1 July 2025. Michael Guerin, AgForce CEO.
Australia's agricultural sector is often spoken of in terms of exports, trade volumes, and economic value. As if that is the sum total of its worth.
But beneath the surface lies something more profound - agriculture is the bedrock of our national food security and one of the most powerful tools we have to build and sustain natural capital.
From the soils that store carbon to the wetlands protected by grazing practices, or paddock-to-plate food systems complementing regenerative land stewardship, Australian farmers are delivering outcomes far beyond the farm gate.
These farmers are not just producing food - they are managing more than half of the continent's landmass and are key custodians of biodiversity, water, and ecological health.
The link between food security and environmental sustainability is not abstract - it's immediate and inextricable. You cannot have one without the other.
But current policy settings often treat them in isolation, missing the opportunity to unlock the full potential of agriculture to deliver on both fronts.
The answer lies not in regulation for its own sake, but in policy frameworks that reward landholders for verifiable outcomes - cleaner water, healthier soils, lower emissions, increased biodiversity, and reliable food production.
Farmers are ready to respond. What they need is policy that sees them as partners - not problems.
AgForce is calling for a national approach that recognises agriculture as central to the delivery of Australia's climate, biodiversity, and food security goals. Tools like AgCarE demonstrate how industry-led, science-based frameworks can provide the confidence governments, markets, and consumers need.
But a word of caution: if we fail to act, the consequences will not just be borne by farmers. A lack of coherent policy risks undermining the very systems that underpin our food shelves, our ecosystems, and our regional communities.
Food security, strong environments, and resilient rural towns don't happen by accident. They are the product of wise stewardship and supportive policy.
Now is the time to align our national vision with the realities on the ground. Let's unlock the true potential of agriculture - not just as a producer of commodities, but as a cornerstone of Australia's future wellbeing.
