Ag Job Market Shows Resilience in 2024, Despite Slower Growth

The Australian agricultural employment market has shown signs of resilience in 2024, despite a slowdown in permanent job vacancies compared to the high demand seen over the past few years.

According to August 2024 data from the Rural Jobs Index, while advertised vacancies have eased from pandemic-era highs, they remain significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Year-to-date figures from the Rural Jobs Index reveal that average job advertisements in the 8 months from January to August in 2024 are 46% higher than the decade’s average up to 2020. This indicates that while the sector is no longer seeing the frantic levels of hiring experienced from 2021 - 2023, the need for skilled workers remains elevated, reflecting continued demand within the agriculture industry.

Pandemic Boost Wanes, But Demand Stays Strong

While 2024 has seen job advertisements dip below the peaks of recent years, when demand for agricultural workers surged due to a combination of labour shortages, pandemic disruptions, and global supply chain pressures, the market has not dropped to pre-COVID levels. Results reveal the 2024 year-to-date total is still well above pre-pandemic numbers.

State-by-State Job Market Overview

Western Australia and Queensland have been the standout regions in 2024, recording higher-than-average job advertisement numbers, signalling robust hiring activity in those states. These regions have seen strong agricultural production, driven by both large-scale farming operations and high demand for labour in key commodity areas such as grain, cattle, and horticulture.

However, not all states have followed the same trend. Victoria and Tasmania recorded lower-than-average job advertisement numbers for the year so far, suggesting that demand for skilled workers in these regions may have softened, potentially due to shifting commodity prices or more stable employment levels after previous years of expansion.

Historical Job Ad Trends

The data paints a clear picture of how dramatically the agricultural labour market has shifted since the pandemic. In 2021, job ads skyrocketed, and this surge continued in

2022. While the previous 18 months has seen saw a slight cooling, the figures for 2024 are still notably strong when compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Looking Ahead

While hiring demand in agriculture may be stabilising, the need for a skilled workforce is expected to remain steady, especially as the sector adapts to new challenges such as sustainability pressures, technological advances, and changing market demands.

Despite a reduction in the frenzied pace of hiring seen in recent years, the overall outlook for the agricultural job market in 2024 remains positive. With job ads still significantly higher than a decade ago, and favourable growing conditions forecast for the coming year, the sector looks to remain a key employment driver for many parts of the country.

The data highlights a resilient sector, with hiring demand far outpacing historical averages, even if the boom witnessed over the past two years has somewhat cooled.

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Advancing Disability Inclusion in Australian Agriculture

February 11, 2025

In late 2024, Rimfire proudly partnered with Ability Agriculture , an Australian organisation dedicated to increasing employment opportunities and providing support for people with disabilities in the agricultural industry. Like many sectors, agriculture faces challenges in fully integrating people with disabilities into the workforce. While progress is being made, there is still significant work to be done to create more inclusive hiring practices. Supported Employment plays a vital role in fostering workplace inclusion, particularly for individuals with disabilities. Within agriculture, initiatives like those led by Ability Agriculture help break down barriers and create meaningful career pathways. To better understand the current landscape, Rimfire conducted an industry-wide survey on behalf of Ability Agriculture, gathering insights into the prevalence and awareness of Supported Employment and Open Employment opportunities in agribusiness. Key Insights from the Survey The survey received 70 responses from a diverse cross-section of the agricultural sector. The primary production and horticulture sectors made up over 38% of responses, while private unlisted companies accounted for the majority (around 70%). Non-profit organisations represented 15.7% of the total respondents. Disability Representation in Agriculture One of the most revealing findings was the low representation of employees with disabilities in the sector. While nearly a third of companies reported that 1-5% of their workforce identified as having a disability, a significant 61.4% indicated that none of their employees identified as having a disability. When it comes to job roles, there was a clear disparity in inclusion. Technical roles had the highest representation of employees with disabilities (10%), while sales and management roles had none. This highlights the need for more inclusive hiring practices across all levels of agribusiness. Steps Toward Inclusion Despite these challenges, 52% of businesses reported having workplace accommodations in place for employees with disabilities. This demonstrates that many agricultural businesses are actively taking steps toward inclusivity. However, more awareness and resources are needed to expand these efforts industry-wide. Barriers to Hiring People with Disabilities While some progress is evident, 50% of respondents identified challenges in hiring people with disabilities. Addressing these challenges requires industry-wide collaboration , education on inclusive employment practices , and continued investment in workplace accessibility .

Push for Inclusive Hiring

February 11, 2025

Rimfire & Ability Agriculture’s Push for Inclusive Hiring in Agribusiness

Rural Jobs Market Sees Decline Amid Industry Challenges

February 6, 2025

Strong global demand for premium agricultural products drove export growth in 2024. However high input costs, fluctuating commodity prices, and interest rate pressures challenged profitability for many producers. Workforce shortages continued to put a strain on operations in some areas, despite efforts to attract domestic workers and reform visa programs for both seasonal and skilled international labour. Despite this, Rimfire can report that 2024 represented a slowing in demand for workers across agriculture. Annual results from the Rural Jobs Index, a key indicator of employment opportunities in Australian agriculture, revealed the overall number of advertised vacancies was down 18% on the annual figure for 2023.