Australian agriculture has passed $100 billion in farm-gate output four years ahead of schedule, a milestone farming leaders, politicians and industry figures celebrated at Parliament House in Canberra.
The target was first set by the National Farmers’ Federation in 2018, when the industry was worth $60 billion and challenged itself to reach $100 billion by 2030. Australian agriculture passed $101.4 billion earlier this year, arriving four years early despite droughts, bushfires, floods and global disruption.
The celebration, hosted by the NFF in Parliament’s Great Hall, brought together more than 300 leaders from agriculture, government, business and regional Australia, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Leader of the Opposition Angus Taylor and dozens of parliamentarians from across the political spectrum. The event included a symbolic signing of the original $100 billion pledge, closing the chapter on a target that became a shared goal across industry, government, policy, investment and innovation.
NFF President Hamish McIntyre said the achievement belonged to farmers and to the supply chains, researchers, businesses, communities and successive governments that helped carry it forward.
“This milestone did not happen by accident,” Mr McIntyre said.
“It happened because Australian farmers backed themselves, took risks, adapted, innovated and kept producing some of the best food and fibre in the world through some tough conditions.”
The growth spanned the sector, with the grain industry up 128 per cent, cattle up 83 per cent, sheep up 70 per cent and horticulture up 59 per cent, an overall increase of more than $42 billion.
Mr Albanese said Australian farmers had kept producing through serious disruption, including pressure on global supply chains from conflict in the Middle East.
“Australian farmers work hard every day to put food on our tables and export some of the best produce in the world,” Mr Albanese said.
“Conflict in the Middle East has put pressure on global supply chains and that’s why my Government has acted to secure shiploads of fuel and fertiliser to get farmers and producers through planting and cropping.
“We are also looking to the future, investing in a government-owned, 1 billion litre strategic fuel reserve.”
Mr Albanese also pointed to expanded trade deals with the European Union and the United Arab Emirates, saying Australia had opened up 40 new markets and restored access to 19 previously lost, while continuing to invest in long-standing relationships with Indonesia, India, China and the United States. He said Australia had also secured additional fertiliser supplies from Brunei and Indonesia during the year’s disruption, passed legislation to guarantee fair payments through the trucking sector, and invested $2 billion in strengthening the national biosecurity framework since 2022.
“We’ve been preparing for H5 bird flu, investing more than $113 million to strengthen our response including the ongoing roll out of vaccines for wild bird species,” Mr Albanese said.
“My Government is investing in our agriculture sector to build our nation up and grow our success.
“We’ll keep backing Australian farmers and the regional communities that rely on them.”
Mr Taylor said the milestone was a story of hard work built up over generations.
“This is a story of hard-working Australian farmers who have fed and clothed our nation,” Mr Taylor said.
“A story of aspirational Australian farmers around whom country towns have been built and regions have thrived.
“A story of enterprising Australian farmers whose business and exports have generated wealth that’s helped build our great country.”
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