This paper describes the current state of Australian agriculture. Key aspects covered include its role in the broader economy, trends in production, exports, the impact of non-tariff measures, biosecurity, agricultural employment, farm incomes, industry structure, climate variability impacts, productivity, the use of natural resource management practices and sequestration on agricultural land.

This report discusses the economic mechanisms by which the hundreds of billions of dollars provided annually in agricultural support contribute to increased emissions, biodiversity loss and soil nutrient imbalances. It also highlights options for alternative support policies and presents real-world examples of improved environmental outcomes stemming from agricultural support removal or reform.

This paper summarises the impact of non-tariff barriers on Australian agriculture. While agricultural tariffs have fallen in the last 30 years, non-tariff barriers have risen. Modelling highlights that these barriers equate to a 19% tariff and a multi-billion dollar burden on Australian agricultural exports, warranting strong efforts to combat their rise.

An overview of the state of Australian agriculture, consolidating key statistics on the sector and its role in the broader economy. The snapshot shares data regarding land use, water consumption, export and employment. It also considers factors influencing the value of agricultural output, such as technological advancement, management practices and commodity prices.

Australia’s forest policy and management is underpinned by legal, institutional and economic frameworks at the national and the state and territory levels. These frameworks provide for reporting to the community on the state of Australia’s forests. This report provides a summary of Australia’s 44 indicators of sustainable forest management.