Once in a lifetime confidence

Confidence.

Buoyed by an incredible commodity cycle, innovation, a meteoritic land market and some good old fashioned rain, our nation's farmers and graziers are investing like seldom seen before.

There are some pockets of pain, including for families that the rain clouds passed over and those who missed the benefit of high market prices after de-stocking.

But, by and large - and at least for broad-scale agriculture - these are amazing times.

The wonderful thing about producers getting a little more for their produce is that they plough it back into their businesses at an incredible proportion.

It is a phenomenal thing by family after family, who believe so strongly in the future of agriculture in this country, in their stewardship and in the vision for their children that they invest at such a rate.

This is not foreign investment or corporate investment.

It is investment largely by families who have been here for a long time and are investing for the long-term - and the long-term benefit of all Australians.

Adding to producer confidence is the recent negotiation of a once-in-a-lifetime market access deal with the UK - a return after 50 years in the wilderness.

The negotiation was a great example of bold government action, coupled with strong industry advocacy.

Many said it couldn't be done. But next generation of Australian farmers will benefit enormously and we are very thankful.

While we have a great example of brave, ambitious policy on the table, why stop there?

Governments have had a long-held desire to develop the north.

Recent northern land sales suggest Australian family farmers and graziers are the ones to back-in to get this done.

These families see the opportunities of scale and a promise of water - and back their management skills to overcome challenges.

Our government needs to support these bold investments - not with a cheque book, but with policies that will see these investments thrive.

Imagine if northern Australian farmers were able to develop even 20 per cent their land, free of vegetation management laws.

Southern producers stand to benefit from a foray into soil carbon, assisting our national carbon accounts, and a simple mechanism opening-up a small amount of development in the north would go some way to leveling the ledger for those who have born the cost to date.

Couple that with letting our producers capture and use their own water.

You don't need to build them dams straight out, but give them the regulatory settings to put a tail pipe in a creek, or allow them to build a dam themselves.

Our northern rivers are largely unallocated, many over 95pc.

The sustainability development goal of the UN is 25pc usage. So, that's a fair bit of water to go around before we even need to look at regulation or pricing.

Times like this don't come too often.

If the government loosens the reins just a little, our producers will drive our economy for all Australians. Just give them their head.

- Josie Angus, beef producer central Queensland