Address to AgriFutures EvokeAG, Melbourne

It’s my great pleasure to be with you all here in Melbourne this morning, for this major event in our agriculture calendar.

When we talk about innovation in agriculture, there’s no better place to start than EvokeAg.

The next two days are more than a showcase of world-leading innovation.

They’re an opportunity for around 2,000 leaders from across our agriculture, technology, public policy and science industries to collaborate on the challenges and opportunities before us.

All of us here in the room today have the same goal.

We want to see our agriculture industry go from strength to strength.

We want to see our farmers produce more of their world-class products – which communities not just around Australia, but around the globe, rely on.  

And we want our farmers to continue doing what they do best more efficiently, upholding their reputation as global leaders in sustainable agriculture.

These priorities of diversifying trade, strengthening our supply chains, and boosting the resilience of our farmers and producers are priorities the Albanese Labor Government is proudly backing.

Each of these priorities can be spurred on through collaboration.  

And the need for collaboration was at the heart of the productivity roundtable I hosted last year in Brisbane with industry, because it’s key to unlocking more productivity gains in agriculture.

This important discussion was part of our Government’s Economic Reform Roundtable and will continue to help shape our Government’s policy approach given the key role we know agriculture plays in Australia’s national economy.

And I know farmers and producers already have a good story to tell on this issue.

Agricultural productivity continues to grow faster than the broader economy, with increased uptake of innovative tools and technology a large part of this success.
 
The Albanese Labor Government is proud to be backing this, with billions invested across a range of programs to support our farmers, producers and agriculture industry adopt innovative practices.

But our farmers and producers have always been innovators.

And as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, I have the great privilege of travelling around our country and seeing the extraordinary things people in our ag sector are doing firsthand.  

Farmers know they don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

But they recognise the benefits of drawing on technology and scientific advances to monitor and boost production, to manage resources more efficiently, and to target pests and diseases.

And that’s what EvokeAg is all about – forging stronger links between research and industry, and helping to connect farmers and producers to new innovations that they can benefit from.

That’s why I’m pleased the Albanese Labor Government is continuing to support this important event for the next three years, with $450,000 in funding.

When our farmers innovate, we all benefit – as does our food security, our trade, our biosecurity, our environment, and our economic growth.

As those of you here in the room this morning would know, we’ve committed to delivering a new National Food Security Strategy, Feeding Australia.

While Australia has a world-class food system that feeds people both here and abroad, we cannot afford to be complacent, or to ignore the new and emerging challenges facing our food and supply chains.

So much of what you all do already prioritises innovation – whether that’s more efficient irrigation, autonomous machinery, or developing disease-resistant crops.

The importance of this innovation and the need for continued efficiencies at every stage of the supply chain cannot be understated.

In fact, this was identified as a key priority in many of the 408 submissions we received last year on our Feeding Australia discussion paper.

I’m pleased the next phase of consultation and co-design of Feeding Australia is progressing.

The first of a number of industry workshops that will run through to June is beginning this week.

I would encourage those of you here today to continue providing your input and expertise into this strategy.

I mentioned some of the innovative projects already underway across industry when it comes to food security, and this is something the Albanese Government is proudly investing in.

Our $300 million Climate Smart Agriculture Program is helping farmers adopt practices that reduce emissions, improve soil and biodiversity health, and build resilience to climate impacts.

As part of this funding, I had the opportunity to visit Project Ag Resilience last year here in the Melbourne food bowl – a project bringing together Landcare networks, primary industry groups and local governments to deliver on-farm trials including on sustainable food practices, biological fertilisers and targeted planting.

Through our $500 million investment in Future Drought Fund programs, we’re supporting farmers and regional communities to adopt new technologies that boost their drought resilience, so they can continue producing the products we all love and rely on.  

As part of this, we’re investing in transformational cropping, grazing and mixed farming practices.

Of course, our Government is also progressing a National Bioenergy Feedstock Strategy, which is backed by $1.1 billion in federal funding.

This will help unlock the vast economic opportunities on offer from low carbon liquid fuels – with the agriculture industry to be front and centre of this.

This wouldn’t be possible without the innovation and expertise here today, and across our agriculture industry.

Australia’s agricultural strength comes from not only our world-class producers but also our scientific excellence, and decades of deliberate investment in research, innovation and adoption.    

Australia’s Research and Development Corporation system is a cornerstone of this capability, linking research and development to real-world outcomes.  

That’s why we’ve invested more than half a billion dollars towards AgriFutures and 15 RDCs in the last financial year.

Our RDC system is envied across the globe, however, we must continue to evolve this system so it can meet new challenges and opportunities that Australian agriculture faces.  

I see AgriFutures as playing a role in meeting these new challenges, as well as supporting the coordination and linking of research across the system.  

Through stronger alignment with Government and industry priorities and enhanced collaboration on the big issues, we will be on track to go well beyond industry’s goal of $100 billion in value.  

Of course, before I wrap up this morning, I want to acknowledge that a number of our agricultural communities here in Victoria, and in Queensland are recovering from recent natural disasters.

I was on the ground here in Victoria last week meeting with impacted operators in the Bendigo region, following the recent fires.  

And I’ll be in Queensland tonight and over the coming days to inspect the ongoing clean-up and recovery efforts, following flooding there.

The Albanese Labor Government, alongside state governments, has announced millions in targeted support for our farmers, producers and ag businesses in these regions.

And my strong message to those impacted is we will have your back at every stage of recovery.  

With that, I want to thank you again for the opportunity to join you this morning at this year’s Evoke Ag.

This is an important couple of days to come together and collaborate on how we can use technology to continue strengthening this great sector.

Australian agriculture has an incredibly positive story to tell – and it’s one that the Albanese Government will continue sharing on the global stage.

Innovation underpins the success of agriculture, which is why we’ll continue to back the bold ideas, solutions and creativity that will ensure we continue to grow an industry that touches people in every corner of this country, and increasingly across the globe.

Every day I’m inspired by the people of our agriculture industry, and our government will always support you.  

Thank you.