Stand with the land this National Agriculture Day and the land will stand with you

I saw some interesting statistics recently from the Regional Australia Institute on population growth in Australia’s regions. They send an important message on our annual National Agriculture Day on November 21, which this year carries the theme ‘Stand with the Land’. The stats show regional, rural, and remote Australia's population is nearing 10 million, with an increase of 1.3% between 2023 and 2024. And although the number of people moving from our capitals fell by 19.3% in the June 2025 quarter, those moving from the cities still outnumbered those leaving the regions by 26%, and the March 2025 quarter recorded a net migration to rural and regional areas that was 40% higher than pre-COVID levels. 

The message is, our regions are important and ongoing investment in these areas, and policies that help with their growth and resilience, are critical for all of us, regardless of our postcode.  Investing in these communities yields returns through improved economic performance, better infrastructure and services, and enhanced community and environmental outcomes. As a business that works in and around our regions every day, we know this to be true and see the difference it can make to a country community’s outlook and overall wellbeing. It also generates the potential for that financial investment to return far beyond the initial outlay.

Seftons has the great pleasure and privilege to work across the likes of health, education, infrastructure and agriculture projects and initiatives that are helping boost regional economies and enhance the liveability of rural and regional towns and cities. A strong agriculture sector is important for the future of our regions, but there’s many other industries on which that future relies. The likes of healthcare and retail are bigger employers than ag outside our capitals, and provide the goods and services that make it possible for people to live in these communities. Education, government, tourism, transport and logistics are other significant employers.

Through our work with many of these sectors, we see the impact that positive policy decisions and resource commitments make. While helping maintain existing industries, these investments can also stimulate new business ventures, create new jobs and housing opportunities, foster innovation and provide improved health, education, transport and community infrastructure. When communities can achieve the right balance between these, the prospects for attracting new residents, and maintaining the existing population increases.

It's exciting to see the enormous opportunities and prospects that exist outside our metropolitan centres. For agriculture, that goal to become a $100 billion industry by 2030 is tantalisingly close as our farmers embrace new technology and innovation that’s fuelling increasing productivity and efficiency. The rural and regional communities that help support this diverse sector are also seeing ongoing growth and working hard to attract new opportunities to help sustain them into the future. And when country communities prosper, we are all better off – our economy is more buoyant and our nation’s social fabric, and identity, further enriched.

In celebrating this year’s National Ag Day, remember, that when you stand with the land, it stands with you, and the dividends delivered go far beyond the paddock.