Local MP Fiona Phillips has welcomed the announcement of an inquiry into Australia’s agriculture industry.

The House Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources has announced it will conduct an inquiry into growing Australian agriculture to $100 billion by 2030.

Coming from a dairy farming family, Mrs Phillips is passionate about increasing local agricultural production and increasing protections for the industry to ensure it is sustainable for the future.

The Gilmore MP is eager to see the committee come to Gilmore to hear from local farmers on ways to improve market access and increase the efficiency, sustainability and productivity of local farms.

“I am pleased to be able to represent NSW and Gilmore as a member of this committee and I want to ensure that the views of our local farmers are properly represented during this process,” Mrs Phillips said.

Australia’s agricultural industry generates about $60 billion annually for our economy.

“We know that with the right support to fix the real barriers farmers are facing every day, the South Coast can be a major contributor to growing our agricultural industry to $100 billion by 2030.”

“During the election campaign, I fought hard to make sure that our farmers were front and centre, with a policy for a minimum farm-gate milk price for dairy farmers under a Shorten Labor Government. I still believe we can do more to help our farmers and I will continue to advocate on their behalf as a member of this important committee,”

“There is so much the committee can learn from farmer’s lived experience here on the South Coast and I strongly encourage all our local farmers to have their say by making submissions to this inquiry,” the Member for Gilmore said.

The committee is accepting submissions to the inquiry until Monday 14 October 2019.

Further information on making submissions is available here.