Following the announcement that we are headed to the polls on 25 November 2017, the Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) urges those vying for public office and the voting public to remember that a thriving and vibrant agriculture sector is not just good for farmers – it is good for everyone.
With 26,000 farm businesses directly employing over 60,000 Queenslanders, and over 315,000 people throughout the entire food supply chain, agriculture is critical to the fortunes of the state.
QFF President Stuart Armitage said Queensland’s agricultural sector lay at the cornerstone of the state’s economic and social success and must be respected, encouraged and supported to ensure this can continue.
“A vibrant and thriving agricultural sector will only be achieved by addressing the challenges and capitalising on the opportunities in front of us, which requires deliberate and strategic action.
“In the next Parliament, we need a government that will guarantee farmers fair production costs, create and foster an environment that promotes productivity and resilience, and ensure the building blocks and infrastructure that underpin the sector are in place.
“Our sector is the only one that can deliver food security, environmental sustainability and economic opportunity for relatively low risk – a compelling case regardless of your political persuasion”, Mr Armitage said.
QFF has identified 10 policy areas that require urgent action to realise ‘A vibrant and thriving sector providing food, fibre and amenity to all Queenslanders’.
The full QFF Policy Platform and its Summary are available online: https://www.qff.org.au/queensland-election/.
