farmer

But Mr Bradshaw said the closure of the current SFI scheme had "slammed shut" the door for funding for thousands of farmers.

There were also concerns that a mandatory E-Verify provision would have significant impacts for farmers.

However, rural campaign groups raised concerns farmers could be forced to sell at knock-down prices and that green spaces could be lost.

Local farmers, environmental groups and citizen scientists would "play a crucial role" in the work, they added.

The reductions would ripple through food supply chains, impacting farmers, grocery stores, and food retailers.