There are many ways to describe agriculture in Australia.

One way to describe agriculture is economically.  We can see that Australia’s agricultural sector accounts for about 3 or 4% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).  However, that looks only at the value of the actual agricultural products as they come off the farm.  When we add in all of the related industries, agriculture is about 12% of Australia’s GDP.  Australian agriculture produces 93% of what Australians eat but still exports 60% of what it produces.

Another way to describe agriculture is in terms of what is produced.  The three main products of Australia are beef, wheat, and dairy products.  Australian agriculture also produces a great deal of wool, lamb, sugar, and wine.

A third way to describe Australian agriculture is in terms of the challenges it faces.  Much of Australia’s agriculture requires irrigation but a great deal also relies on rainfall.  Climate change appears to be threatening to alter Australia’s climate, reducing precipitation.  If this continues, it will be a serious threat to Australian agriculture.