By February, rain had started to fall on drought parched Australia. Ongoing, widespread rainfall saw
dams filled, soil moisture replenished and spirits lifted. A record grain harvest is forecast for NSW and the BoM predicts Australia is heading to a La Nina event.
Live export win rights the wrongs
During June, the Federal Court found favour of the Brett Cattle Company in the class action against the Commonwealth resulting from the then Labor government's shut-down of the live cattle trade to Indonesia in 2011. The landmark case
was led by the Australian Farmers Fighting Fund. The Federal Government rightly decided not to appeal the case.
NFF launches plan to Get Australia Growing
In July, in a televised address to the National Press Club, NFF President Fiona Simson launched Get Australia Growing, a plan to see agriculture and the regions lead Australia's COVID-19 recovery. In September, the #BackOnTrack campaign highlighted how the everyday work of our farmers would lead Australia back to prosperity.
Agriculture commits to net carbon zero by 2050 During August, the NFF and our members affirmed support for an economy-wide aspiration of net zero emissions by 2050 with two clear caveats: there must be identifiable and economically viable pathways to net neutrality and any associated legislation must be fair and advantageous to agricultural.
Trade tensions with China
Addressing disruptions to Australia's agricultural trade to China continues to be a focus of the NFF and its members. China accounts for 28pc of all agricultural exports. The recent challenges highlight the need for Australia to reaffirm its commitment to free trade and a rules-based trading system. This week the NFF supported the commencement of WTO action in response to the Chinese Government's anti-dumping and countervailing tariffs on Australian barley.
A note from NFF President Fiona Simson
Agriculture shines in a tough year
"Nothing could have forecast the year that has been for our nation and the world. As I cast my mind back to January, the dire situation for the bush was surreal. Now, 12 months on, as we put an arguably record grain crop in the bin, in many places the landscape and agriculture's fortunes have been completely transformed," writes NFF President Fiona Simson.
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