An in-depth survey of 1,000 Australians shows trust in the grains industry is high, and there are opportunities to further strengthen relationships with the community.

The survey was completed as part of the broader Community Trust in Rural Industries Program. It showed that the more rural industries care for the environment, and the more they respond to community concerns, the more they will be trusted.

Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Managing Director Nigel Hart says that understanding what growers can do to build trust – which underpins the grains industry’s social licence to operate – will support industry sustainability.

“There are real opportunities for us to learn from this research and to retain and build community support into the future,” says Mr Hart.

“Increasing people’s knowledge of rural industries builds trust, and this is enhanced when people know, or have a firsthand connection or experience with, a grower.”

GRDC invested in the grains focal study, which explored three issues of high community concern and uncertainty: genetically modified organisms (GMOs), agvet chemicals and fertilisers.

Lead researcher and Voconiq CEO, Dr Kieren Moffat, says the grains industry has a strong platform of trust upon which to build relationships with community.

“Trust in the grains industry is strong,” says Dr Moffat.

“There is enough trust within that relationship to tackle challenging issues without fear it will damage the relationship or make the industry vulnerable.”

He added that the community were more accepting of GMOs that responded to factors like climate change and that had a strong local benefit.

People understand the importance of agvet chemicals but are more supportive of them when they deliver sustainability benefits like improved soil health.

Fertilisers were a more complicated issue with community members preferring organic fertilisers, perhaps due to a lack of understanding of synthetic fertilisers.

Across all three areas of concern, community confidence in regulation was an important and strong driver of trust in the grains industry.

NSW grain grower and GRDC northern region panel member Roy Hamilton knows how important it is to connect with people to build confidence in, and support for, farming.

“One or two generations ago everyone had a cousin, an uncle or someone on a family farm that they would go and visit – so the connection was far, far easier to maintain," says Mr Hamilton.

“We don't have that luxury as much anymore, but I still think the story is good.

“It is very much about having conversations with people who have had nothing to do with agriculture but who have made time to understand what is going on.

“We are using best practice and we are trying every year to do better, it's very important for us as an industry in grains that we take everyone along with us."

The grains focal study is supported by GRDC and forms part of the Community Trust in Rural Industries Program, which is a collaboration between AgriFutures Australia, Australian Pork, Australian Eggs, Cotton Research and Development Corporation, Dairy Australia, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Grains Research and Development Corporation, Hort Innovation, LiveCorp, Meat and Livestock Australia, National Farmers Federation, NSW Department of Primary Industries, and Sugar Research Australia. The survey was conducted by Voconiq.

Read the Community Trust in Australia’s Rural Industries national survey reports for 2022, 2021 and 2020.