Australian Agricultural Sovereignty and Fair Trade Act 2026
Seeking Farmer Review & InputExecutive Summary
The Problem
Australian farmers must comply with strict health, safety, biosecurity, labor, and environmental standards. These standards protect consumers and ensure sustainability—but they cost money.
Imported agricultural products often come from countries with lower standards and lower compliance costs. This creates unfair competition: Australian farmers pay to do things right, then get undercut by imports that don't meet the same standards.
Result: Australian farmers are penalized for meeting Australian standards.
The Solution
This bill requires standards equivalence: if you want to sell agricultural products in Australia, meet the same standards Australian farmers must meet.
Key Mechanisms:
- Imports must demonstrate equivalent health, safety, environmental, and labor standards
- Commonwealth procurement prioritizes Australian produce when price/quality comparable
- Mandatory transparency labeling so consumers can make informed choices
- Farmer resilience framework for climate and market shocks
- Export support to help Australian farmers access international markets
What This Bill Deliberately Avoids
- ❌ Does NOT ban imports
- ❌ Does NOT impose blanket tariffs
- ❌ Does NOT regulate intrastate farming practices
- ❌ Does NOT create permanent market protection
- ❌ Does NOT override state agricultural schemes
This is about fair competition, not protectionism.
Key Provisions
1. Standards Equivalence for Imports
Core Requirement: Importers must demonstrate that agricultural products comply with standards substantially equivalent to those Australian producers must meet.
Equivalence Mechanisms:
- Recognized certification bodies
- Bilateral/multilateral equivalence agreements
- Audit and verification processes
Enforcement:
- Pre-import verification
- Random inspections and audits
- Civil penalties for non-compliance
- Temporary import suspension for systemic violations
2. Commonwealth Procurement Priority
Domestic First: Commonwealth-funded food procurement prioritizes Australian produce when quality and price are comparable.
70% Domestic Content Threshold: Minimum Australian content for applicable government contracts.
Applies to:
- Government departments and agencies
- Schools, hospitals, aged care
- Defense, emergency services
- Federally funded programs
Exemptions: Where domestic supply unavailable, seasonal constraints, or emergencies.
3. National Certification and Labelling
Transparency Requirements: Mandatory labeling for agricultural products sold in Australia.
Must Include:
- Country of origin
- Production standards classification
- Certification reference/compliance status
Enforcement: Through existing consumer protection laws (Australian Consumer Law, Corporations Act).
4. Farmer Resilience Framework
Purpose: Support farmers affected by events beyond their control.
Covers:
- Drought and flood events
- Pest and disease outbreaks
- Sudden market/trade disruptions
- Import-driven price suppression
Support Mechanisms:
- Concessional finance
- Targeted grants
- Infrastructure co-investment
- Technical and compliance assistance
5. Export Development and Trade Promotion
Export Support: Help Australian farmers access international markets.
Mechanisms:
- Targeted trade missions
- International marketing initiatives
- Export readiness assistance
National Agri-Quality Mark: Voluntary, regulated certification identifying Australian products meeting verified standards.
6. Market Transparency and Monitoring
Agricultural Market Register: National database tracking imported products, origin, compliance outcomes.
Ongoing Analysis: Identify pricing distortions, standards dumping, supply chain vulnerabilities.
Parliamentary Reporting: Minister must table periodic reports on market conditions and risks to domestic producers.
Constitutional Basis
This bill operates within established Commonwealth powers:
Trade and Commerce Power (s51(i))
Regulation of imports and interstate trade
Corporations Power (s51(xx))
Regulation of trading and financial corporations
External Affairs Power (s51(xxix))
Implementation of international trade obligations
Spending Power
Commonwealth procurement and grants to farmers
Constitutional Safeguards:
- Does not burden interstate trade (applies to imports)
- Does not override state agricultural regulation
- Compatible with international trade obligations
- Proportionate to legitimate objectives
We Need Farmer Input
This draft was written by someone who understands regulatory asymmetry, but farmers know the practical details that make policy work or fail.
Critical Questions for Farmers:
- Which compliance standards are most burdensome and costly?
- Which imported products create the biggest competitive problems?
- Is 70% domestic procurement threshold realistic? Too high? Too low?
- What resilience fund provisions would actually help in practice?
- What export support would make a real difference?
- What unintended consequences are we missing?
- Which crops/products need this protection most urgently?
- How would certification/labeling work in practice?
How to Contribute
💬 Discuss on GitHub (Recommended)
Join the public discussion where farmers, experts, and reviewers are improving this bill collaboratively.
- Comment on specific provisions
- Ask questions
- Suggest changes
- React to others' suggestions (👍 👎 ❤️)
- Most-upvoted suggestions get priority
New to GitHub? See our guide
📧 Email Your Feedback
Prefer email? Send your suggestions, concerns, or complete rewrites.
Email: agriculture@openpolicyaustralia.org
Include:
- Your name (or "anonymous")
- Your background/expertise (optional)
- Specific suggestions
We'll incorporate good contributions and credit you publicly (or anonymously if preferred).
🔀 Propose Detailed Changes
For substantial revisions or alternative approaches.
Go to the legislation repository, edit the bill file directly, and submit as a "Pull Request".
All changes tracked transparently. Community reviews and discusses.
Current Status & Next Steps
Initial Draft Complete
Policy framework and bill structure finalized
Seeking Farmer Review
Current Stage: Need practical input from farmers on implementation
Legal & Constitutional Review
Pending: Verify constitutional defensibility and interaction with existing law
Iterate Based on Feedback
Pending: Multiple revision cycles until consensus reached
Final Version & Publication
Pending: Publish completed bill openly
Offer to Compatible Politicians
Pending: Present to parliamentarians with rural constituencies or agricultural policy focus
Why This Matters
For Farmers
Levels the playing field. You shouldn't be penalized for meeting Australian standards while imports undercut you with inferior compliance.
For Consumers
Transparency and confidence. Know what standards your food meets. Make informed choices.
For Rural Communities
Protects local jobs and strengthens regional economies. Farming isn't just agriculture—it's community infrastructure.
For National Resilience
Food security matters. Domestic production capacity is strategic infrastructure.
Farmers: Your Expertise Matters
Policy should be written by people who understand the problem. That's you.
This bill only works if farmers improve it.