Australian Agricultural Traceability and Biosecurity
Action: Enhancing Australia’s Agricultural Traceability Systems and Biosecurity Preparedness Using Global Data Standards
Overview / Executive Summary
GS1 Australia has worked closely with the Australian Government, industry bodies, and solution providers to strengthen traceability systems that support food safety, market access, and national biosecurity. Since the 2018 strawberry contamination incident, GS1 has actively supported the national strategy to uplift traceability infrastructure using interoperable global standards.
Through government collaboration, industry pilots, and global alignment, GS1 continues to provide the frameworks and tools to help Australian producers, exporters, and regulators ensure supply chain visibility, trust, and readiness.
Background / Context
Australia’s agricultural exports were valued at over $80 billion in 2022/23, supporting one in eight jobs across the country. However, the sector faces mounting pressures to demonstrate product origin, safety, and sustainability in order to maintain access to key markets. The government estimates the economic risk exposure from biosecurity threats at more than $100 billion over 30 years, highlighting the urgent need for more robust traceability and surveillance systems.
In response, the Australian Government has prioritised agricultural traceability as a core pillar of national biosecurity and market access strategies. The National Traceability Strategy. and supporting Biosecurity Strategy 2030 call for a coordinated, data-driven approach to managing agricultural supply chains - emphasising digitisation, interoperability, and collaboration.
GS1 Australia has played a critical role in this national uplift by aligning traceability efforts with global standards, linking traceability with export readiness, and helping reduce fragmentation across jurisdictions and industries.
🔗 DAFF: National Traceability Strategy and Implementation Plan
Objectives
Enable end-to-end traceability across priority food and agriculture sectors
Support market access, food safety, and national biosecurity objectives
Promote industry adoption of globally recognised and interoperable traceability standards
Provide technical tools and frameworks to support DAFF, state regulators, and trading partners
Approach / Implementation
Co-convened the National GS1 Traceability Advisory Group (NGTAG) bringing together over 80 members from industry and government -
Supported and facilitating an ecosystem of traceability solution providers, helping them align with global standards in funding applications and projects
Partnered with research and pilot programs such as the Food Agility CRC, exploring the use of GS1 standards in red meat, seafood, and fresh produce - see Agtrace - https://www.agtraceaus.com.au/about-agtrace
Developed traceability implementation guides and promoted awareness of global traceability frameworks, including emerging protocols to enable linked and distributed data - for traceability with transparency at scale (UNCEFACT Recommendation 49) - https://unece.org/sites/default/files/2023-10/Rec49_ToR-v0.8.pdf
Supported data standards development for sustainability claims and traceability interoperability
Facilitated connections between traceability, biosecurity, digital product passport pilots, and sustainability verification systems
Outcomes / Impact
Whole-of-sector traceability pilots delivered in fresh produce, seafood, and red meat
Solution provider network mobilised – over 100 firms supporting standards-aligned traceability offerings
Improved industry-government collaboration through NGTAG and working groups
Strengthened Australia's traceability foundations for meeting international market requirements (e.g., EU, US FSMA)
Supported clearer alignment between sustainability, biosecurity, and market access traceability needs
🛡 GS1’s interoperability approach allows Australian systems to link with major global partners, including through WTO agreements, digital credential pilots, and verified claims mo
national-agricultural-traceability-strategy.pdf
Need an asset- national-agricultural-traceability-strategy-implementation-plan-2023-2028 (1).pdf
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Lessons Learned / Insights
Standards-based traceability ensures readiness for both domestic and global compliance demands
Collaboration across research, industry, and government builds trust and capacity
Aligning traceability and biosecurity with other digital reforms (e.g., sustainability, digital ID) increases return on investment
Next Steps / Future Plans
Ongoing support for DAFF and state governments in implementing traceability roadmap priorities
Continued development of sector-specific guidance and interoperability standards
Advocacy for alignment with global systems (e.g., UN, Codex, EU) and Australian export requirements
Linking traceability initiatives with circular economy, product credentials, and digital agriculture strategies
Partners / Stakeholders
Australian Government – DAFF, DISR, state departments
Research Institutions – Food Agility CRC, Deakin University, RDCs
Industry – Meat & Livestock Australia, Seafood Industry Australia, Hort Innovation
Solution Providers – Traceability software and IoT firms
International – GS1 Global, UNCEFACT, WTO, export market regulators
Contact / Further Information
GS1 Public Policy and Government Engagement Team
📧 publicpolicy@gs1au.org
📞+613 9558 9559 or 1300 BARCODE