On Monday, Deputy Leader of the Nationals Bridget McKenzie (pictured) and Shadow Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Australia Lisa Chesters fronted up to farmers and community members in Shepparton at the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) and Victorian Farmers Federation Rural Issues Forum.
The interactive forum discussed a number of topics important to rural and regional voters, including activists trespassing on farms, energy prices, carbon farming, international market access and the rural research and development corporation model. Throughout these diverse questions, dairy continuously came up as the key local industry enduring tough conditions, yet critical to the prosperity of so many local communities.
Being in Shepparton in northern Victoria, it was also no surprise that many audience members stood to ask questions about water prices, the future of the Murray Darling Basin Plan, and the socio-economic test for environmental water.
Both speakers presented their party's views on growing rural and regional Victorian industries and communities. While there were many initiatives that the speakers claimed would assist in building agriculture into a $100 billion industry by 2030, it is still remains unclear how these initiatives would fully translate onto farms, and make a difference to the farmer's bottom line.
To reach our goal of $100 billion, we need a National Agriculture Strategy. The NFF has already laid out this plan, based on five key pillars; customers and the value chain, growing sustainably, unlocking innovation, people and communities, and capital and risk management.
While both speakers said at the forum that they supported the NFF's plan, neither party has come out with their equivalent document or plan for agriculture.
- David Jochinke, VFF president
