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 on priority farm policy issues, and promotes evidence-based policy solutions that maximise the economic and social wellbeing of our farmers.

Featured Content

Spring 2021: Is agricultural advocacy future-fit?

Published 12 Oct 2021

Is agricultural advocacy fit to manage an increasing array of future challenges? In a landscape where community attitudes influence regulatory change at a faster pace than ever before, and in which disruptive change to business has become the new normal, how well are agricultural advocates positioned to respond and participate?

August 2021 Insights

Published 16 Aug 2021

Sometimes agriculture can be regarded as insular and resistant to learnings from outside industry. Wickedly complex agricultural challenges such as climate change, food security and natural capital degradation intersect with other areas across the economy, and cross-sectoral learning can be transferred for the benefit of all. This Insights newsletter explores…

Finance Innovation Open source Productivity Risk Soil carbon Technology Water

AFI Conference – March 2022

Published 10 Aug 2021

Advocacy is of most importance in times of greatest socio-economic change. There are worrying signs that Australia – and the world – may be on the cusp of such an era of economic upheaval and social shift. Is Australia’s agricultural advocacy up to these challenges?

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.

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 of most importance in times of greatest socio-economic change. There are worrying signs that Australia – and the world – may be on the cusp of such an era of economic upheaval and…

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

Dec

2020

Conservation Agriculture in 2030 Online Conference – December 2020

07-12-2020 10:00 AM - 11-12-2020 05:00 PM

Conservation Agriculture in 2030 Online Conference – 7 to 11 December 2020 – Part 2. Conservation agriculture has transformed the Australian farming sector over the past 50 years by delivering increases in productivity and profitability alongside improvements in soil condition, water efficiency and other environmental gains. Understanding the risks embedded…

Chemicals Conservation Conservation Agriculture

Featured Research

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

AASF: Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework

Published 29 Jun 2021

Developing an Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework (AASF) The first iteration of the AASF has now been developed for stakeholder feedback (see link above – AASF 1st iteration). As the framework contains many levels of information, this interactive PowerPoint (PPT) presentation has been designed to allow users to ‘dive in’ to areas of interest…

Farm Biodiversity Scheme

Published 1 Dec 2020

Early in 2020 the Australian Farm Institute undertook a research project on behalf of the National Farmer’s Federation for Phase 1 of the Australian Farm Biodiversity Certification Scheme, which is a component of the Australian Government’s $34 million Agricultural Stewardship package. This project reviewed best practice management standards and collated extensive feedback…

Biodiversity Sustainability

Topics

Advocacy Agri-food Agribusiness Agriculture Alternate Proteins Alternative Proteins Animal Welfare Autonomous Beef Biodiversity Biosecurity Blockchain Business Certification Chemicals Climate Climate change Communication Competition Conservation Conservation Agriculture Cotton COVID-19 Cropping Dairy Data Digital Digital agriculture Disruption Diversity Drought Economics Energy Environment Events Finance Fisheries Food Food Security Fruit Gas Global Grain Grains Horticulture Infrastructure Innovation Insurance Irrigation JREC Land land use conflict Land-use Leadership Livestock Macroeconomics Marketing Markets MDB Measurement Natural Capital Natural Resource Management NRM Open source P2D Performance Policy Pork Poultry Precision Agriculture Productivity R&D Regenerative agriculture Regional Regionalisation Representation Risk Sheep Social Licence Soil carbon Sugar Sustainability Technology Telecommunications Trade Transport United Kingdom 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