Ag’s $100 billion target “on track”

The National Farmers’ Federation has released its report card on the sector’s progress towards $100 billion in farmgate value by 2030.

Australian agriculture’s ambitious goal of becoming the nation’s next $100 billion industry by 2030 is “very much within reach”, the National Farmers’ Federation says.

With forecast farm output of $83 billion for 2022-23, the sector is just $17 billion off its target.

But widespread flooding across eastern Australia is feared to reign in that figure as producers battle floodwaters that have in some cases inundated their properties for months.

In 2018 the NFF outlined a vision for agricultural output to grow to $100 billion in farmgate value by 2030.

In the past year, Australian farmers have battled extreme weather, geopolitical turmoil and volatile markets. PICTURE: ZOE PHILLIPS

Each year that target is evaluated and a scorecard is produced to track the industry’s progress.

NFF chief executive Tony Mahar said despite headwinds of a war in Ukraine, long-term disruption of global supply chains following Covid lockdowns and a third La Nina, farmers were on track for a second year of farm output of more than $80 billion.

But Mr Mahar urged the government to address significant challenges to help the sector achieve its goal.

“While nobody can prevent extreme weather, there is action that can happen at all tiers of government to help agriculture, including improving access to workers, keeping destructive water buybacks off the table, and restoring and improving the dilapidated, honeycomb-like road network,” he said.

NFF president Fiona Simson said labour shortages, biosecurity and transport infrastructure were the most pressing issues needing attention.

Despite these issues, Ms Simson said the organisation was committed to reaching its target on time.

“That aspiration remains very much within reach,” she said.

The NFF’s 2022 report card listed the nation’s cost of freight per tonne-kilometre when compared to other developed nations and export barriers such as high tariffs as “needing attention”.

It referred to the prospect of federal government water buybacks as “damaging”, as well as the Albanese’s government’s canning of a dedicated agriculture visa.

But the industry was on track to reach carbon neutrality by 2030, and women are increasingly working in the ag space and in management roles.