The Morrison McCormack Government has a plan to showcase agriculture and bring the city and country closer together.
Our plan for a strong economy is ensuring we can better educate the next generation and the generations to come about where their food and fibre come from.
Agriculture has always played an important role in the success of our nation - it touches all Australians.
It's a key pillar of the economy.
Our farmers care for our land while feeding and clothing us and tens of millions more in markets abroad.
Hundreds of thousands of Australians work on the land or in related sectors in our regional towns and the major cities. It's an advanced and innovative industry with an exciting future.
But many of our kids don't know or are confused about where their food comes from and we are trying to fix this.
We need to engage current and future generations about the contribution, the promise and the future of farming, show them where our food and fibre come from and encourage more young Australians to study agriculture.
A re-elected Morrison McCormack Government will invest $10 million in two new programs to bring our kids and our farms together. We will fund primary and secondary school student visits to farms and we will establish up to 80 mobile 'mini farms' in urban based schools through the iFarm program.
Australia's regional communities are the hubs supporting our farmers. The Morrison Government has invested in our regional communities, providing additional support to those faced with drought and, most recently, the extensive flooding in north Queensland.
The Drought Communities Program, for example, is delivering infrastructure projects that provide employment, stimulate local community spending, use local resources, businesses and suppliers and have a long-lasting benefit to the communities.
More needs to be done to bring regional communities together, to keep them strong and resilient.
Agricultural shows are the most authentic and accessible showcases of Australian farming. They bring farmers and people from the city together.
Agricultural shows are fun, bring communities together and showcase new technology and promote competition with prized livestock. However, many are struggling with old infrastructure making it hard for shows to go ahead and attract visitors.
A re-elected Morrison McCormack Government will establish a new $20 million Regional Agricultural Show Development grant program.
Grants will be available for regional agricultural show societies that run annual shows to upgrade and maintain existing infrastructure and to build new infrastructure.
This investment will help keep our agricultural shows running, help bring communities together and help bridge the divide between country and city.
