There are billions of reasons to celebrate Aussie agriculture

The rest of the world acknowledges National Agriculture Day on November 20, but Australia gets in early to make a song and dance about it today, on the 19th.

There are many reasons why we can celebrate Australian agriculture but here are six of the best.

Australian farmers enjoy price premiums due to our reputation as producers of high-quality products. We're a nation of 26 million people, and we produce enough food for 80 million. We use this fact to trade and feed the world. To get a foot in the door, we have to compete.

Our farmers rely on being part of a global community and maintaining our reputation for premium produce is the future of the sector's success. Through 15 free-trade agreements with 26 countries, the Australian agriculture industry has been given access to a wide range of export markets. Meanwhile, our Australian ag counsellors continue their work in posts overseas showcasing and creating greater opportunities for our growers back home.

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences has forecast that the gross value of farm production will rise to a record $73 billion in 2021-22, building on a record of $68 billion in 2020-21. If realised, this will be the first time ever that agriculture has surpassed the $70 billion mark.

That's 73 billion reasons to be thankful for our farmers. The pandemic has hit every economy hard but our industry has carried on and is leading our economic comeback.

There is a lot of talk about net zero and the role agriculture can play, but the reality is Australian farmers have done the heavy lifting. Not just to help us to meet our international commitments, but because they know that their profit and loss is tied to the health of their land.

Australia is the first country in the world that can measure biodiversity and will be rewarding its farmers, not just for carbon abatement, but for being stewards of the land. We won't be locking up agricultural land by doing this. We will also soon be putting a brand on our commodities that will highlight that they have been produced by our world-leading farmers who are "biodiversity friendly", making our produce even more desirable to markets overseas. This is intellectual property this country owns, and the rest of the world now wants.

While the world is focused on reducing emissions, our farmers have been well ahead of the game. Between 2005 and 2018, Australia reduced its methane emissions faster than all of the world's top 20 methane emitters, other than the European Union.

Looking after Australia's world-class biosecurity system is constant work, and the industry's focus is firmly on keeping our enviable status as a pest and disease-free nation is a priority.

We take this extremely seriously, and it is supported by over $1 billion from the federal government to ensure we have the best controls, tools, processes and networks in place.

A breach could cripple an industry almost overnight, and committing a biosecurity offence means you could cop a severe penalty including jail time. Our strong biosecurity system is the only thing that stands between the pests and diseases threatening our borders, and a productive, sustainable farm sector.

Women have always been integral to working on the land, and they continue to be at the forefront of ingenuity and innovation throughout the sector.

Women's representation across agriculture portfolio boards has increased from 38 per cent to 50 per cent since 2017. On these boards, women hold 39 per cent of chair or deputy chair positions.

The sector provides endless pathways for all, including into non-traditional and emerging tech-based and flexible employment opportunities such as agri-tech.

Australia's agriculture industry has a strong tradition of developing and adopting innovative solutions to new challenges. Since our farmers first tilled the soil, Australia's unique climate has forced them to innovate, adapt and adopt new technologies - and they haven't stopped.

Investment in the adoption of innovative techniques and technology helps to drive down input costs and increases outputs. This gives the industry the confidence to set and work towards the goal of being a $100 billion industry by 2030.

Eight innovation hubs are set up across the country to work with our growers and their communities to not only strengthen their resilience in the face of ever present challenges, but to harness the learnings of others and create more opportunities to grow even further. The hubs have a presence in over 40 locations across Australia.