FARMERS are urging the re-elected Palaszczuk Government to recognise the importance of agriculture.
AgForce president Grant Maudsley said the government needed to work with Queensland farmers to help take the industry forward, not hold it back.
"Agriculture touches the lives of every Queenslander, through the food we eat, the natural fibres we wear and the economic prosperity we all should enjoy," Mr Maudsley said.
"With global demand for our high-quality food and fibre growing, we need support from the Queensland Government to make the most of new opportunities, not make our jobs even harder.
"Labor's policy to introduce harsh and unnecessary new vegetation management restrictions will shut down sustainable agricultural development opportunities, particularly in the north, and make it difficult for our industry to reach its full potential.
"While we acknowledge Labor now has the numbers to re-introduce and pass its flawed laws, AgForce will continue to stand up for our members and do whatever we can to negotiate improvements to what we believe is fundamentally bad policy for the bush."
Mr Maudsley said while AgForce did not support the Palaszczuk Government's plan to re-introduce flawed vegetation management laws, there were good initiatives in Labor's agriculture policy that could provide benefits if delivered and expanded further.
Labor's policy to introduce harsh and unnecessary new vegetation management restrictions will shut down sustainable agricultural development opportunities.
- Grant Maudsley, AgForce
"Labor's commitment of $5 million over two years for wild dog fencing is a positive that will help build on the good work of previous state and federal government programs, but we believe $5m a year is needed to get the job done once and for all," he said.
"Similarly, AgForce acknowledges Labor's commitment to establish an Agricultural Ministerial Advisory Council, but we would urge the premier to broaden this concept to include ministers from other portfolios such as natural resources, environment, transport and trade, to be more effective.
"Over the next three years, AgForce will be looking to work with the Government, the Opposition and all the crossbenchers to deliver long term, strategic and sustainable policies to advance rural Queensland.
"Because if agriculture thrives, Queensland thrives."
Despite being a $20 billion sector, agriculture has typically be regarded as a junior portfolio by Labor governments.
