A state of producers so how is food security an issue?

If the highway to the eastern states was cut, Western Australia would have seven days' food supply. Meanwhile, we're wasting about 50 per cent of all the food produced.

The Australian Government can't say for sure how much arable farmland in the country is foreign-owned.

The seven days' supply, the waste, the issue of foreign-ownership and the overfed all affect our food security, according to researchers at Curtin University.

WAFF's (Western Australian Farmers Federation) Dale Park says Western Australia exports about 80 per cent of its raw produce, including grain, fruit, vegetables, dairy and meat, so it would seem unlikely that the state could ever run out of food. Similarly, he thinks the issue of foreign ownership of farm land is not a big issue while we produce such large quantities.

Both WAFF and the Institute agree that there is too little value adding or manufacturing going on in WA.

The raw produce is sent interstate or overseas, and bought back as consumable food products.

Professor Graeme Wright, from Curtin University, says WA is too reliant on manufacturers outside of the state or country.
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