ANFIL

A Message from the Chair

To all Australians with a passion for our indigenous foods,

GREAT NEWS!!!!

It’s been quite some time coming, but I am delighted to announce that the industry so many of us have believed in for so long, is truly gaining some increased momentum and most importantly, a formal national presence.

On Friday 15 December 2006, Australian Native Food Industries Limited (ANFIL) was incorporated as a National Body to represent participants in the industry. This really is a landmark event for our fledgling industry for many reasons and is the culmination of a great deal of work by a handful of very dedicated and special people.

For the past 2 years or so, an interim board, the ANFI Working Group, has been steadily working towards forming this entity, quite an achievement, as there have been unsuccessful attempts in the past. A big thank you must go to the Rural Industry Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) and Coles Indigenous Food Fund who have supported the working group financially through this formative period and also the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organisation (CSIRO), who has supported us by hosting our first national meeting back in February 2005 and continues to support us with the Native Foods website, an interim web site facility. You can find it at

http://www.cse.csiro.au/research/nativefoods/development/

.There are many other people to thank, some, who for varied reasons have discontinued their involvement. I would like to acknowledge and thank them for their contributions: 

Maartin Ryder

Eve Fesl

Wayne Street

Chris Mara

John Collyer

Carolyn Briggs

• Gil Freeman

Yvonne Latham

John Faragher

Gina Smith

Ron Newchurch

Max Bourke

The Victorian Bush Food Association

The Founding Board members guiding ANFIL to our first Annual General Meeting in 2007 are:

• Andrew Fielke (Interim Chair) SA

• Sibylla Hess-Buschmann NSW

• Chris Read (Interim Treasurer) Tas

• Anne Osborne (Company Secretary) Qld

• Doug Brownlow (Interim Communications Officer) Qld

• Lindsay Boyd NSW

• Mike Quarmby SA

There is an incredible amount of work to be done to really see our industry achieve some of the potential and recognition it so justly deserves. ANFIL has already made an impact in a number of areas, as outlined below, but we will need a great deal of input, support, drive and feedback from you, the industry stakeholders. The first way you can make a real difference is by joining as a financial member and actively encouraging new members & participants in the industry. A membership application form is included in this Bulletin. The words of Paul Kelly, a great Aussie singer, “from little things, big things grow” are especially relevant to us and with genuine cooperation, commitment and passion, lets see what we can achieve together!!!! Wishing you all a safe and blessed festive season and a prosperous New Year 

Yours sincerely

Andrew Fielke

(Interim Chair – ANFIL)

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