The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has appointed an expert panel to examine the social impacts of drought, and related government and non-government social support services, on farm families and rural communities as part of the government's national review of drought policy. The expert social panel has released an issues paper, and has called...

This report outlines the Australian government’s broad policy directions for the agriculture, fisheries, forestry and food industries. It identifies the government’s goals, operating in partnership with industry, of creating an environment of opportunity and helping equip individual producers and their industries with the capacity to succeed.

Climate change poses challenges for all sectors of the Australian economy but particularly for those sectors dependent on natural resources such as agriculture. The National Agriculture and Climate Change Action Plan 2006-2009 (the Action Plan) is an agreement by Australian governments to develop a coordinated framework for climate change policy in agriculture to contribute to...

The Australian rangelands occupy approximately three-quarters of the continent. They support diverse communities and businesses and make an important contribution to Australian society. The rangelands are landscapes where land use is dominated by pastoralism - extensive sheep and cattle grazing on native pastures. Rainfall is generally too low or too variable for dryland cropping or...