QFF releases priorities for upcoming State Government election

In October Queenslanders will head to the polls to elect the next state government. The election will no doubt be framed around cost-of-living, healthcare and youth crime. Amidst these critical issues, QFF is urging politicians and the voting public to broaden this scope to include the biosecurity, water, energy, and land use planning issues impacting Queensland farmers and in turn, the state’s food security and the viability of its regions.

The Queensland Government’s AgTrends data shows the sector’s continuing growth with back-to-back record valuations in recent years. The forecast value for Queensland agriculture in 2023-24 is $23.67 billion, reflecting the sector’s critical contribution to the economy and rural, regional, and remote communities.

What this valuation doesn’t show is the significant pressure that farmers and regional communities are under to continue producing world-class food, fibre and foliage and the potential implications for consumers and Queenslanders more broadly.

Across Queensland, farm enterprises are facing biosecurity threats, workforce shortages, the impacts of natural disasters, rising input costs across water and energy, and the expanding footprint of renewable energy and urban development.  Consumers and regional communities are reliant on a viable future for farming and government policy that supports the agricultural sector is critical.

QFF recently released our election priorities, presenting a range of policy and funding asks and articulating our position and aspirations for the sector across the key areas of energy, water, environment, biosecurity, land use and water planning, risk mitigation and disaster response, farm viability, and transport and infrastructure.

Agriculture has an important role to play not only in the contribution it makes to the Queensland economy, but also what it contributes to the very fabric of regional communities, food security and the ability to achieve meaningful and sustainable environmental outcomes.

There are a whole lot of reasons why we need to keep farmers farming and government has an important role to play in working with industry to ensure policy settings support a favourable operating climate for the future of agriculture.

Whatever decision the Queensland public makes in October, it is important that the resulting government does not simply see the forecast value of the agriculture sector as representative of the long-term viability of Queensland farmers. We cannot rest on our laurels but must act strategically and proactively now to safeguard the future of food, fibre and foliage production for the good of all Queenslanders.

QFF looks forward to all political parties clearly outlining their policy positions on the things that matter to farmers across Queensland.