Agriculture industry
Last Updated: 23 December 2020
Agri-Business Expansion Initiative
The Australian Government is investing $72.7 million to help Australian agribusinesses expand their export markets in 2021 as part of the Agri-Business Expansion Initiative.
The initiative will provide new one-on-one exporter support services, greater access to market intelligence, and matched grants for government and industry associations to work together on market expansion.
Learn more about the Agri-Business Expansion Initiative.
Business types in this industry
Businesses in the agricultural sector range from small specialist producers and growers to large scale production of crops and livestock.
The agriculture industry includes:
- growers – turf, flowers, vegetables, fruit, nuts, grain and other crops
- growers using indoor or covered growing techniques and technology
- farmers – sheep, cattle, poultry, deer and other livestock
- nurseries
COVID-19 support
Find the latest information about COVID-19 support in your state or territory.
- ACT Government COVID-19 Business and work
- NSW COVID Safe businesses Agriculture
- NT Government COVID-19 coronavirus Business
- QLD Government Approved COVID Safe Industry Plans
- SA Health Information for business and industry - COVID-19
- SA Government Create a COVID-Safe Plan
- Tas Government COVID-19 Safe Workplaces Framework
- Business Victoria COVID Safe business Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector guidance
- WA Government COVID-19 coronavirus: Business and industry recovery
Legislation, standards and initiatives
It’s important that you’re aware of the laws that apply to the agriculture industry.
Open all
button toggle all accordionsKey legislation
Environmental protection legislation
Animal welfare legislation
Water legislation
Farming legislation
Australian Competition & Consumer Commission's (ACCC) guides
Licences and permits
State, territory and local governments manage the licences and permits for the agriculture industry.
The licences and permits you may need include:
- water usage
- clearing vegetation
- disposal of waste
- fire management and safety
- handling livestock and animals
- erecting fencing, property or other structures
- handling, storage and use of chemicals or dangerous substances
Find the licences and permits you need for your business
Search the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS) to find information on the licences you may need.
Taxation
The agriculture industry has specific Goods and services tax (GST) measures. Know your GST obligations and register with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to ensure you can claim your GST credits.
The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment provides additional information about tax offsets, deductions and concessions.
Employing people
If you employ staff , you need to comply with Australia’s national workplace laws specific to the agriculture industry.
Grants
Grants for the agriculture industry are available to support businesses that:
- conduct activities that are innovative
- conduct research and development activities
- need additional assistance due to exceptional circumstances
- engage in sustainable farming, carbon farming or other environmental practices
Specific grants and assistance programs for agriculture businesses include:
- Regional Investment Corporation – provides farm business concessional loans to Australian farm business experiencing financial difficulty.
- Rural Financial Counselling Service – provides free financial counselling to eligible rural businesses experiencing financial hardship.
- Farm Management Deposits Scheme – helps farmers deal with uneven income due to common risks such as natural disasters, climate and market changes.
Levies and charges
Levies and charges are generally used to fund activities that benefit the industry or region as a whole, such as:
- research and development
- marketing and promotion
- plant and animal health programs
- residue testing
Visit the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment website to find out more about levies and whether they apply to your agriculture business.
Workplace health and safety (WHS)
All business have general occupational health and safety regulations, but the agriculture industry also has state-specific WHS requirements, including.
- workplace noise management
- standards for protective clothing and equipment
- standards for occupational safety signage
- manual handling safety standards
- quad bike safety practices
- electrical safety practices
- hay bale safety practices
- animal handling safety practices
- biosecurity measures
Intellectual property
There are Intellectual Property (IP) rights that might be relevant to agriculture businesses such as:
- To protect your inventions - new machinery, new systems or new processes where you may need to get a patent.
- Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBR) will protect new plant varieties and grant you, the plant breeder, exclusive rights to use, sell and distribute the plant and receive royalties.
Government organisations
Open all
button toggle all accordionsFederal government organisations
State and territory government agencies
Government industry research
Further advice and assistance
Check our general business information for additional regulations and obligations relevant to your business.
For further advice and assistance, consider contacting your accountant, solicitor, business adviser or industry association.