Australia’s dairy farmer representative body has raised serious concerns about national agricultural policy capability, with Tuesday’s Federal Budget continuing to hollow out the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s (DAFF) resources.
Australian Dairy Farmers (ADF) says a strong agricultural department is critical not only for biosecurity and trade access, but also for ensuring practical agricultural knowledge informs broader economic, climate, water and industry policy.
ADF President Ben Bennett said recent fuel and fertiliser disruptions driven by global conflict highlighted the importance of maintaining strong agricultural policy capability within DAFF.
“During this period of international instability, agriculture is one of the first sectors exposed through fuel availability, fertiliser supply and freight disruption,” Mr Bennett said.
“The work undertaken by DAFF and agricultural policy specialists has been critical in helping government understand the real impacts on food production, regional economies and national supply chains.”
ADF has serious concerns about the continued hollowing out of agricultural policy capability and support within government, warning the 2026–27 Federal Budget continues a long-term trend of hollowing out DAFF and weakening agriculture’s influence in national economic and policy decisions.
The Budget includes an Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio “reprioritisation”, delivering $191.6 million in savings over five years.
The savings include:
- $104.6 million removed from uncommitted grant funding across several agriculture programs, including:
- Pest and Disease Preparedness and Response
- Agriculture and Land Sectors – low emissions future
- Support for Regional Trade Events
- Seaweed farming development
- Various trade-related grant programs; and
- $52 million removed from the Future Drought Fund over four years, with an ongoing reduction of $13 million per year.
Mr Bennett noted an ongoing erosion of the broader policy and industry capability needed to ensure agriculture’s voice is properly represented in central government decision-making, including within Treasury and whole-of-government economic policy.
“The reductions continue a concerning trend of removing agriculture from a seat at the table,” he said.
“At a time when food security, biosecurity, trade disruption and regional resilience should be front and centre, we continue to see agricultural capability and support reduced, consolidated or redirected.
“Additionally, too often, funding originally intended to strengthen agriculture and regional resilience is gradually redirected elsewhere, leaving less direct support reaching farmers and agricultural industries.”
ADF warned ongoing reductions and restructures risk driving experienced agricultural and technical specialists out of government entirely.
“Chipping away at agricultural capability risks losing highly experienced people and institutional knowledge that is incredibly difficult to rebuild,” Mr Bennett said.
“Farmers are increasingly concerned that decisions affecting agriculture are being shaped without enough agricultural expertise.”
ADF said targeted frontline investments should not disguise the broader decline in agricultural policy and program capability occurring across government.
“Australia cannot afford to weaken the institutional capability that underpins one of the country’s most strategically important industries,” Mr Bennett said.
“Food security, regional jobs, export earnings and sovereign manufacturing capability all depend on maintaining a strong and capable agricultural policy system.”