An agri-food supply chain assessment framework: Application to Queensland case studies

The purpose of this study is to develop a supply chain assessment framework that can be used to describe and analyse agri-food supply chains at an industry level in a systematic manner. This will facilitate comparison and classification between different supply chains. The framework is developed based on a literature review and is demonstrated with two agri-food supply chains (i.e. beef and grain) in Queensland, Australia. Using the developed framework, description, comparison and classification of two supply chains are undertaken. Issues and opportunities within and across these distribution networks are identified. The framework is an instrument that can assist in deriving information for decision making that aims at improving the efficiency and resilience of food distribution systems on an industry scale. It can help identify the growth prospects of agri-food industries in regional Australia and elsewhere.