SOUTHERN FORESTS FOOD COUNCIL INC.
TEN YEAR MILESTONE MARKS THE END OF THE ORGANISATION
After a decade of collaborative agri-food promotion and business development, the Southern Forests Food Council (SFFC) have made the tough decision to close due to an ongoing lack of funds.
17 August 2023
TEN YEARS OF OUTCOMES
2022/23 marks the significant ten-year milestones of the SFFC, with much credit to many supportive members, passionate producers, dedicated staff, and key stakeholders.
The highly recognisable Genuinely Southern Forests brand is an exceptional legacy of the project that has been integral to the delivery of many outcomes including:
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unifying the regions diverse agri-food and tourism offerings,
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driven recognition for the Southern Forests region as the premium food bowl of Western Australia,
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developed supply opportunities for members,
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driven customer awareness and interest to know and explore where their food comes from,
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and given local producers and businesses the confidence to invest and expand in the local industry.
Recognition for both the Southern Forests region and the Genuinely Southern Forests brand has increased significantly through these efforts. With one in two WA consumers now recognising the brand, and the region now ranked as the state’s highest valued horticulture production region valued at $230m per year.
THE END OF AN ERA
While SFFC celebrates this milestone, the management team have been faced with the disappointing reality that time has run out for the organisation.
State Government funding ceased two years ago and whilst key stakeholders and core activities over the past decade have contributed significantly towards our efforts, these have not been able to generate sufficient funds to secure financial viability.
Financial sustainability has been an ongoing challenge for the organisation since inception, and the Committee of Management have exhausted all avenues in its bid to secure sufficient revenue to sustain the organisation in a long-term capacity.
Multiple requests to meet with the State Government over the past eight months have resulted in diversion or remained unanswered until very recently. However the lack of formal response and unfortunate timing has left the Committee with no choice but to commence the winding up of the association.
To ensure the SFFC remains solvent to its conclusion, the Committee has determined the organisation will be wound-up within the next six months and will be calling a General Meeting of our members on [DATE] for the plans to be outlined in detail.
MAINTAINING THE LEGACY
The Committee have been giving special consideration to the Genuinely Southern Forests brand and are reviewing suitable options to ultimately ensure the brand assets live on for local producers to continue to proudly promote and benefit from the investment, value, and recognition created over the past decade. A proposal will be formally presented to members at the General Meeting.
IN CONCLUSION
The SFFC and Genuinely Southern Forests brand have achieved significant outcomes over the past ten-years which we as a community can be proud of. It is a deeply sad outcome that the organisation must call it a day but the aim is for the impact and legacy of Genuinely Southern Forests and the SFFC to continue to benefit the region well into the future, even without a formal entity sitting behind it.
If you would like to speak to a SFFC representative, please email us at chair@southernforestsfood.com. We will then arrange a time to call you for a discussion. We are expecting an influx of media and community feedback and will be very busy, so your patience is appreciated.
Please also RSVP for the General Meeting at this email: info@southernforestsfood.com
