According to the latest forecast from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES), Australia’s agricultural output is anticipated to increase by one per cent, reaching $94.7 billion by 2025-2026, which is close to the national target of $100 billion by 2030.

This is largely to be driven by livestock feeding a growing global demand, with crop values to fall somewhat on the previous year.

However, the tariffs imposed on Australian meat imports has remained at the baseline of 10 per cent.

Meat and Livestock Australia reports that US demand for beef remains robust, with Australian exports rising by 24 per cent compared to the previous year, in spite of the tariffs.

Jochinke said with the 2030 goal within reach, another push was necessary to get Australia over the line.

“We must capitalize on opportunities before us, such as the EU (free trade agreement), to ensure they offer significant market access for Australian agriculture. This can be a strategic step towards value-adding and diversifying markets,” he stated.

He also called for “red and green tape” to be cut.

“If government can back agriculture with the right policy settings, farmers will do the rest.”