Delivering Ag2030

The Government is strengthening agricultural ties with major and emerging export markets. This will deliver new trade and market access for producers, while also reducing red tape.

Key actions:

• $328 million package over four years for the Busting Congestion for Agricultural Exporters package.
  • $222.2 million to modernise Australia’s agricultural export systems, improving regulation and service delivery for producers and exporters.
  • $35 million to introduce sensible, technology-based regulation for seafood, meat, live animal and plant exporters.
  • This package will support agricultural exporters to do business quickly and at less cost, providing benefits of at least $236 million over the decade to 2030.
• A further $317 million extension of the International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM), taking the Government’s total IFAM commitment to $669 million 
• Finalise free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Union and United Kingdom and getting the most out of existing agreements.
• $14.8 million over six years for Dairy Export Assurance Reforms to help the export dairy industry by raising export awareness, reducing red tape and streamlining audit arrangements 
• Maximise the effectiveness and efficiency of Australia’s overseas agricultural counsellor network to enhance agricultural exports in key markets.

The Government is committed to safeguarding Australia from exotic pests and diseases which means lower costs for our producers and is critical to our market access.

Key actions:

• Around $873 million for biosecurity and export programs in 2020-21, an increase of around 45 per cent since 2012-13.
• Making new investments to deliver a strong national biosecurity system including towards biosecurity innovation, biosecurity analytics, fruit fly management, pest animal and weed management, Red Imported Fire Ants eradication, and targeting African Swine Fever.
• Strengthen partnerships with community, industry, states and territories to build awareness and capability
• Focus on emergency preparedness to ensure fast and effective responses to new pest and disease outbreaks.

The Government is ensuring Australian farmers are rewarded for their stewardship of land and water.

Key actions:

• $34 million over four years to support and reward stewardship through the Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Pilot Package.
• $36.6 million to maintain the timeliness of environmental assessments and undertake further reforms under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
• Reforms to empower farmers to diversify their income and earn credits under the $2 billion Climate Solution Fund.
• Changes to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) toolkit to allow investment in soil carbon sequestration projects, unlocking farmers’ access to $1.6 billion in ARENA funding.
• Tax concessions to help farmers build resilience and manage climatic, market and production risks.
• $1.1 billion over seven years for the National Landcare Program.
• Eliminating water buy-backs.
• $4.2 million over two years for four new Indigenous River Ranger Groups across the Murray-Darling Basin.

The Government is ensuring that we have fair, strong and resilient supply chains where everyone is treated fairly and pays their share.

Key actions:

• $1.3 billion to develop and implement a new Modern Manufacturing Strategy – including for food and beverages.
• $50 million for Industry Growth Centres, including Food Innovation Australia Limited - to enable them to assist in implementing the Government’s new Modern Manufacturing Strategy.
• $107.2 million into the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative which will support projects that address identified supply chain vulnerabilities.
• Supporting an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission inquiry into the perishable agricultural supply chains.
• Improve competition and fairness through codes of conduct for Dairy, Wheat Port, Sugar and Horticulture.
• Showcase Australian products through Country of Origin Labelling.

The Government is supporting Australian farmers, rural and regional communities with infrastructure when and where it is needed.

Key actions:

• $270 million over four years for the Murray-Darling Communities Investment Package including delivery of 11 initiatives to put communities at the centre of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
• $50 million in 2020-21 to extend the On-farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme for a further year.
• Identify and build new water infrastructure through the $3.5 billion National Water Infrastructure Development Fund.
• Improving communications for the agriculture sector through $22.1 million for the Australian 5G Innovation Initiative, and $30.3 million for the Regional Connectivity Program to support telecommunications projects developed by local communities.
• Delivery of a new Regional Policy Package including $100 million for Regional Recovery Partnerships to coordinate investments with other levels of government to support recovery and growth in 10 priority investment regions.
• $9.3 billion to complete the Inland Rail by 2025.
• Support for critical water infrastructure, including $283 million for new projects.

The Government is modernising Australia’s agricultural innovation system to drive improvements in collaboration, commercialisation and uptake to grow productivity and competitiveness.

Key actions:

• Delivery of a National Agriculture Innovation Agenda, including a Digital Foundations for Agriculture Strategy, a National Agricultural Innovation Policy Statement and the establishment of Agricultural Innovation Australia to target cross-industry challenges.
• $86 million for delivery of eight Adoption and Innovation Hubs across the country through the Future Drought Fund.
• $7.2 million over four years to streamline and modernise the agricultural levies legislation.
• Investing $83 million in Regional Connectivity Program to improve telecommunications infrastructure and boost connectivity.
• $300 million to upgrade regional NBN customers to fibre as part of the $4.5 billion network investment plan.
• Delivery of the first National Fisheries Plan, and establishment of nine Regional Forestry Hubs across Australia.

The Government is enabling people and their communities right across the agriculture supply chain with the support, infrastructure, and skills to do their jobs.

Key actions:

• $250 million for access to up to 400 short courses for priority fields, including agriculture, to upskill our workforce. 
• $17.4 million in relocation assistance and $16. 3 million to incentivise young Australians to take up farm work.
• $19.6 million to support communities recover from drought to extend the drought function of the National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Agency.
• $36.3 million to support rural and regional shows and $2.7 million for agricultural field days impacted by COVID-19.
• Develop a National Agricultural Workforce Strategy for future workforce development and availability.
• Invest $5 billion in a Future Drought Fund, which will provide $100 million each year to build drought preparedness and resilience including in leadership and networks.
• Over $4 billion to the Regional Investment Corporation for loans to farm and small agri-businesses.
• Changes to the Farm Household Allowance to make it easier for farmers to access support
• $40 million to support the forestry sector through the Forestry Recovery Development Fund Program.
• Funding mental health support for regional commercial fishers.