IN A call to arms, Harris Farm Markets (HFM) is urging all consumers, retailers, suppliers and farmers to take a closer look at farming practices and where their food comes from, with regenerative farming and sustainable food sources are back in the spotlight following National Regenerative Agriculture Day (NRAD).
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NRAD focuses on raising awareness around regenerative agriculture and the benefits of helping improve farming techniques and restore soil and waterways.
HFM is one of the first Australian grocery retailers to take a strong stance on regenerative farming and highlight the importance of regenerative farming practices and its impact on soil and carbon emissions, along with the quality of food and produce.
Angus Harris, CEO of HFM, said that if Australia was to continue being an agricultural powerhouse, then agricultural innovation was needed to limit the risk of irreversible damage to soil and negative impacts to food supply and quality.
"Put simply, at Harris Farm Markets we are urging all consumers to dig deep and really question where their food is coming from and the impact this has on our future," he said.
"If you are concerned about climate change, the most simple way to do your part is to shop for regeneratively farmed products."
Currently, Harris Farm Markets has more than 120 regeneratively farmed products available in-store and online, but is looking to double that amount by the end of 2021, and double again by the end of 2022.
Mr Harris said it was a realistic target that they were hoping to achieve.
"It all starts with marketing and a simple conversation with customers and suppliers about how we can make a difference," he said.
"We have already had between 10 to 20 farmers approach us, from beekeepers to beef producers, about new practices and supplying in store which is great.
"We need to have the right products to match demand, and that comes back to being involved with farmers and producers, looking at farming methods and changing the way we do things for the better."
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Manager of Bathurst's Harris Farm Markets, Pranavkumar Jayantibhai Prajapati (PJ) Store Manager, said the push for "regen products" was an important initiative and customers could easily find food and produce in store marked by special labels and advertising.
"This started with free-range and grass-fed with animal products, but with regen, this extends to fruit and veggies as well, which I think our customers will find really interesting to learn from the campaign," he said.
"It's surprising how much a couple of extra posters can make as it catches people's attention and helps them to understand what farming practices were used to grow a particular food.
"We've had a couple customers ask staff about what the posters were about so it's great to see that there is interest from the consumer to learn more.
"As we are a concession, we only have a small portion of the campaign set up, but for those who want to learn more, it's definitely worth dropping by to have a look at one of the other stores or jumping on the Harris Farm Markets' website."
Dr Zach Bush, founder of the not-for-profit group Farmer's Footprint, said that regenerative agriculture was vital given startling figures show agricultural soil was being degraded to the point of no return.
"Australian fresh food supply is in jeopardy, with continual soil degradation from traditional farming practices reducing the number of harvests left from homegrown soil," he said.
"This startling statistic is coupled with the fact that 97% of agricultural soil has been degraded around the world."