National Agriculture Day is held on the third Friday of November every year and is a good opportunity to celebrate an industry that is integral to all of our lives. QFF will be marking this special occasion with a breakfast event showcasing the significant achievements of some of our commodity members to approximately 200 guests representing a wide range of stakeholders, community, industry and government leaders.
Whilst in Australia we are fortunate to enjoy the world’s best food, fibre and foliage, many across the broader community know very little about how incredible our farming sector and how important it is to our nation.
Agriculture is the production of food, fibre, timber and foliage. A more holistic description would include the use of natural resources to produce food, industrial raw materials and energy sources. However, agriculture is more than merely production – it includes the inputs into production, the social and environmental setting of farms and people, and the downstream transport and processing of commodities to prepare them for consumption as food, clothing, building materials and energy.
Traditional agricultural practices have included cropping, the management of pasture for livestock, and market gardening. These practices are evolving to embrace new technologies, operational innovation, different crops and new purposes such as energy and carbon sequestration.
Agriculture underpins the success of our regions as a significant contributor to the economy and an important part of the social fabric of rural communities across the state. The gross value of production is worth more than $23 billion to Queenslanders.
Here in Queensland, our farmers produce approximately 96% of Australia’s sugar cane, 69% of mangoes, 65% of capsicums, 63% of macadamias, 62% of sweetcorn, 60% of avocados, account for 48% the cattle herd, 31% of egg production and 40% of the national cotton crop. The Queensland dairy industry produces over 411 million litres of milk annually and is valued at over $220 million to Queensland’s economy and the total Queensland nursery value chain (production + retail) is worth well over $2 billion to the economy.
Agriculture is an industry all Queenslanders can be proud of. A collective shout out to all farmers across Queensland not just on National Agricultural Day, but every day.