Schools not promoting food processing jobs: new report

17/08/2012 - A Senate inquiry into Australia's food processing sector has blamed poor promotion of job options in schools for a shortage of qualified labour.

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For the past year, the inquiry has examined challenges in the sector, and how it can remain competitive in international markets.

Increased competition from cheap imported products, coupled with a high Australian dollar were creating difficult conditions, South Australian Liberal senator Shane Edwards told the Senate on Thursday.

The cost of labour, ingredients and energy were also concerns.

"There is much work to be done if the industry is to realise its full potential," Senator Edwards said.

While there were 4000 to 5000 job vacancies for agricultural and food science positions, there were only 700 to 800 science graduates each year, he added.

"This is due to a lack of promotion, we believe, of the careers available in the industry, in primary and secondary schools," Senator Edwards said.

Some students even believed milk was grown in a pack, and that chops came from the same place where polystyrene trays were made.

The findings were tabled in the Senate on Thursday.

Independent South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon vowed to crack down on misleading health labelling on products, including the use of the words "fresh" and "light".

He will push for country of origin labelling to be more transparent.

However, Senator Xenophon said he also believed the report's findings should have gone further to address competition and consumer law issues.

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