The fragility of the supply chain has brought a sharp focus on the effects of global disruptions at a local farmgate level.
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That's according to Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano, who was reflecting on her first 12 months in the role, in particular the effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Ms Germano said in the first year of the pandemic, the VFF had concentrated on telling the public there was enough food and there was no need to panic buy.
"Now what we are looking at is the fragility of the supply chain, what that means for us and how much of that is a tangible, legitimate concern on an individual farm," she said.
She said tightened supplies of AdBlue, a fluid made up of urea and water designed to reduce pollution, was a key example of supply chain issues, which were now at the forefront of farmers' minds.
"We are at a point in time where farmers are very keen to see what's going on around the globe and what impact it is having on their farms," she said.
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Closer to home, Ms Germano said she felt agriculture "was getting to the point where it had been forgotten about by the state government".
She rated land access, such as the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project and riverbank camping, as two of the big issues of 2021.
"There is this notion that agricultural land is vacant, which you can do anything on, and it has been a huge issue and that will always be the bread and butter of what we do as an organisation," she said.
"It led to promises that 'you can go camping on the rivers, there'll be no problem with that'.
"But we have demonstrated, for an industry with a small number of people, we punch well above our weight when it comes about talking about what's important to us."
She said the agricultural sector had survived, while the whole tertiary sector had been "obliterated" during the pandemic.
"We, as an industry, were still able to bring in our workers from the Pacific - not without trouble - but ultimately that showed we are valued and we do need to be valued," she said.
She said it was now important to maintain the focus on agriculture.
"Regional Victoria - particularly agriculture on the back of good livestock and harvest prices - has absolutely held the economy together," she said.
"Without us, Victoria would have been in significant trouble."
She said that would bolster the VFF's budget and state election 'asks' next year.
"Metropolitan Melbourne became less attractive because of lockdowns and we now have a state government that is going to have to pay catch up on infrastructure that underpins lifestyle out in the regions," she said.
"The windfall gains tax is something we see is a massive threat to regional Victoria.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
