Food Revolution

It is remarkable how dependent regional Australia has become upon our capital cities for fresh food.

As a child in the 80s, the local market gardens, butchers, bakers and abattoirs supplied the surrounding area with fresh food daily. It meant that in terms of our food, we were largely independent and enjoyed a steady supply of fresh, seasonal produce.

Over the past 20 or so years, our reliance on large food manufacturers and supermarket chains has slowly but surely pushed the small producer onto the sidelines.

But the stirrings of revolution are all around us. Today’s consumers are becoming increasingly discerning and are questioning some of the more alarming practices.

When I was growing up, today’s bread was tomorrow’s toast. But bread now seems to last a week or more on the shelf.

I regularly do talks and workshops in regional primary schools. During one recent visit I asked a simple question: where do eggs come from? A hand shot up and a young boy proudly named a large supermarket chain. Tragic, but true.

It’s now time for regional Australia to band together and wrest back control of its food supply. And, happily, I see this happening all around me. Farmers’ Markets are just one example of this. Yes, the food revolution, in my eyes, has clearly begun.