Have your say on the future of farming

NSW Farmers has partnered with the Future Food Systems Cooperative Research Centre and the University of New England (UNE) to release a future of farming survey.

The survey seeks input from farmers on how to grow the NSW agriculture sector to $30 billion in output by 2030.

Agriculture is a major part of the state’s economy, contributing more than $12 billion in 2020 alone. NSW Farmers is working with a range of stakeholders – from farmers to industry bodies and government – to set the sector on a bold growth trajectory and essentially double its productivity by 2030.

The ‘future of farming in NSW’ partnership with UNE and the Future Foods Systems CRC is designed to help the state’s primary producers identify, then surmount obstacles to reach this target.

NSW Farmers Vice President Xavier Martin said there were a number of opportunities to grow our farming sector over the next decade as we pursue the ambitious ‘30 by 30’ target.

“This survey is an opportunity for farmers to have their say on the sector’s future, and we urge them to be engaged in this exciting period for agriculture,” Mr Martin said.

Growing demand for alternative proteins has led to more opportunities for farmers to grow crops such as lupins and faba beans (pictured here) and lentils as part of the local food production mix need to reach an output of $30 billion by 2030 for NSW agriculture.

“We’ve had a favourable turn in seasonal conditions that have presented many short-term opportunities for the sector, and nationally agriculture is expected to grow a whopping $73 billion worth of produce this financial year, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences.”

“Looking longer term, we know roughly what the opportunities and barriers might be, but a big part of preparing for the future is hearing from the people we represent: farmers.”
NSW Farmers Vice President Xavier Martin

NSW Farmers has identified a number of issues that need to be addressed in seeking to achieve 30 by 30, including resilience, research and development, value-adding, infrastructure, biosecurity, technology, and water and land use planning.

“These are some of the headline areas of potential change in the decade ahead, and they each stand to influence the sector’s growth,” Mr Martin said.

“We want to hear directly from our state’s farmers on what they think the helpers and hindrances will be moving forward as the agriculture sector seeks to expand its productivity.”

Click here to take the Farming Future survey. More information on the 30 by 30 goal is available on the NSW Farmers website.

What role will vertical farming play in reaching $30 billion by 2030? Read our story and find out!