FEDERAL Agriculture Minister Julie Collins has promised farmers that the agricultural and land sectors were not beholden to Canberra’s 62-70 percent emissions reduction plan announced last week.
Addressing 450 attendees at today’s National Farmers Federation conference, the minister said: “The plan does not set an emissions target for agriculture and land, despite the many peak industry groups having done so.
FEDERAL Agriculture Minister Julie Collins speaking at AgXChange this morning
“Our plan seeks to match your ambition and it builds on the incredible work of so many of you have already undertaken to date.
“Australian producers are global leaders in lower-emission food and fibre production already. She said the government supports “the balance between agriculture, carbon storage and nature repair and that the decarbonisation must benefit the farmers and our regional communities”.
Questioned about the potential classification of buffel grass as a weed of national significance, she replied: “This is going through our usual process. It’s one of those weeds that has been discussed through the Minister of the Environment’s portfolio and will continue to go through that usual process.
“But I can assure people that we are listening intently to the important role that it does play out on farms, particularly in Queensland.”
The minister also announced a forthcoming bioenergy strategy “to help establish a national, co-ordinated direction of sustainable development of bioenergy feedstock production in Australia.”
$100b farmgate output target
In other early conference news, the NFF has congratulated the agriculture sector on its relentless pursuit of $100 billion in farm gate output by 2030.
NFF President David Jochinke said despite global market volatility, shifting trade dynamics, and extreme weather events, the sector has continued to make significant productivity gains.
“We’re just five years out from 2030, and we are closing in on this ambitious target,” Mr Jochinke said at AgXchange earlier today.
“The 2030 Roadmap has served as the north star for Australian agriculture by guiding policy, investment, and innovation across the country.
“ABARES forecasts show we’re on track to reach the $100 billion mark over the next few years, which is a remarkable achievement that reflects the resilience, adaptability and ingenuity of our Aussie farmers.
“We’ve had a number of wins for the sector, including the extension of the Regional Investment Corporation Loans, the shelving of the ‘Biosecurity Tax’, the passing of the long-awaited legislation to establish a nature repair market, and government commitment to develop a National Food Security Strategy.
“However, there are still gains to be made, particularly in farm safety, mental health, workforce attraction and retention, sustainability and global competitiveness.
“With continued collaboration between industry and government, I am confident we can turn challenges into opportunities and deliver lasting benefits for Australian agriculture and our communities,” Mr Jochinke said.
The Roadmap’s report card was unveiled this morning at AgXchange on the Gold Coast.
Released in 2018, the 2030 Roadmap was developed by industry and endorsed by the Prime Minister.
FY2026 Outlook
- Farm Output: $94.7 billion (up 1pc)
- Export Value: $74.6 billion (down 2.5pc)
- Volume: up 1pc
- Livestock: up 4pc
- Crops: down 0.75pc
- Horticulture: up4pc to $19.2 billion
The latest 2030 Roadmap report can be found here: https://nff.org.au/2025-
More reports from NFF conference tomorrow.
Although ag does not have a carbon target, the new Gov target will require significant areas of farm land will need to be planted to trees.
How much impact? Nobody seems to know.
426 million hectares farm land. % already has trees not suitable plant more.
A high % in unsuitable rainfall on Gov reckoning.
So what % of balance?
Talk of 5 million wildly understates magnitude.