Farmers across Australia are urged to have their say on the issues that matter to them and the agricultural sector via the National Farmer Priorities Survey, launched today.
Spearheaded by the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) in partnership with communications and advisory firm Seftons, the survey will be a pulse-check on the opportunities and challenges facing farmers and the rural economy more broadly.
"The first of its kind, the national survey overarches all agriculture commodity sectors and geographical regions, across a broad range of issues, to speak to the sentiment on the ground and what is keeping farmers up at night," NFF Vice President David Jochinke says.
"Together with our member organisations, NFF will be championing these views in our engagement with Government as we continue striving for that $100 billion target by 2030."
Covering issues including land use competition, environmental laws and climate change policies, water, biosecurity, labour and access to telecommunications, health and education, the survey will also provide a measure of how farmers perceive their industry and its future prospects.
Seftons Managing Director and owner of mixed farming operation in New England and North West NSW, Robbie Sefton AM says the survey is timely given the number of external influences shaping the sector's future - from the transition to renewable energy, access to global markets, worker shortages and water reform.
"Farmers are crying out for more meaningful input into the decisions impacting their future, and while we will continue to call for more consultation on these issues, the survey is an opportunity to identify the issues NFF can advocate for on their behalf," Ms Sefton AM says.
The results, to be released in the lead up to the NFF National Conference on 26-27 October, will also be tabled in a comprehensive public report.
"We are calling on all farmers to have their say," Mr Jochinke says. "Those five minutes to fill in the survey will help shape how we as a sector respond not only to the challenges, but the myriad opportunities coming our way."
Open until Sunday, September 17, the NFF is also offering survey participants the chance to win one of four $500 gift cards.
The survey can be accessed on the NFF and Seftons websites or via this link.
Conducted by an independent research organisation Instinct and Reason, along with responses from NFF's membership base, the survey is designed to be an annual gauge of farmer sentiment on the big policy issues facing the sector.
