Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF), Media Release, 10 October 2025

The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) has welcomed the release of the Queensland Government’s Energy Roadmap, which provides greater certainty for farmers, landholders and rural communities as Queensland further develops its energy system.

The Roadmap reflects a pragmatic approach, focused on leveraging state-owned assets, extending coal operations, investing in gas and renewables, and establishing frameworks for private sector investment. The plan aims to ensure affordable, reliable, and sustainable power for Queenslanders while supporting jobs, regional development, and a responsible energy transition.

QFF CEO Jo Sheppard said energy remains a significant input for farming enterprises.

“Farmers and rural communities need confidence that the state’s energy strategy will deliver affordable, reliable energy while supporting agricultural productivity and protecting rural livelihoods,” Ms Sheppard said.

“Queensland has a natural advantage with an abundance of wind and sun along with significant coal and gas resources. Harnessing these resources makes sense, but it must be done with careful planning, transparent communication and meaningful consultation with local communities.”

The Roadmap outlines a balanced, realistic path forward, extending coal and gas use as needed, accelerating renewables and storage, and fostering private investment. It aims to provide affordable, reliable and sustainable power, support for landholders and regional communities whilst ensuring Queensland leads its own energy transition.

“Farmers continue to be interested in peer-to-peer trading and a range of distributed energy opportunities to strengthen and enhance the way in which they meet their future energy requirements and as an economic driver for their enterprises and their local communities.”

“It was good to hear the Treasurer acknowledge that there is further work to be mapped out in relation to demand-side management, virtual power plants, tariff reform and biofuel opportunities,” she said.

QFF welcomes the commitment to finalising a developer code of conduct and continues to advocate for landholder support to assist farmers in making informed decisions when it comes to their future energy needs.

QFF has developed resources such as the Queensland Renewable Energy Landholder Toolkit and is partnering with RELA, Australia’s first landholder-aligned renewable energy platform, to ensure farmers have the independent advice they need when considering renewable energy projects on their land.

“We need a common-sense approach that leverages opportunities, manages risks, and provides certainty for all sectors. Agriculture is a key pillar of Queensland’s economy and a vital contributor to food security, and it must have a strong voice in the energy conversation,” Ms Sheppard said.

Dan Galligan, CEO of QFF member CANEGROWERS, said Queensland’s sugar industry already plays an important role in sustainable energy generation and urged the government to make the most of that capacity through supportive policy and investment.

“From the Far North’s high country to the Gold Coast’s glitter strip, sugar mills along Queensland’s coastline already produce green electricity from sugarcane fibre – enough to power their own operations and supply around 200,000 homes each year,” Mr Galligan said.

“With the right investment and policy settings, this generation could be expanded to operate beyond the crushing season and to supply even more Queensland homes and businesses, maximising the value of existing co-generation assets.”

“Clear frameworks that allow growers, particularly irrigators, to purchase power directly from mills through micro-grids would also help keep farms productive and strengthen regional energy resilience.”
 
QFF will continue to work with its peak body members, government and industry stakeholders to advocate for policies that support sustainable land use, protect farm productivity, and ensure agriculture and regional communities are positioned to benefit from the state’s energy future.

For more information about QFF’s advocacy priorities in energy and land use planning, visit: www.qff.org.au.