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Edmund Rice Centre

15 Henley Rd
(PO Box 2219)
Homebush West,
NSW 2140
AUSTRALIA

Ph:  (02) 8762 4200
Fx:  (02) 8762 4220

Int'l Ph: +61 2 8762 4200
Int'l Fx: +61 2 8762 4220

Email: erc@erc.org.au

Located just 100 metres to the south of Flemington Railway Station. Link to new location on Google Maps

Brisbane Annexe

5 Abingdon St
(Postal: 84 Park Rd)
Woolloongabba,
QLD 4102

Ph 1: (07) 3103 7376
Ph 2: (02) 8090 1976
Fax: (02) 8762 4220

Staffed part-time
 - please call for appt

 

media releases publications research submissions ERC event photos

ERC and the Sydney Food Fairness Alliance (SFFA)

SFFA Food Summit 2009

Hungry for change
In October 2009 the Sydney Food Fairness Alliance organised the Hungry for Change NSW Food Summit.  An important outcome from the summit was the framing of a declaration calling for a state-wide food policy council that will address affordable access to healthy food, sustainable food systems and farming, food safety and health. The declaration can be viewed at:

 

Social and ecological problems

The current world food system of production and distribution is characterised by serious problems of sustainability and social inequality. Some of these problems include:

  • farming practices that deplete and erode our soils;
  • health concerns over pesticides and agrochemical residues;
  • global trade displacing small family farmers and perpetuating poverty;
  • loss of freshness and nutrients, and excessive fossil fuel use and pollution, through transporting food long distances;
  • the monopolistic effects of increasing corporate control of farming, food processing and sales and the impact of supermarkets and malls on small street front business;
  • the unknown effects of genetically engineered crops and the genetic pollution of the traditional crop varieties;
  • the impact of climate change on agricultural production both in Australia and overseas.

The loss of agricultural land in the Sydney basin to urban expansion will decrease access to cheap, locally grown, fresh, nutritious and high quality food. This will increase the likelihood of food travelling long distances for market in Sydney preserved with chemicals and irradiation. Employment on farms in the food industry will also be lost.


Alternative food systems

Alternative food systems such as community gardens, food cooperatives and farmers’ markets help promote crop and food diversity, provide habitat for native species, conserve natural resources and connect local farmers to local communities. SFFA works to promote these systems.

Examples of integrated food policies from around the world:

Berkeley Food and Nutrition Policy

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/PUBLICHEALTH/chronicdisease/food-policy-exhibit-a925.pdf

Toronto Food Policy Council

http://www.toronto.ca/health/tfpc_index.htm


ERC's Just Comment

The article “Food today…what about tomorrow?” from the Edmund Rice Centre publication in the Just Comment series is a succinct read on the social, economic, environmental and political issues related to the current food and fuel crisis.
http://www.erc.org.au

For further information on the problems relating to food security, please follow the links to read the SFFA discussion sheets on:

Understanding Food Insecurity

http://www.sydneyfoodfairness.org.au/discussions/food_insecurity.pdf

Understanding Food Miles

http://www.sydneyfoodfairness.org.au/discussions/food_miles.pdf

Options for an Alternative Food System

http://www.sydneyfoodfairness.org.au/discussions/alt_food_system.pdf

What are Community Gardens?

http://www.sydneyfoodfairness.org.au/discussions/com_gardens.pdf

People Gather Around Food: Celebrating Food and Culture

http://www.sydneyfoodfairness.org.au/discussions/gather_food.pdf

Sydney Basin Agriculture: local food, local economy

http://www.sydneyfoodfairness.org.au/discussions/syd_basin_ag.pdf

Food and Climate Change: Is climate change really occurring?

http://www.sydneyfoodfairness.org.au/discussions/sffa_climate_change.pdf

Where Has All Our Food Gone? Influences on the global food supply

http://www.sydneyfoodfairness.org.au/discussions/sffa_sustainability_food_issues.pdf


Latest News: (1) ERC Media: Asylum policy ensures election race to bottom  (2) Fact-sheet: Debunking Asylum Myths in 2010  (3) Sun 15th Aug: Walk Against Warming

 

ERC InTouch -- eNewsletter

ERC InTouch -- eNewsletter

Latest edition -- Thurs 12th Aug 2010

News & Events update -- Thurs 2nd Sept 2010

To subscribe -- click here

Debunking Asylum Myths

JC 12.5 -- Debunking asylum myths in 2010

Recent Publications from ERC

ERC's Recent Publications

Just Comment series:-
13.4: First peoples, first priority, what priority?
13.3: Haiti - fed on dependency, starved of independence
13.2: Prisoners' rights are human rights
13.1: Warfare by remote control 
12.5: Debunking asylum myths in 2010
12.4: No more torture
12.3: Protection for asylum seekers
12.2: Vegetarianism
12.1: Emission trading scheme
11.9: Women & peacemaking
11.8: Aboriginal culture & health
11.7: Public transport
11.6: Guam & US militarism

- What's up at ERC?

What's up at ERC?

  • ERC & PCP event: Putting a break on climate change
Edmund Rice Centre & Pacific Calling Partnership invite you to join in sharing stories about successful initiatives to raise awareness of what we can do about the effect of climate change on Pacific islands. Saturday 7th August 2010 - 11am - 4.00pm at the Edmund Rice Centre, 15 Henley Rd, Homebush West NSW - just 150 metres from Flemington station.
Read more
  • ERC and Fair Trade: Sydney Archdiocese to go Fair Trade!
The Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney has just announced a commitment to the exclusive use of Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolate! To the best of our knowledge this decision makes them the first Catholic diocese in Australia to become a 'Fair Trade Diocese'!

Congratulations to the Archdiocese for this decision, and to the Coordinator of ERC's Fair Trade Program, Danny Long, who worked closely with Republica Coffee's Jacqueline Arias to overcome all challenges in setting up this arrangement with the Archdiocese. It is hoped that this will encourage other dioceses to follow the example set and in turn for individual parishes and other catholic institutions to fully embrace the ethical option offered by the Fair Trade movement.

For further information on Fair Trade contact Danny Long at ERC: (02) 8762 4224 or email: dannyl [at] erc.org.au
  • Asylum Seeker Research: support urgently needed!

ERC's success in mounting a coherent argument for the reopening of the cases of those asylum seekers that Australia has deported to danger, has been based on rigorous research in situ in the countries to which these people were returned.

Such work has high levels of risk for our researchers and for the deportees. We are committed to accompanying these vulnerable people to achieve safety. In many cases their treatment by Australia has placed them at greater risk than when they were first forced to flea their place of origin.

The results of this research conducted by ERC Director Phil Glendenning and colleagues has been published in two reports: Deported to Danger. Information about the research and copies of the reports are available here.

The unique nature of this human rights research work means that it does not qualify for most sources of funding from agencies. The work can therefore only be continued through your support. To donate please go to our donations page.

Donations for this ERC work are tax deductible!

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