In the week since my last column - where I urged the government to reject a dud deal with the European Union - we have seen Trade Minister Don Farrell walk away from the bargaining table and a free trade agreement that would have hurt farmers and agricultural communities for decades.
I want to thank the Government for this important move, which would not have been popular with other parts of the business community, but which was critical for farmers.
We note this has not been a complete victory, because we still want to see a free trade deal with Europe, but it must be fair and offer the sort of market access required to make it worth our while.
However, there are some other critical issues afoot for agriculture, and we need your support. Our entire industry has joined forces, calling on the Federal Government to 'Keep Farmers Farming'.
Farming has always been hard, but with perseverance and innovation our nation has always been able to feed and clothe itself.
But since the Albanese Government came to power last year, we have seen decisions made in Canberra that have made it harder and harder to be a farmer, and there are real concerns that the cumulative effect of these decisions will literally take food off the table if we don't do something about it.
Whether it's the politically driven water buybacks in the Murray Darling Basin, or reams of red and green tape making it harder to employ workers and produce food and fibre, or simply racing to cover paddocks in solar panels and wind turbines, this government is effectively taking away the water, land, and workers we need to grow the food and fibre that sustains us.
I am asking readers of The Land to sign an open letter to the Prime Minister, and to share the Keep Farmers Farming campaign far and wide to everyone who values Aussie grown.
Help us protect Aussie farms by heading to keepfarmersfarming.org.au - I've signed up, will you?
- Xavier Martin, NSW Farmers president
