Innovation, technology and digital connectivity are critical to the future productivity and competitiveness of Australian agriculture. Investment in research and development helps farmers improve productivity, respond to changing conditions and adopt new technologies and practices.
During 2023–24, Australian farmers contributed $573.2 million to agricultural research and development, helping leverage a total investment of approximately $1.3 billion through Australia’s government–industry research partnership system.
The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) works to ensure farmers have access to the research, technology, telecommunications and digital connectivity needed to drive innovation across the sector and support a productive, profitable and sustainable future.
The responsible and strategic application of biotechnology within Australian agriculture can result in significant benefits for Australian farmers
The key to advancing productivity improvements and profitability in agriculture is the generation of new knowledge and technology delivered through R&D.
Telecommunications services, be it phone, mobile or internet, are of vital importance for farmers and rural businesses, and agriculture is a very technologically-savvy industry
New technologies and the improved use of available technologies – such a biotechnology and genetically modified (GM) crops – have assisted Australian farmers achieve efficiency and productivity gains, and have helped ensure Australian agriculture can remain competitive on international markets.
The NFF recognises the potential of biotechnology (including gene technology) as a valuable tool within agricultural production systems. The responsible and strategic application of biotechnology within Australian agriculture can result in significant benefits for Australian farmers, the environment, consumers and the Australian economy as a whole. Australian cotton growers, for example, reduced their use of pesticides by over 90 percent since the introduction of GM technology, due to biotechnology and best management pest practices.
The NFF believes that Australian farmers should have the opportunity to adopt production methods best suited to their business needs – be that GM, conventional, organic or any combination of these methods – and that the production decisions of one farmer should not unreasonably impinge on the ability of another farmer to meet the requirements and expectations of their chosen market.
We support research and development into biotechnology, and believe that consumers, like farmers, should have the right to choose what sort of products they use and consume.
To ensure that all Australians have access to credible, balanced and science-based information to make informed decisions on biotechnology and gene technology, the NFF is a supporting member of the Agricultural Biotechnology Council of Australia (formerly AgriFood Awareness Australia).
The NFF is of the view that relevant agricultural Research& Development (R&D) underpins innovation to produce better quality and more competitively priced food and fibre. The NFF fully supports the current model for rural R&D, co-funded through government contributions and agricultural industry levies.
Continuous productivity improvements are required to maintain the sector’s competitiveness. Key to advancing these improvements in productivity and profitability is the generation of new knowledge and technology delivered through R&D. Such R&D breakthroughs within agricultural production systems and supply chains can subsequently deliver better quality and more competitively priced food and fibre to consumers.
To spur innovation in agriculture, the NFF supports maintaining the broad architecture of the rural research and development corporation model, including government contribution matching industry levies. The NFF supports enabling regulatory settings such as intellectual property protection and access to technologies for private entities wishing to engage in R&D research.
An attractive investment environment for innovative public-private partnership investments is requirec by providing investment and tax incentives. By undertaking a cross-jurisdictional review of agricultural extension services, we can investigate how new research can be rolled out to the agricultural industry in general.
The NFF believes that all rural and regional Australians are entitled to equal access to reliable and affordable telecommunications – and we maintain a constant ‘watching brief’ to ensure that the Australian Government adequately meets the needs of people in country areas.
Telecommunications services, be it phone, mobile or internet, are of vital importance for farmers and rural businesses, and agriculture is a very technologically-savvy industry, yet the use of modern IT in rural Australia has lagged behind due to inadequacies in service and infrastructure.
The NFF is committed to ensuring that farming families, rural businesses and country communities have equal accessibility, reliability, quality and affordability in telecommunications.
The NFF strongly supports the establishment of a standardised, transparent, and consumer-focused approach to mobile coverage mapping, but makes recommendations to ensure maps are as accurate, reliable, and practically useful
The NFF is deeply concerned about the impact of funding and resourcing pressures on the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s (CSIRO’s) capacity to deliver research and development outcomes for
For many farmers and rural communities, poor connectivity means that having no reliable way to reach emergency services or assistance can be an everyday reality. Practical solutions exist that would reduce
The NFF strongly supports the establishment of the UOMO as a foundational reform to modernise Australia’s universal service framework. For Australian farmers, mobile connectivity is not a luxury, it is
The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has welcomed the introduction of the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO) legislation to Federal Parliament, calling it a landmark step toward fixing the communications blackspots
The NFF Horticulture Council is proud to welcome today industry leaders, innovators and growers to the Gatton AgTech Showcase 2025, the final stop of the inaugural National Horticulture Roadshow. Delivered
The Federal Government has released draft legislation for the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO), alongside its long-awaited response to the 2024 Regional Telecommunications Review. National Farmers’ Federation Telecommunications Committee Chair
Potholed roads, inefficient supply chains and growing pressure on regional housing and services remain top concerns for farmers and regional communities heading into the federal election. National Farmers’ Federation President
