Australian farmers are some of the most innovative, hard working and resilient food producers in the world. It's no 9 to 5 job. They get in and get the job done working outdoors and indoors. On everything from micro farms to large-scale production enterprises.
What’s driving them is to achieve the best quality and highest yield they can grow, breed and nurture. Whether it grows from the ground or walks around on it. Take a look below at who they are and how they contribute to our nation's food production.
There are around 85,681farm businesses in Australia.
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Each farmer feeds around 150 Australians and 450 people overseas every year.
Almost 93% of Australia’s daily domestic food is supplied by Aussie farmers.
99% of farm businesses are Australian owned.
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Over 304,200 people were employed in Australian agriculture in 2016-2017.
69% of farmers are men.
Only 31% of them are women.
The average age of an Aussie farmer is 53.
Just 13% of farmers are under 35 years old.
By 2020, Gen Y will make up 42% of the farming workforce.
In 2016-2017 Australian farms' gross value production was $60 billion.
Aussie farmers contributed 3% to the national GDP.
And 77% of what they grew was exported.
This earned Australia $44.8 billion in export revenue.
Queensland has the highest production value of any state or territory.
Sources:
2017 Dept. of Agriculture and Water Resources
2017 Food, Fibre & Forestry Facts National Farmers Federation
2012-2013 Australian Food Statistics
2015-2016 Agricultural Census ABS