Last night, on Tuesday 25 March, the Federal Government released its 2025/26 Federal Budget – its last before an election, to be called any day.

With the cost-of-living crisis still the dominant political issue, this was a budget with one eye fixed on that contest, and the other on providing some relief to struggling Australian households.

The budget was framed as ‘Building Australia’s Future’. For the Australian vegetable industry – where many growers are contemplating their own futures, and one in three are considering walking away – there were some positive signals, despite an absence of large-scale, visionary commitments.

Last November, AUSVEG released its 2025 Federal Election Priorities, outlining a clear blueprint of 21 actionable commitments needed to ensure the growers in our industry that supply 98 percent of the fresh vegetables bought and consumed in this country can remain viable into the future.

Last night’s budget largely focussed on re-committing to previously announced measures – allocating $3.5 million over two years towards the development of a national food security strategy, as well as last week’s announcement of $2.9 million in funding for the fresh produce sector to build capacity around retail negotiation.

The announcement of $23.8 million over three years from 2025–26 to sponsor agricultural trade events was also a promising development, which may provide opportunities to secure funding over successive years to encourage grower participation and attendance at Hort Connections.

Given this was a budget delivered just weeks out from a federal election, further big-ticket announcements that could assist in securing the future of Australia’s critical vegetable industry may be kept for the upcoming campaign. This will provide industry with an important forum to continue pushing for the key changes growers want and need.

Under the four pillars of Secure supply, Skills and workforce stability, Structural supports for business, and Sustainable future, AUSVEG will keep pressing for the key commitments outlined in our election priorities.

These include a $125 million, five-year investment in a behaviour campaign to boost vegetable consumption by one serve per-person, per-day by 2030, alongside initiatives to shore-up national food security, address major skills and workforce shortages and promote business investment and opportunities.

Below provides a summary of relevant extracts from last night’s budget papers.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Agricultural Priorities

The Government will provide $45.2 million over three years from 2025–26 to support priorities in the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio. Funding includes:

• $23.8 million over three years from 2025–26 to sponsor agricultural trade events
• $11.0 million in 2025–26 to continue efforts to reduce the economic and environmental burden of established feral animals, pests and weeds
• $6.8 million in 2025–26 for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to sustain non‑regulatory agricultural export and trade functions, including international engagement in multilateral forums and technical market access services
• $3.5 million over two years from 2025–26 to develop a National Food Security Strategy.

Treasury
Treasury Portfolio – additional resourcing

The Government will provide $219.2 million over four years from 2025–26 to support the delivery of Government priorities in the Treasury portfolio, including:

• $2.9 million over three years from 2025–26 to assist fresh produce suppliers to understand and enforce their rights under the Food and Grocery Code to achieve more favourable commercial outcomes when negotiating with large grocery businesses.

Prime Minister and Cabinet
Buy Australian Campaign

The Government will provide $20.0 million in 2025–26 to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for initiatives to encourage consumers to buy Australian‑made products.

Find out more

• The full budget papers can be accessed here.

If you would like to discuss this or any other issues relating to the advocacy work that AUSVEG undertakes, please contact AUSVEG General Manager – Public Affairs and Communications, Lucy Gregg on 03 9882 0277, or via email at publicaffairs@ausveg.com.au.