The party’s farm package seeks to combat mounting food production pressures driven by increasing climate variability, with its centrepiece being a proposal of $100 million over four years to build a new Centre for Sustainable Agriculture.

The Greens have also declared plans to scrap the backpacker tax, saying it was introduced without consultation in last year’s budget and has been opposed by farmers throughout Australia. They also want to deliver an additional $75 million for R&D undertaken by agricultural Research and Development Corporations and reverse cuts to extension measures to ensure producers can access research outcomes on-farm.

The policy package also contains an extra $722m for Landcare funding over four years.

The policy excludes a position on animal welfare standards for the livestock industry and if they support Labor’s plans to install an Office of Animal Welfare.

The Green’s package also makes no direct statement or proposals for in-drought policy and support measures for farmers but suggests the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture as an alternative.

“Australia’s agricultural R&D occurs through sector specific organisations but many of the biggest challenges for Australian agriculture impact farms across Australia,” the package states.

“Problems like drought and other climate change impacts, biodiversity, carbon, social issues are not commodity-specific. 

“The Greens will provide $100m from 2016-17 to 2019-20 to establish and staff the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture - this will provide a huge boost to research and development, on key challenges that matter to farmers across Australia.”

The National Farmers Federation will assess and rate the Green’s agricultural election policy and those revealed by the two major parties during the campaign period.