Agriculture Sector Welcomes Clear Vision For Future

A strong partnership between the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments has been welcomed by the Australian agriculture sector.

The first meeting of Australian Agriculture Ministers delivered a clear vision for the future.

After an eight-month hiatus, Agriculture Ministers from every state and territory met last week to discuss the country’s agricultural priorities. It was the first meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Murray Watt.

Ministers welcomed the opportunity to work in a more collaborative and cooperative manner and committed to meeting regularly to address the challenges of mutual concern facing Australian agriculture.

“I was excited to chair the first Agriculture Ministers’ meeting under the new Albanese Government, and to build on existing relationships with my state and territory counterparts,” Minister Watt said.

“There were a number of new faces at the table and it was a very productive meeting. It’s clear biosecurity is quite rightly top of mind for everyone.”

“Threats of foot and mouth disease, lumpy skin disease and varroa mite reinforces the importance of a strong, shared biosecurity effort because incursions don’t stop at our borders. As a result, we have agreed on pathways to deliver a national framework to improve biosecurity, through more traceability and a new national strategy.”

“I feel confident that by having the Federal Government working cooperatively with all states and territory governments, we deliver on measures that benefit the agriculture sector.”

Ministers agreed, in principle, to progress work on a national approach to Australia’s livestock traceability systems, as well as finalising a National Biosecurity Strategy.

They agreed that tackling workforce availability issues would be an ongoing priority and affirmed a strong commitment to action on climate change, including a desire to show greater urgency in pursuing the opportunities and addressing the challenges Australian agriculture faces for climate change.

• Topics:

• Agriculture
• Farming