The author has forgotten to factor in competing landuses for existing agricultural land and of course the great water issue. The two major foodbowls for crop and fibre production are currently under threat from mining and coal seam gas production. They are the Darling Downs in Queensland and the Liverpool Plains in north west NSW. The latter is also in an area deemed by scientists to be the least effected by climate change. This area produces 41% of all durum wheat produced in Australian as well as huge quantities of grain and meat. The farmers in both areas are fighting the invasion of mining and coal seam gas. There is no such thing as agriculture being able to co-exist with these industries - the contamination issues of water and dust render this impossible. If these areas are not protected for agricultural use Australia will be even more incapable of producing in the long term. Given that coal and coal seam gas extraction render the land unusable and are extremely short term industries, government must intervene and save these areas.

I doubt that when the early colonialists first camped by a small creek they envisioned 1-4 million people living nearby. In cities like Adelaide we now have urban sprawl extending into saltbush country. It's not hard to pinpoint Australia's best soil and rainfall areas.. they're called suburbs. To revert some of that land to urban farming might need some sort of a crisis as in Detroit, USA.

When a fast food chain advertised a type of cow as its main protein source I thought people might be put off. It seems the reverse took place. Perhaps they could develop a bean burger with minimal or no requirement for water, animal death or energy conversion inefficiency. Trouble is the public probably wouldn't buy it. Let's see if we can maintain such a self indulgent diet when water, diesel and phosphate are all at premium prices and there are 70% more of us.

Michael Lardelli's article is much better than most of the raving loony anti-pop stuff, but stil he makes assumptions about what might happen in the future.
For example, let us assume, for a moment that the IPCC temperature projections bear any relation to reality. Will agricultural production go up or down? Projecting what happens to temperatures is bad enough, trying to work out what happens to, say, rainfall as a result is pure guesswork. CSIRO has various reports on this issue but the rest of should smile indulgently, express heartfelt thanks for their efforts and throw those reports away.
Then there is the issue that the only study of a real-world effort adjust to higher temperatures of which I am aware suggests that ag production will not be seriously affected.
This is a history of wheat production in America produced by Paul Rhode of the University of Michigan and Alan Olmstead of the University of California. Rhode and Olmstead recently presented a paper to the American Economic Society looking at how wheat production fared when it moved into parts of the American where growing temperatures were as much as two to five degrees centigrade higher in the mid-1800s and the late 1900s (Wall Street Journal, January 3, 2010). The economists concluded that agricultural production adapted successfully as farmers introduced new strains of wheat that grew well in the new climate.
But then we have the real problem. What happens if temperatures fall?

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/forum-warns-population-growth-will-leave-us-packed-in-like-chickens/story-e6frea83-1225863815127

Packed in like chickens, that's what we'll be. Chickens and without a grain to peck. I like this story. It has some substance. Even so..

According to the 2006 edition of Australian Food Statistics, the "value of Australia’s total farm and fisheries production
rose by almost 10 per cent to be worth $34.8 billion. Australia has maintained a strong export performance, with food exports worth $24 billion last year. That represents around 15 per cent of Australia’s
total merchandise exports."

"Australia’s food imports rose by 5 per cent to more than $6.8 billion in 2005-06. The main contributors to this rise were vegetables, fruits and nuts (up 20 per cent to $226 million), dairy products (up 13 per cent to $432 million), bakery products (up 10 per cent to $247 million) and beverages and malt (up 10 per cent to $1334 million).

Processed (substantially and elaborately transformed) foods make up 95 per cent of the total value of food imports." That's cans and all things that come sealed.

We import most of our food from New Zealand - heaps of wine and cheese. Michael is right. We do import food - it's a key part of our reciprocal trade relationship with NZ and the Asia Pacific region.

Food we got. More than enough for a doubling or tripling of our population before it declines in 2050.

I take your word on the statistics Cheryl, you use facts judging on your previous posts, however I wish to add that quality of our exports, along with growing our own produce, has declined as a result of 'significant' drought and pestilence. As outlined in your statistics, we pay dearly for the fruit and veg imports which, in my view, produce nothing short of a bitter foul and stale taste. The USA oranges give stomach cramps and are rotting within a day of hitting the major USA owned retail outlets and any green vegies are out of this world unrealistically priced/unaffordable for many families. Watch families waltz past them after looking at the prices.

Many parents I know would be feeding green vegies every night to their children; if it were not for the fact that most of our industries were stuffed up in terms of balance of trade [ten years ago] thanks to Minister Vaile. One need only ask ANY Aussie producer, starting with the Orange Growers of NSW.

There may be an abundance of food purchased outside this country, quality and costs of the produce are another story altogether, the first point being: how long are families able to 'nutritionally' feed their children [the next generation] on expensive vegetables meat and imported canned products [containing who knows what]?

I am growing ours this year again, hopefully producing knock out size potatoes, pumpkins, broccoli, spinach, carrots and brussel sprouts [if disease or pests dont ruin them].

cheryl

You obviously did not read the article so where is the 'food we got', we import food and fish (even your caviar) we are not self sufficient anymore and our imports will depend on sources continuing to supply our needs (with their increasing population)and that there will be ships to bring them (peak oil).
You must be a PAP (Populate And Perish) supporter.