Learning Objectives:

• To investigate how and why food and fibre are produced and prepared

(ACTDEK021).

• To explore the process of converting ‘on-farm’ food or fibre products into products
that are suitable for retail sale, that is, the ‘paddock to plate’ supply chain
(ACTDEK021).

• To explore the use and management of natural resources, where they come from
and how they are used (ACHASSK090).

Success Criteria:
• I understand how and why food and fibre are produced and prepared.

• I understand the ‘paddock to plate’ supply chain.

• I understand where natural resources come from and how they are used.
Did you know that all food comes from
either an animal or a plant?

What an un-pea-lievable fact!

 Breakfast Task
What did you have for your breakfast this morning?

Where did your meal come from?

Trace your food back to its source.

And no, you’re not allowed to say the supermarket!

 Beef Production
National Beef Cattle Numbers

9%
46%
Western
Australia

8% 4%
16%
ACT
Victoria

15%

2%
 Lamb Production
National Sheep Numbers

3%
South Australia

22% 16% New South Wales

34%
ACT
Victoria

21%

4%
 Dairy Production
National Milk Production

5%
South Australia

4% New South Wales

6%
10%
ACT
Victoria

65%

10%
Wheat Production
Smaller amounts are
produced in Tasmania.

4%
South Australia

39% 19% New South Wales

23%
ACT
Victoria

15%
Canola Production
Smaller amounts are
produced in
Queensland and
Tasmania.

South Australia

49% 9% New South Wales

23%
ACT
Victoria

19%
Barley Production
Smaller amounts are
grown in Tasmania.

2%
South Australia

38% 20% New South Wales

17%
ACT
Victoria

23%
Sugarcane Production

95%
South Australia

New South Wales

5%
ACT
Victoria
Rice Production
Smaller amounts are
also grown in Northern
Territory.

8%
South Australia

New South Wales

92%
ACT
Wine Production

South Australia

2%
52% New South Wales

29%
ACT

17%
Banana Production
Smaller amounts are
also grown in Northern
Territory.

95%
South Australia

3% New South Wales

2%
ACT
 Australian Made

This logo tells the buyer that the last transformation of the
product has been made in Australia.

This logo tells the buyer that the majority of ingredients

have been grown in Australia and the product has been
processed in Australia.

This logo tells the buyer that the majority of the ingredients
come from Australia and manufacturing and processing
have been carried out in Australia.
 Where Food Comes From
Some foods are required when they are out of season. These foods are produced
overseas and imported to the Australia.

In Australia, all imported foods are labelled so that buyers can make an informed
choices about the products they buy.
 Where Food Comes From
When fruit is out of season in Australia, it is imported from other countries.

New Zealand and the United States account for 82% of the fresh fruit imported
into Australia. The most commonly imported fruits are avocados, table grapes,
kiwifruit and oranges.
 What Is Seasonality?
Climate conditions affect when food is produced in Australia.
Seasonality is the time of year when a food type is at its best in terms of flavour
or harvest.
Have a look at the seasonality calendar for Albury Wodonga on the NSW and
VIC border and work out which of the foods are at their best now.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Broccoli * * * *
Spinach * * * * *
Peas * * * * *
Tomatoes * * *
Carrot * *
Corn * * *

Can you find a food that is ready to be harvested now?

Are there any months when no food is harvested? Why?
 Vegetables – From Field to Fork
Farmers plough the soil in preparation for the seeds to be sown.
A seed drill is used to plant the seeds into the earth. The holes are covered with
earth and then rain and sunshine help the plants to grow.

When the vegetables are ready, they are harvested. Some vegetables are
harvested by hand and others by machine. The vegetables are then sold to shops
or at markets.
 Milk – From Farm to Glass
Cows are milked twice a day.

The udders are cleaned and four rubber cups are fitted onto the cows’
teats, to remove the milk.

The milk travels along a pipe into a container where it is cooled and
stored.

A tanker collects the milk daily and it is taken to a dairy or

a milk factory.

Here, the milk is pasteurised (heat treated) to kill any

harmful bacteria and homogenised (milk fats broken down)
to prevent the fat from separating.

Finally, the milk is put into bottles or cartons, ready to sell.

 Beef - From Paddock to Plate
Production: Beef stock are grown on farms and they are fed grass and grain.

Sale yards: When they reach a certain age, the animals are sold at sale yards.

Processing: From the sale yards the animals are taken to processing plants,
where they are slaughtered and processed into different cuts of meat.

Storage: The meat is packaged and stored

in cool rooms.

Retail: The meat is sold to retail outlets

who sell the final product to consumers.
 Bread – From Field to Plate

Seeds are sown in a field.

The loaves are then sliced, packaged

The seeds grow into wheat, which is and delivered to the shop to be sold.
then harvested.

The wheat is ground down to make This is put into an oven

flour. and baked.

The sacks of flour are driven to A baker mixes flour together with
a bakery. other ingredients such as yeast,
sugar, water and salt.
 Cotton - From Fibre to Fashion
Harvesting: Cotton plants are grown in fields. When the cotton buds open they
are stripped from the plant by a mechanical harvester.

Ginning: The cotton fibre is dried, cleaned and combed.

Spinning: The cotton fibre is spun into yarn (thread).

Weaving: The yarn is woven into fabric.

Processing: The fabric is bleached, dyed and printed, then sold to

manufacturers.

Cutting and sewing: Manufacturers cut and sew the fabric to produce fashion
items.
 Reflection
Tell your partner three new things you
have learnt.

Write down any questions you still have.