Local farmers and producers need public support to develop local food networks in Far North Queensland, said Queensland Greens’ candidate for Leichhardt, Jo Kloot.

Ms Kloot said a successful move to producing and selling food locally would stop the “economic lunacy” of produce being sent to Brisbane then returned to local shoppers.

“Local farmers and businesses are doing it tough in Far North Queensland,” she said. “Developing local food distribution networks are a good option so that farmers and food manufactures can sell straight to the public.

“It’s economic lunacy to be carting farm produce all the way to Brisbane and then trucking it back to shelves in Far North Queensland supermarkets.  By the time we can buy it, the produce has travelled more than 3000 kilometres, it costs us more because of the costs of cartage and it’s less fresh.”

She said FNQ had some of the most carbon intensive food production anywhere in Australia.

“This just does not make sense and it adds to our carbon footprint so the environment suffers too.
 
“The Greens encourage people to use their purchasing power to buy locally and keep the dollars and jobs here in the north,” she said.