National Farmer Survey Reveals Plummeting Confdence Amid Policy Concerns

A recent survey of 1,026 farmers across Australia has revealed a sharp decline in industry confdence, with an increasing number of farmers expressing concerns about the future of family-run farms.

The second National Farmer Priorities Survey, conducted by the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) in partnership with Seftons, highlights growing dissatisfaction with government policies, particularly in areas such as biosecurity, the market power of supermarkets, and federal environment laws.

Despite a strong love for their work and communities, with 89% of farmers affrming “I love what I do” and 78% agreeing that their community is a “great place to live,” overall sentiment towards the future of farming has taken a signifcant hit.

Key Findings from the Survey:

• Biosecurity

Concerns: Topping the list, 94% of farmers voiced concerns about biosecurity, marking a 12.7% increase from last year.

• Market Power of Supermarkets: Close behind, 93.9% of farmers are worried about the infuence of supermarkets and processors, a growing concern compared to previous years.

• Federal Environment Laws: Ranking third, 92.5% of respondents expressed concern over federal environment laws, up more than 10% from 2023.

The survey also highlighted a steep decline in confdence towards the Federal Government’s policy agenda. Confdence ratings across four key sentiment measures dropped by an average of 32% over the past 12 months, with only 10% of farmers believing that the government has a positive plan for the farming sector—a nearly 38% decrease from 2023.

Industry Reaction NFF President David Jochinke described the results as unsurprising, noting the signifcant impact of issues like the live sheep export ban, biosecurity tax, and water buybacks on farmer sentiment.

“Particularly telling are the results around live sheep exports. Despite only 10% of respondents being from WA, this issue was one of the top concerns, demonstrating that bad policy in one sector can put all others on notice,” Jochinke said.

Despite these challenges, the survey also revealed a positive trend: a growing pride in farming, with a signifcant rise in the number of farmers who love their work and communities.

Looking ahead, Jochinke expressed hope that the newly appointed ministerial team, including Julie Collins and Anthony Chisholm, will reassess the Government’s direction and collaborate more effectively with farmers to support the sector.

“Farmers are frustrated and feel unheard, but they are ready to work with the Government to turn things around. With meaningful engagement, we can achieve our shared goal of building Australian agriculture into a $100 billion industry by 2030,” Jochinke added.

Insights from Seftons Robbie Sefton AM, Managing Director of Seftons and co-author of the report, emphasized the stark shift in sentiment compared to just twelve months ago.

“At Seftons, we focus on understanding and communicating the feelings of rural Australians. This data clearly shows that people in farming communities currently feel unheard,” Sefton said.

She called on decisionmakers to take the survey results seriously and to engage more positively with regional Australians.

“I hope these fndings will prompt a more constructive discussion about the needs of regional Australia,” Sefton concluded.

The survey results underscore the urgent need for more supportive and inclusive policies that address the real concerns of Australia’s farming communities, ensuring their voices are heard in shaping the future of agriculture.