What farmers saw as highlights and challenges in 2020

In a poll conducted by The Land about the challenges and highlights in 2020 and what to expect in 2021, 79 per cent of farmers were concerned about the trade war with China.

And for NSW Farmers' president James Jackson that very issue was a "real threat on the horizon".

"It will mean we need to have a seat at the table in trade negotiations and that agriculture is considered in every trade deal that Australia goes near," Mr Jackson said.

"Trade issues are big, but there is a lot of world that isn't China and we need to have diversity of market place for our product to end up."

While 67pc of farmers said the challenges of 2020 had affected their farming operation, with drought, bushfires, COVID-19 and border closures topping the list, there were still plenty of highlights during the year including much-needed rain and skyrocketing cattle prices.

For Mark Evans from Walgett: "2020 has been a challenging year for most Australians, but fortunately for those of us that live and work in the bush our lives didn't change much, only that we didn't travel very far for a couple of months".

"This year brought a very welcome change from extreme drought," Mr Evans said.

With the federal government's plan to rebuild Australia, Mr Evans said it must include significant spending on water security to "once and for all supply adequate water for" inland Queensland, NSW and Victoria. And stop taking from the same ever dwindling supply."

Neil Barwick who runs a property on the Liverpool Plains echoed Mr Evans sentiments saying it was most fortunate to be a farmer in the year of coronavirus as they were able to run their business near normal.

"Through the gloom of the virus, the highlights were the breaking of the drought in this area, massive wheat yields and huge cattle and sheep prices," Mr Barwick said.

"The biggest disappointments were being unable to socialise."

Of those polled, 61pc were still in drought recovery mode with 24pc needing in the vicinity of 41-60mm of rain right now and 18pc desperate for more than 100mm. And for 42pc it will take two to three years before they are fully recovered from drought, while 36pc say it will take less than two.

"It's not surprising ... pasture runs down and bank accounts run down, soil cover is compromised, there is silting of dams and a huge number of other consequences from drought like this," Mr Jackson said.

Mr Jackson said one the benefits that came out of lockdown was farmer's ability to develop new ways to market produce and shorten the supply chain.

"The challenges supercharged innovation especially when it comes to marketing and feeding into direct delivery models," he said.

Mr Jackson hoped farmers would benefit from a continuation of the season in 2021 as governments "sort out" trade issues.

"We need to get the economy back to an even keel for a number of commodities to thrive," he said.

Meanwhile, Barellan livestock agent Mark Flagg said there had been an insatiable appetite for mixed farming land in the Riverina. "Prices rising to record levels with no signs of slowing down. If we can have another solid year, look out," Mr Flagg said.