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture in the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. Matt has over 20 years of public sector experience. Prior to Agriculture Victoria, Matt held a number of senior roles at the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet across infrastructure, economic and social policy and with professional services firm EY.
Matt is a people focussed leader who wants to create the best environment for people to thrive. He believes that the best public policy happens when people genuinely collaborate and are open to the ideas of others.
Matt holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) and Science, University of Melbourne.
Carmel is dedicated to supporting CommBank’s agribusiness customers with the opportunities and risk management related to sustainability. She leads the development of solutions that support climate resilience and natural capital enhancement in agriculture. Her team’s achievements include the launch of Australia’s first Sustainability Linked Loan for agriculture and the CommBank Agri Green Loan. Strategic partnerships have been formed with Ruminati ag tech emissions measurement platform and sponsorship of research with Farming For The Future to reveal the quantified economic benefits of more trees and biodiversity in support of profitable farming production.
Carmel works closely with industry and farming customers to support transition to sustainable, productive systems, focused on the opportunities for farmers in sustainability strategies and plans, building knowledge and networks, and evolving opportunities in environmental markets. She is passionate about empowering producers with the tools and financial pathways to improve natural capital while building long-term resilience. Through her work, Carmel is helping shape a future where sustainability and farm profitability go hand in hand.
David is Principal Research Scientist for CSIRO and leads the Social and Strategic Design Team. David’s research interests focus broadly on the nature of data (especially geospatial data), and the ways in which society creates, manages, governs, and structures data and data supply chains for the purposes of sharing data. He designs and leads projects aimed at creating new systems for sharing information as well as systems for managing environmental information.
Over his career, David has worked across numerous domains including environment, agriculture, water, defence and transport and is regularly called upon as a trusted advisor with respect to the design of human systems for the purpose of sharing data across multiple organisations.
Angela is the Managing Director of Schuster Consulting Group and a member of the cross-functional team responsible for delivering projects under the Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework. Angela is Chair of the Agricultural Business Research Institute (ABRI) and Standards Australia’s technical committee on data-driven agrifood systems and was previously the Australian representative for the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) Strategic Advisory Group on Smart Farming.
In addition, Angela and her husband run a sheep, cattle and cropping enterprise just out of Dubbo in the Central West of NSW.
David is a farmer and physicist who has worked in precision agriculture for 30 years. He is presently the Chief Scientist of Food Agility CRC which is focussed on transforming the agrifood sector using the power of data and digital. He also leads the AgTrace initiative in partnership with DAFF. Passionate about ‘reality-fuelled’ agtech innovation on farms, he has established two university smart farms and the Global Smart Farm Network.
Courtney leads agriculture research at Voconiq, and is a 2025 NFF Diversity in Agriculture Leadership program participant. She helps clients implement and embed trust-based strategies.
Kieren is a social scientist and co-founder of Voconiq. He works globally to build community trust between industry, government and communities, helping sectors align sustainability efforts with public expectations.
Andrew is an accomplished technology leader with over 25 years experience delivering cutting-edge solutions across diverse industries, including media, utilities, defence, manufacturing, health, and agrifood. He possesses extensive expertise in international agri-food technology ecosystems, and is a trusted advisor to industry organisations, supply chain entities, researchers, startups, and governments. Andrew founded the technology consultancy More Than Machines, where he assists agrifood organisations, startups, researchers, and governments in developing digital strategies, policies and technology solutions that leverage data and AI to optimise their land, production, markets, and products. Previously, as Chief Data Officer at Meat and Livestock Australia, he developed and implemented the Australian Red Meat industry data strategy and digital supply chain research programs, demonstrably increasing productivity, product quality, and enabling new market opportunities through targeted digital technology implementation.
Anna is a wine industry professional since the late 90’s, working in vineyard management and winemaking both in Australia and overseas, and later as General Manager of a premium, sustainability focused, wine producer in South Australia. She has been a non-executive director on private and government boards in the fields of biosecurity, natural resource management and grape and wine business and currently sits on the board of Landcare Australia. Immediately prior to the formation of Australian Grape and Wine she gained experience in national advocacy as Chief Executive Officer of Australian Vignerons. Having worked across a broad range of roles, including practical hands-on industry experience, she is well placed in her role to promote the best interests of the sector on domestic policy issues relating to environmental and economic sustainability. She is leading the project on carbon emissions traceability that is the focus of the presentation.
Melindee is a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystems Science, where she focusses on the consumer defined opportunity for sustainable food production. Melindee has over 20 years’ experience in R&D leadership for academia and international FMCGs such as Cadbury, Kraft, and Mondelez.
Warwick is General Manager of Natural Resource Management with the National Farmers Federation, and Project Lead for the Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework.
Warwick was raised on a farm in the NSW Southern Highlands and has almost 30 years experience in rural and regional advocacy. Prior to joining NFF Warwick had been working in the Commonwealth Government in stakeholder engagement roles and had previously spent a decade with NSW Farmers’ Association and a further decade as chief executive of Australian Forest Growers.
Su McCluskey was most recently Australia’s inaugural Special Representative for Australian Agriculture. With an increasing focus on more environmentally sustainable production, Su worked to promote and demonstrate Australia’s commitment to climate-smart sustainable agriculture, and counter prescriptive policy that could negatively impact Australian agriculture and global food security. She brought a depth of knowledge to this role, being a cattle producer herself, as well as a Director of LiveCorp, Crawford Fund and the Australasian Pork Research Institute, a member of the CSIRO Food and Agriculture Advisory Group and an ATSE Fellow.
Su has held numerous senior level positions, including Director of Australian Unity, Commissioner for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), Commissioner on the National COVID-19 Advisory Board, a member of the Charities Review, CEO of the Regional Australia Institute and the Council of Rural Research and Development Corporations, and the Executive Director of the Office of Best Practice Regulation. Su has also held senior positions with the Business Council of Australia, the National Farmers’ Federation and the Australian Taxation Office.
Neil is a Senior Policy Officer providing advice on international market access, trade and capability building to grow the state’s agricultural industry.
His career has a balance of government and private industry experience including eight years at Coles Supermarkets where he was Responsible Sourcing Manager transforming the animal welfare and sustainable production credentials for its own brand products.
David, commonly referred to as ‘DJ’, is a third generation dryland mixed farmer. DJ operates his family’s property at Murra Warra in the Wimmera, Victoria, producing various broadacre crops and finishing prime lambs. He has been heavily involved at all levels of farmer advocacy since finishing his Diploma of Applied Science (Ag Services) at Longerenong College. DJ was elected as President of the National Farmers’ Federation in October 2023 after serving as Vice President and Director for numerous years.
DJ is a past recipient of a Nuffield Australia Scholarship and Australian Rural Leadership Program and is an active contributor to his local community.