The National Farmer’s Federation is calling on farmers and supporters to join them in a rally to push back against 'anti-farming agendas'.

The rally, being held in Canberra on 10 September – initially called by the ‘Keep the Sheep’ live export campaign – has become an opportunity for the peak farming body to highlight a broader range of farmer concerns.

Other than the ceasing of live export, issues in the spotlight will include:

• calls to scrap the Diesel Fuel Rebate
• proposed new taxes for biosecurity and on superannuation
• calls to scrap the 88 days of specified work for backpackers
• water buybacks in the Murray Darling Basin and protecting the Great Artesian Basin
• unnecessary red tape from Scope 3 emissions reporting
• the community impacts of energy and renewables developments.

Farmer Michael Davis runs 8,000 head of Merino sheep at Merringina near Brewarrina. He said, while he is not going to the rally, he is fully supportive of the cause.

“Where we are located, we don’t send sheep off for live export, although we used to when it was a really big sector,” Mr Davis said.

“Live export is mainly concentrated in Western Australia. I think that banning the live export industry is a knee jerk reaction considering the 0.4 or 0.6 losses on the boats.

“A much larger proportion than that is lost across farms in Australia on an annual basis. Back about 30 years ago in the Western Division, we were losing about 8 per cent of wethers and nine or ten per cent of ewes annually. That adds up to a lot of sheep across Australia compared to what’s lost on the boats."

NFF President David Jochinke (above) said it was important that the industry stood up to its detractors who were increasingly calling the shots in Canberra.

Farmers’ confidence in the Federal Government had collapsed by nearly 40 per cent, a NFF survey found, with less than one in ten farmers saying Canberra was listening to them.

“We’re seeing a growing number of decisions being driven by anti-farming activism, not evidence, and we’re being drowned out by the noisy minority who want to shut us down,” Mr Jochinke said.

“Australian farmers are the best in the world. We consistently deliver the highest quality produce for Aussie families. We want policymakers to work with us to grow more in Australia. Too often it feels like they’re just working with our detractors.”

Mr Davis said that government actions were killing the rural industry and its exports.

“These things will just bring on more unemployment, this government doesn't understand,”” he said. “ We live on the Culgoa River and while water buybacks in the Murray Darling Basin don’t affect us as sheep farmers, it does affect the community we live in.”

“The NFF have my support. The city community thinks food just turns up on their plate. As farmers, we can’t survive without our livestock.”

“The Nationals 100 per cent support our farmers attending the National Farmer Rally outside Canberra Parliament House,” said Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud.

“This Labor Government has decimated our farming and agriculture industry. It has been over 40 years since farmers last felt so aggrieved to protest against a government.

“It’s easy to understand why our farmers are fed up, after being constantly attacked by Labor and its anti-farming policies, from water buybacks to reckless renewables and its senseless phase out of our live sheep export trade.”

Taking concerns to Canberra via a rally was an unusual step for the NFF, Mr Jochinke said.

“We hope it will send a powerful message to decision-makers ahead of the next election that these decisions need to stop," he said.

"We just want a return to common sense. We want policies informed by farmers' lived experience and designed to grow the industry, not diminish it to appease activist agendas.

“Whether you’re a farmer or not, I encourage you to join us to celebrate the positive story of Australian agriculture in the heart of Canberra."

The rally will commence at 11am on 10 September on the Federation Mall, opposite Parliament House. For details visit nff.org.au