The Great South Coast Food & Fibre Action Plan is a collaborative strategy designed to grow the value and capacity of the Great South Coast Food & Fibre Industry, which currently accounts for 60 per cent of the region’s GDP. Over 20 per cent of local employment is directly associated with food & fibre production.
The Great South Coast Food & Fibre Action Plan encompasses 8 platforms which range from driving economic value creation and changing the community’s attitude to the food & fibre industry, through to removing capacity impediments to growth and investment in the sector.
Repositioning the image of food & fibre by promoting, developing and showcasing best practice and innovation and recognising excellence and professionalism is a key goal.
This plan is managed by the Great South Coast Food & Fibre Council for the entire Great South Coast Region with reach across 5 shires from the SA border to Colac and from the Grampians to the coast.
The plan is propelled by the economic imperative of needing to continue to grow food & fibre output from the region’s businesses. The region today is a food and fibre powerhouse for the State of Victoria and Australia, with over $2.4 billion of farmgate value produced annually. Growing this engine has a dramatic impact on the economy of the region, as well as exports from Victoria. Building and continuing year on year growth will deliver prosperity, jobs and better communities. The region has vibrant food producing sectors in red meat, grains and cropping, forestry, wool and dairying with integrated downstream industries in milk, meat and aquaculture.
While the plan targets increases in the value across and up the region’s supply chains, just as importantly, the plan also targets the removal of capacity constraints that are impediments to growth and investment. Allied with this, the plan sets out to provide capacity into the future through targeted affirmative action in such areas as: providing a skilled workforce, career pathways in food & fibre for our young people, the right policy settings that support growth of our sectors, public investment in the region, and regulations that are fit for purpose for the region. These settings and capacity building will enable the Great South Coast to attract investors and enhance investment possibilities.
According to ABS statitics, agriculture, forestry and fishing (including first stage processing) is the largest sector (21.6% of regional employment) of the Great South Coast economy and occupies 72% of the land area.
• The largest commodity sectors (by value) are dairy, cattle and calves, sheep meat and wool.
• Food processing is also a major industry in the Great South Coast – particularly meat and dairy processing.
• The region boasts a key bulk handling port (Portland) which transports agricultural produce of bulk grain, live animals and forestry products from surrounding regions and employs 400 people.
Click on a region to see it on the map
Population: 16,125
Area: 665,196ha
Pop’n employed in agriculture, forestry & fishing: 20.3%
Gross Regional Product: $0.91bn
Predominantly Meat and Wool – produces 15% of Australia’s wool clip
Population: 16,794
Area: 547,803ha
Pop’n employed in agriculture, forestry & fishing: 26.2%
Gross Regional Product: Predominantly Dairy, Red Meat and Fisheries
Population: 34,571
Area: 12,076ha
Predominantly processing of dairy and meat products as well as providing services to the surrounding agricultural area
Population: 16,212
Area: 440,731ha
Pop’n employed in agriculture, forestry & fishing: 30.8%
Gross Regional Product: $1.08bn
Predominantly Dairy, Dairy Processing, Red Meat
Population: 19,695
Area: 621,471ha
Pop’n employed in agriculture, forestry & fishing: 13.9%
Gross Regional Product: $0.99bn – has experienced 9.1% growth over the past year
Predominantly Fisheries, Forestry and Red Meat
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The Great South Coast Food & Fibre Council congratulates Yumbah Aquaculture on gaining Council approval for their $73 million Nyamat abalone production proposal, which will not only grow the local economy but also continue to build global recognition of the Great South Coast as a centre of premium, sustainable food production. “Yumbah provides a great […]
The Great South Coast Food & Fibre Council recently contracted Meridian Ag to conduct a series of focus groups with young people working in the food & fibre sector across South West Victoria. Participants developed an insight to the brand personality perception of agriculture in South West Victoria, as well as aided in defining the […]
Agri-futures Australia is always looking for ways our rural industries can be more efficient, more productive and more sustainable. Check out their newsletter where they shine a spotlight on their AgriFutures™ Pasture Seeds Program and a new research project which will develop a more efficient and sustainable harvesting approach for Australian subterranean clover and annual […]
The Great South Coast Food & Fibre Council congratulates Yumbah Aquaculture on gaining Council approval for their $73 million Nyamat abalone production proposal, which will not only grow the local economy but also continue to build global recognition of the Great South Coast as a centre of premium, sustainable food production. “Yumbah provides a great […]
The Great South Coast Food & Fibre Council recently contracted Meridian Ag to conduct a series of focus groups with young people working in the food & fibre sector across South West Victoria. Participants developed an insight to the brand personality perception of agriculture in South West Victoria, as well as aided in defining the […]
Agri-futures Australia is always looking for ways our rural industries can be more efficient, more productive and more sustainable. Check out their newsletter where they shine a spotlight on their AgriFutures™ Pasture Seeds Program and a new research project which will develop a more efficient and sustainable harvesting approach for Australian subterranean clover and annual […]
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