AFI Forum
Welcome to the AFI Forum, showcasing what we’re up to now and what we’ve done before.
From the vault:
Published 24 Nov 2020
The AFI has been accelerating positive change by leading the farm policy discussion and promoting policy solutions that maximise the economic and social wellbeing of Australian farmers since 2004. As the policy landscape changes – now more than ever – we are making changes to help us ensure a viable…
Published 1 Aug 2018
The divide has long acted not just as a physical barrier between the thin strip of land to the east and the rest of the country, but also in a figurative sense has been a delineator between the city and the bush. Most of Australia’s agriculture occurs west of the…
Published 1 Jun 2020
This winter edition explores a number of themes in relation to the increasingly difficult environment of policy development in a post-truth era. How is truth established in today’s world, where alternative facts and fake news are blamed by those on every side of every debate for diminishing their ‘truthful’ position?…
Featured content:
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…
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…
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…
Published 4 Apr 2022
At first glance the title of this paper may raise eyebrows, indeed may even be insulting to some. Isn’t Australian agriculture already sustainable? How can family farms be secure for future generations without being sustainable? Sustainability, however, is not a fixed construct. Definitions and drivers of sustainability change over time…
Published 23 Feb 2022
First and foremost, the grains industry must recognise the existential threat posed by climate change to sectoral productivity and profitability as the primary driver for carbon neutrality. Compounding this fundamental threat, a failure to proactively move to net zero targets could see the industry ‘locked out’ of key trading markets…
Published 21 Feb 2022
The environment in which advocacy operates in is anything but stable. Advocacy must progressively adapt to not only remain effective, but thrive in the face of change rather than merely survive. Is Australia’s agricultural advocacy well positioned for the inevitable challenges?
Published 21 Dec 2021
The 2021 John Ralph Essay Competition asked entrants to examine whether ag data should be considered a public good. A ‘public good’ is an asset, resource or service which is non-excludable and non-rivalrous (biodiversity is one example). Would treating ag data as a public good help the sector by fast-tracking…
Published 24 Nov 2021
With COP26 in the rear-view mirror and a looming federal election likely to further inflame climate-focused rhetoric, this edition of Farm Institute Insights takes square aim at the political apathy on climate change leadership in Australia. While industry forges ahead with ambitious sector-specific targets, government ennui not only hinders market…
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…
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?
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…
Published 2 Aug 2021
Soil carbon farming has been promoted as one of the key strategies for offsetting Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions, with the ancillary benefit of improving soil health and farm productivity. This article explains in simple terms the procedures for a farmer to participate in the Australian Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund. It…
Published 21 Jul 2021
There’s no denying that 2020 was a year of extreme disruption by any measure. The COVID-19 pandemic was responsible for tragically high loss of life and the shuttering of countries and economies around the world. In Australia, the agricultural economy was further disrupted by ongoing trade disputes and the imposition…
Published 7 Jun 2021
At the recent Global Food Forum in Sydney, delegates heard agribusiness leaders assert that “sustainability is now mainstream” for the agri-food industry. An increasing number of programs, projects and potential pitfalls are appearing in the ag sector. In this Insights edition, AFI offers a high-level look at some of the…
Published 28 May 2021
Australian agriculture is a sector heavily reliant on trade, with more than 70% of all agricultural production (by value) exported.[1] Due to the very low levels of government assistance received by Australian farmers compared to many global agriculture sectors[2], free trade agreements (FTAs) play a crucial role in navigating export…
Published 13 Apr 2021
‘You can’t manage what you don’t measure’ – the well-used adage that often appears when discussing the need for farm businesses to keep good records. It holds true no matter what scale of farm business may be discussed, and indeed equally for understanding performance of aggregates of businesses or an…
Published 10 Mar 2021
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 disruptors to Australia’s export-reliant agriculture sector. What do we need to know to manage these…
Published 26 Feb 2021
Broadacre irrigation in the southern Murray-Darling Basin is set to change dramatically: is this the creative destruction we want? In discussions about the Basin Plan and re-balancing extractive water rights in favour of environmental needs, one key reform has been consistently underestimated in its significant and permanent effect on irrigation…
Published 24 Feb 2021
Innovation is not a buzzword or a box to check on a business plan; it is a vital component for sustainable economic development. The Australian agriculture sector faces a serious and present threat in climate change, which cannot be addressed by incremental adaptation; innovative responses to this challenge are a…
Published 2 Feb 2021
RESEARCH REPORT: Managing farm-related land use conflict in NSW The Australian Farm Institute estimates $20.3 billion can be added to the gross value of agricultural production through digital technology, while the National Farmers’ Federation has identified it as one of the keys to making agriculture a $100 billion industry by…
Published 17 Dec 2020
Five years ago, the Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper noted ‘a fairer go for farm businesses’ as a priority action area. This year’s AFI John Ralph Essay Competition asked respondents to consider whether current competition measures are delivering that promised ‘fair go’. The submissions covered an intriguing range of ideas and…
Published 14 Dec 2020
From Dec 7-11th 2020, the AFI and the Sydney Institute of Agriculture hosted a series of conversations about the future of conservation ag. The online conference is available as a webinar series of 5 x 2-hour videos (10 hours total) – FREE for AFI members and $49.50 for non-members. (Members…
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…
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…
Published 30 Nov 2020
The Federal Government has announced that part of Australia’s strategy to deal with the economic impacts of COVID-19 will be a ‘gas-led recovery’. However, increasing gas production in Australia creates obstacles to the agriculture sector’s economic viability, social cohesion, environmental stewardship and ability to meet sustainability goals.
Published 29 Nov 2020
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of travelling around NSW, and connecting with others further away via Zoom, to speak to farmers, researchers and other agri-industry people about the future of conservation agriculture in Australia. These conversations have been in preparation for our Conservation Agriculture 2030 online…
Published 26 Nov 2020
The production of dairy products is associated with environmental impacts, and these impacts have resulted in calls within the popular media to reduce dairy consumption for the benefit of the environment (e.g. Carrington, 2018; Eating Better, 2020). Impacts of current production are estimated by environmental footprints; the use of environmental…
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…
Published 27 Aug 2020
“Let the cane fields burn, let the flames rise. Let the politicians and the bankers in the city look up in wonder at the glow in the sky…” – Graeme Connors Although the iconic burning of cane fields is a rarity in most regions today, we may be facing a…
Published 18 Jun 2020
By Teresa Fox and Richard Heath Conservation agriculture will be fundamentally different in 2030 compared to the present day. Farmers must continue to innovate, potentially at higher rates than previously seen, to overcome emerging risks and threats. Are they up for this challenge and will they be operating in a…
Published 10 Jul 2019
Much of the public outrage generated by the Four Corners program ‘Cash Splash’ (which aired on July 8) has been in reaction to the perception of public funds being spent for the sole benefit of large private companies. The program investigated elements of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan (MDBP) and asked…
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