Australian agriculture finds itself in an interesting position this week. 

On one hand, new Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows agriculture was the only industry to record a decline in business numbers during 2025-26. 

On the other, agriculture has the highest four-year business survival rate of any Australian industry.

That contrast says something important about our sector.

Agricultural business numbers fell 0.5 per cent to 170,185 over the past financial year. 

Yet 60.2 per cent of agricultural businesses that entered the sector in 2022-23 were still operating four years later, compared with 49.2 per cent across all industries.

For those of us working with farming families and rural and regional communities, that resilience will come as little surprise. 

Agriculture has always demanded an ability to adapt, manage uncertainty and make decisions with a long-term view.

But resilience should not be mistaken for an absence of pressure.

That was one of the messages I took from this week’s National Farmers’ Federation Leaders’ Summit at Parliament House in Canberra, where Australian agriculture also celebrated a significant milestone: reaching $100-billion in annual farmgate output.

ABARES is forecasting farm production to reach $101.4-billion in 2025-26 – achieving the NFF’s $100-billion target four years ahead of its original 2030 deadline.

It is an achievement worth celebrating. It reflects the innovation, investment and determination of people across agriculture and demonstrates what can happen when industry, government, researchers and businesses work towards a shared ambition. 

But NFF president Hamish McIntyre also made an important distinction: a $100-billion industry does not mean every farm business is profitable.

As he put it: “Productivity without profitability does not keep a family on the land.”

That message particularly resonates with the work we do at Partners in Ag. 

Behind every national production figure are individual businesses, families and communities making decisions about their future. 

Succession, workforce, profitability, leadership and the confidence of the next generation to invest in agriculture matter just as much as the headline value of production.

The Summit’s theme of ‘the national table’ was therefore timely.

Hamish spoke about the kitchen table as the place where farming families discuss cattle and crops, water, finances and their next big idea. But increasingly, what happens around that kitchen table is influenced by decisions being made at many other tables.

Geopolitical instability can affect fuel and fertiliser supplies. Trade decisions can change commodity markets. Energy and housing projects can increase competition for regional workers and infrastructure. 

Policy and regulation developed in Canberra can have very practical consequences in a paddock hundreds or thousands of kilometres away.

Agriculture cannot afford to enter these conversations only after decisions have been made.

The Summit highlighted the importance of agriculture being part of national discussions about food security, energy, infrastructure, housing, trade, technology, biosecurity and sovereign capability from the beginning.

For Partners in Ag, there is another dimension to that conversation: who is sitting at those tables?

Strong agricultural businesses and communities need diverse voices, capable leaders and people who have the confidence and skills to participate in decision-making. 

We need to continue creating opportunities for women, young people, farming families and emerging rural leaders to contribute their knowledge and experience.

The latest business figures tell us agriculture is extraordinarily resilient. The $100-billion milestone tells us what the sector is capable of achieving.

The challenge now is ensuring that growth translates into profitable businesses, thriving regional communities and genuine opportunities for the next generation.

As Australian agriculture considers its next national ambition, perhaps success should be measured not only by how much we produce, but by the strength of the people, businesses and communities behind that production – and whether their voices have a meaningful place at the national table.

The entire August 26, 2026 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!