welcome

to the Tasmanian Farmers & Graziers Association

Agriculture has been Tasmania’s most important industry since settlement.

Today it is the quiet achiever among the group of economic drivers that make Tasmania the special island it is for all who choose to live here. Agriculture is also the stabilising influence in the economy.

Today, 17,000 jobs in Tasmania are related to farm production. That’s about one in six of all jobs.

One-quarter of the state’s land mass is farmed, which means the ratio of arable land to population is the highest in Australia. We have 14 per cent of the nation’s fresh water but less than one per cent of the land and we enjoy Australia’s most usable sunshine, notably in the critical ripening periods of Summer and Autumn.

Those who work within this $1 billion industry require a strong bond and sound representation. These are the strengths of the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA), the state’s peak agricultural body.

The TFGA represents big and small farms. It makes no distinction among farms or farmers. Its role it to provide a single, strong voice to deal with governments at all levels and with other industry bodies. Its prime aim is to ensure that the agricultural base of the state remains competitive and profitable.

The TFGA is committed to promoting the vital contribution the agricultural sector makes to Tasmania’s environmental, social and economic fabric.

Operationally, the TFGA is divided into separate councils that deal with each of the major commodity areas: meat, wool, dairy, vegetables and other agriculture. Those commodity councils meet regularly on a statewide basis. Each has a voice on the board of the TFGA. As well, standing committees deal with cross-commodity issues such as climate change, biosecurity, water and weeds.

Farming is a traditional enterprise that also has to be as modern as tomorrow. In a country with such diverse climatic and geographical challenges as Australia’s, the technology to improve farming practices has to be both up-to-date and evolving. Part of the TFGA’s charter is to keep its members informed, using modern communications.

This website is a part of that.