Farming workforce at 'crisis levels'

Farmers say Australia's agricultural workforce is in crisis, placing the nation's economic growth at risk.

New data reveals the number of people working in the agriculture sector has declined by almost 100,000 to 330,000 since 2002, with 70,000 workers walking away from agriculture in 2002-03.

Areas hardest hit include farm hands, livestock farmers, shearers and heavy farm equipment operators, according to new data from the National Farmers' Federation (NFF).

The long-running drought has been a significant factor but so too has the stifling of regional development and a lack of incentives for training.

The federation says the "crisis" has already impacted on farm production.

Recent rains in northern NSW and south-east Queensland have created new planting opportunities but farmers cannot take full advantage of the rains, says NFF's workplace relations manager, Denita Wawn.

"People will not be able to plant optimum levels because they are concerned about lack of labour for harvest," she said.

"Particularly areas where they are coming out of drought, where they have had some rain, there are some huge opportunities to get some cash-flow in.

"About 70 per cent of Australia's produce is exported. We can't maximise our trade export opportunities if we don't have sufficient labour.

"That is a significant concern."

The federation is also concerned the shortfalls will have dire long-term effects on regional communities.