Farmers have launched a fresh appeal for a suite of anti-farming policies to be reversed as Australians prepare to head to the polls on Saturday.
NSW Farmers' President Xavier Martin said time was running out for an overhaul of federal government policies that were really hurting farmers in the paddock.
"Farmers deserve a fair go, and right now, we're not getting one," Mr Martin said.
"Out must go the sea of red and green tape that's sending us out of business - be it the ban on the live sheep by sea trade, or water buybacks, or one of the many other bad ideas that are making things worse for the farmers that grow our essential food and fibre.
"Sensible decisions based on the facts of farming, not the fear engendered by activists, is what we need if we want our nation to be fed and clothed well into the future."
Over the past five weeks, NSW Farmers has highlighted six focus areas within agriculture that politicians need to prioritise to help farm businesses grow and regional communities to thrive. They are:
• Biosecurity
• Environment
• Trade and business
• Workforce
• Infrastructure
Mr Martin said farmers needed to see real action to slash red tape, repair rural roads, improve rural connectivity and solve the agricultural labour crisis alongside reforms to address bad supermarket behaviour and funding to boost biosecurity.
"Our farming communities have been cast aside for too long, and we're challenging the next federal government to be the ones that step up and change that," Mr Martin said.
"All we're asking from Canberra is common sense, so we don't have to leave our nation to go hungry without the farmers to feed them.
"Invest in agriculture, and care for our communities, and it will pay dividends for our economy and all of our Aussie families."
