Bad decision impacting farm economies, writes Geoff Kendell
FARMERS across the Murray-Darling Basin — the lifeblood of Australia’s food and fibre production — are under increasing pressure. 
Government changes have reallocated 3200 gigalitres of irrigation water to environmental flows, much of it unmetered and flowing out to sea, creating dire consequences for regional food production.
The Gannawarra Region alone is losing $1.3 billion annually—and these impacts are expected to worsen. The reduction in water availability for farm use is severely affecting food and fibre production, directly influencing the current cost of living for Australian households. 
As more farmers are forced out of the industry due to ineffective policies, the situation at the supermarket is set to deteriorate compromising the nation’s reliable and safe food supply.
Environmental water flooding is now real and with no on ground mitigation work in sight, it will continue to disrupt rural communities’ livelihoods. 
Water that could be used to secure our future is instead wasted, and the effects on businesses and families are profound. With no immediate action, rural communities continue to shoulder the burden of poor management decisions.
The disappearance of rural services is another blow to farmers. From the closure of bank branches to a lack of medical and dental services, rural Australians are increasingly being forced to travel longer distances on deteriorating roads just to access the basics. 
The loss of vital infrastructure is leaving our agricultural sector more vulnerable to both economic and logistical pressures.
The policies that seem to punish rural Australians are piling up. The government’s decision to end live sheep exports by 2028 will wipe out an industry worth $84 million annually. 
The VNI West Project, which would see a 500 KV transmission line installed across pristine farmland, shows the prioritization of metropolitan interests over rural communities.
Adding insult to injury, primary producers, who are also the Service’s volunteers, now face a staggering increase in the Fire Services Property Levy, with landholders seeing hikes of over 100 per cent some accumulating into the tens of thousands of dollars. 
These are just the latest in a series of decisions that have left rural Australians feeling abandoned.
If politicians are serious about national security and our agricultural future, they need to start prioritizing the needs of rural and regional Australians. It’s time to stop ignoring the crucial role farmers play in feeding our nation.
Geoff Kendell is co-chair of the  Central Murray Environmental Floodplains Group