An independent institute leading farm policy discussions for Australian agriculture

What We Do

The Australian Farm Institute leads the farm policy discussions to ensure a viable future for the Australian agricultural community, delivers timely analysis and insights, and promotes evidence-based policy solutions that maximise the economic and social wellbeing of our farmers.

Featured Content

July 2022 Insights

Published 13 Jul 2022

Let’s face it, sometimes policy research and analysis can be a little dull. However, anyone with even a passing interest in agriculture could not describe the Australian agricultural policy environment of the last few years as dull. Initiatives aimed at addressing drought impacts, long-term sustainability, trade and supply chains have…

AFI ROUNDTABLE: Cultivating ESG Capability

Published 31 May 2022

From farm gate to café plate, pressures to report on and deliver against ESG metrics are introducing new requirements throughout agricultural supply chains. ESG reporting measures the environmental, social and governance performance of a business, providing transparency for customers, stakeholders, stockholders and investors. Capability improvements across agriculture will be required…

Environment ESG Governance Measures Social Sustainability

Autumn 2022: Upsides, offsides, blindsides: considerations for an ag offsets market

Published 12 Apr 2022

A pathway towards net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is practically impossible without environmental offsets of some kind. While there is now significant effort and investment in reducing GHG emissions at source, there will always be some emissions which are too difficult or too costly to reduce. The environmental impact…

Climate change Measurement Sustainability

Quick links:

AASF home page | AFI Roundtable 2022 | Discussion papers

Research

Stay across the Institute’s current research and archive of historical reports on the topics shaping Australian agricultural policy.

Publications

Browse the Institute’s range of respected publications, available for purchase or accessed via memberships or subscription.

Policy

Institute evidence and analysis has been influential in developing new approaches on a range of agricultural issues.

Why become a member?

Your support enables AFI to lead the farm policy discussions which ensure a viable future for the Australian agricultural community.

Events

We bring the agriculture community together with events that set the policy agenda. Register for upcoming events and view past events for slide packs, recordings and other resources.

Oct

2022

Cultivating ESG Capability

18-10-2022 09:00 AM - 18-10-2022 10:00 PM

AFI Roundtable and dinner – Tuesday 18 October 2022 – Gandel Hall, National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, PARKES ACT 2600 – Join us to discuss the capability and capacity of Australian agriculture to meet sustainability goals in environmental management, social responsibility and business capital.

Environmental ESG Governance Measurement Social Sustainability

Mar

2022

Where to next for ag advocacy?

07-03-2022 09:00 AM - 07-03-2022 10:00 PM

AFI Conference – Monday 7 March 2022 – Strangers’ Room, NSW Parliament, SYDNEY NSW – Advocacy is a critical tool for industries to successfully navigate through economic upheaval and social shifts. Is Australia’s agricultural advocacy well positioned for these inevitable challenges? Join us at the AFI’s Conference event to discuss:…

Advocacy Regional

Jun

2021

Agriculture and trade in disrupted economies

17-06-2021 10:00 AM - 17-06-2021 10:00 PM

Purchase Sessions and Recordings Thursday 17 June 2021 – Toowoomba, QLD & ONLINE Conference Overview: While COVID-19 is the most prominent disruptor of trade in recent times, it is far from the only one. Geopolitical tensions, socio-economic changes, infrastructure challenges and biosecurity concerns are not merely theoretical risks but active…

Economics Trade

Featured Research

Stronger ag sector, stronger regions

Published 28 Oct 2021

This paper considers how the agriculture sector can leverage stimulatory regional investment to ensure enduring economic stability and social benefits by establishing a virtuous cycle of beneficial impacts. A strong agricultural sector, availability of regional jobs and financial capital, and improved regional liveability are not only linked but interdependent. While…

Economy Education Employment Energy Infrastructure Regionalisation Technology

Government Farm Financial Risk Management Measures

Published 16 Aug 2021

Government policies aimed at addressing risk in Australian agriculture have a long and chequered history. While a range of government programs and schemes intended to improve management of financial risks is available to Australian farmers, there is little evidence to indicate that the majority of past policies can be considered…

Finance Risk

Quantifying Trust in Agricultural Value Chains

Published 1 Jul 2021

Trust is an essential enabling factor for the smooth and efficient operation of agricultural value chains (AVCs). It is critical in ensuring coordinated supply and demand management of safe and legitimate food and fibre products and underpins financial transaction confidence and security.

value chains

Topics

Advocacy Ag data Agri-food Agribusiness Agriculture AI Alternate Proteins Alternative Proteins Animal Welfare Autonomous Beef Biodiversity Biosecurity Blockchain Business Certification Chemicals Climate Climate change Communication Competition Conservation Conservation Agriculture COP26 Cotton COVID-19 Cropping Dairy Data Digital Digital agriculture Disruption Diversity Drought Economics Economy Education Emissions reduction Employment Energy Environment Environmental ESG Events Finance Fisheries Food Food Security Fruit Gas Global Governance Grain Grains Horticulture Infrastructure Innovation Insurance Investment Irrigation JREC Land land use conflict Land-use Leadership Livestock Macroeconomics Marketing Markets MDB Measurement Measures Natural Capital Natural Resource Management NRM Open source P2D Performance Policy Pork Poultry Precision Agriculture Privacy Productivity Public good R&D Regenerative agriculture Regional Regionalisation Representation Risk Robotics Sheep Socal Licence Social Social Licence Soil carbon Succession Sugar Sustainability Technology Telecommunications Trade Transport Trust United Kingdom value chains Water Water markets webinar Wool Youth

Featured Videos

Foot off the gas

Published 1 Dec 2020

How a gas-led recovery will impact Australian farmers

Agriculture & gas production enterprises have different values & goals. For the sake of our farmers & our agriculture sector, it’s time to take our foot off the gas. This short video summarises the AFI briefing paper produced with the support of Farmers for Climate Action and the Australian Conserv

Gas land use conflict Water

Recognising on-farm biodiversity management

Published 23 Nov 2020

This video provides a precis of the Australian Farm Biodiversity Certification Scheme Phase 1 Report delivered to the National Farmers’ Federation in July 2020. During the consultation for this report, farmers identified the complexity, cost and difficulty of assessing and participating in multiple programs, as barriers to participating in current…

Biodiversity Environment Sustainability

FREE WEBINAR: Competition policy and a ‘fair go’ for farming

Published 8 Nov 2020

The AFI hosted an ‘in-conversation’ webinar on competition policy on Thursday 5th November 2020, 12:30–1:30 pm (AEDT), featuring finalists from the 2020 John Ralph Essay Competition, along with Mick Keogh and Richard Heath. Discussions focused on the future direction for Australian agriculture and competitive measures. Panellists included: • Mick Keogh…

Competition JREC Policy webinar