Assistance for Farmers..

Improving Farm-gate prices..

Farmers must receive more than 40% of the supermarket prices. Higher returns would make their industry more viable and resilient.
Across a wide range of produce, farmers only get 25 cents for every dollar the consumer pays.
We will legislate that most producers, including Farmers, get at least 50% of the consumer dollar.
We need a Nationalized, highly efficient computer controlled grocery distribution system that can 'home deliver' groceries cheaper than the current supermarket chains. We will seek advice from, and possibly subsidize those companies already providing these services. (Eg. Aussie Farmers Direct)
The new electric "Green Fleet" will allow the unemployed to be part of that distribution system.

General Agricultural Policies..

•  Protect farmers from the brutal tactics of the giant supermarket chains.
•  Provide a Government sponsored "Farmers Market" chain that can double the 'farm-gate price' while lowering the consumer prices. On many items, only 25c of the consumer dollar goes to the farmer. An obscene 75c goes to middle-men!
•  Tariff Protection from the extreme cases of the "unlevel playing field". Countries or multi-nationals using slave labor must not be allowed to price-cut our own farmers into bankruptcy. The argument that our farmers should simply "become more efficient" is too simplistic. The only way that theory works is for Multi-nationals to take over 100 farms and employ massive machinery instead of people.
•  More funding for the CSIRO and other Primary Production research bodies.
•  Funding for education and training for farmers.
•  Ensuring thousands of young people get the opportunity to do 'work experience' on the farm.
•  Rural Australians need adequate educational, medical and telecommunication services.
•  Develop existing water resources and fund research into new water resources.
•  Drought assistance and management.