The long and the short of it: Orienting Australian agricultural policy to support diverse food systems

Alternative food systems are an emerging trend in Australian food production and consumption in recent years. Support for these initiatives has yet to be incorporated into national policy. There is a gap between individual, community, organisational and commercial in development of alternative food systems and current argricultural and food policy. Currently national policy platforms encourage large scale argricultural systems and food production. this paper advocates for a paradigm shift to a principle of supporting diversity to shape future Australian agricultural and food policy. Orenting future policy to prioritise ecological, human and community health will enable development of policy that supports localising food systems through local community processes. Simultaneously, future policy can continue to endorse the important role that Australia plays in exporting food into global markets. Policy development can emerge from the nexus between new theoretical positions, contemporary alternative policy agendas, and approaches from social movements with experience gleaned from local initiatives.