New regulations under the Environmental Protection (Great Barrier Reef Protection Measures) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 will require more documentation of agricultural practices and permits for changes to cropping and land use.

While strongly supporting measures to protect water quality in the Reef, AFSA has highlighted the difference in ecological impacts between small-scale, regenerative farms and large industrial producers in the region, calling for greater support and incentives for farmers to adopt regenerative practices which will improve water quality outcomes. The submission also called for scale-appropriate regulations to allow farms to shift to regenerative practices, and avoid barriers to entry or excessive admin burdens for small-scale farmers.

See the full submission here.