Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework
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The Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF) is a national, industry-led initiative that defines sustainability priorities across Australian agriculture.
It builds on existing industry frameworks and schemes, offering a clear, consistent and credible mechanism for communicating Australia’s agricultural sustainability story – domestically and internationally.
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.
Through its themes, principles and criteria, the AASF facilitates cross-industry alignment and supports clarity in sustainability discussions across the supply chain, finance, and policy sectors.
The Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF) is a joint initiative led by the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and supported by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. It is a program of activities delivered by the partnership of Australian Farm Institute, CSIRO, KPMG, ERM and Schuster Consulting.
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.
The Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF) is a joint initiative led by the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and supported by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. It is a program of activities delivered by the partnership of Australian Farm Institute, CSIRO, KPMG, ERM and Schuster Consulting.
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.
The Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF) is a national, industry-led initiative that defines sustainability priorities across Australian agriculture.
It builds on existing industry frameworks and schemes, offering a clear, consistent and credible mechanism for communicating Australia’s agricultural sustainability story – domestically and internationally.
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.
Through its themes, principles and criteria, the AASF facilitates cross-industry alignment and supports clarity in sustainability discussions across the supply chain, finance, and policy sectors.
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 and 43 Criteria, spanning across three Themes encompassing environmental stewardship, wellbeing of people, animals and community, and bolstering economic resilience. Each Principle outlines broad, essential goals, setting a high-level vision for what sustainable agriculture should strive to achieve in Australia. To operationalise these Principles, the AASF Criteria further detail the conditions necessary for sustainability.
Developing the Framework.
The Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF) is a joint initiative led by the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and supported by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. It is a program of activities delivered by the partnership of Australian Farm Institute, CSIRO, KPMG, ERM and Schuster Consulting.
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.
Articulating agricultural sustainability.
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.
Quick links.
Community of Practice.
The Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework is funded by the Australian 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.
