Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia)

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is a department of the Australian Government that was created on 1 July 2022. It was previously a part of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

Operational activities

In an Administrative Arrangements Order made on 13 May 2025, the functions of the department were broadly classified into the following matters:

• Agricultural, pastoral, fishing, food and forest industries
• Soils and other natural resources
• Rural adjustment and drought issues
• Rural industries inspection and quarantine
• Primary industries research including economic research
• Commodity marketing, including export promotion and agribusiness
• Commodity-specific international organisations and activities
• Administration of international commodity agreements
• Administration of export controls on agricultural, fisheries and forestry industries products
• Food security policy and programmes
• Biosecurity, in relation to animals and plants

History

Preceding departments

• Department of Markets and Migration (16 January 1925 – 19 January 1928)
• Department of Markets (19 January 1928 – 10 December 1928)
• Department of Markets and Transport (10 December 1928 – 21 April 1930)
• Department of Markets (21 April 1930 – 13 April 1932)
• Department of Commerce (13 April 1932 – 22 December 1942)
• Department of Commerce and Agriculture (22 December 1942 – 11 January 1956)
• Department of Primary Industry (11 January 1956 – 2 June 1974)
• Department of Agriculture (12 June 1974 – 22 December 1975)
• Department of Primary Industry (22 December 1975 – 24 July 1987)
• Department of Primary Industries and Energy (24 July 1987 – 21 October 1998)
• Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (21 October 1998 – 18 September 2013)
• Department of Agriculture (18 September 2013 – 21 September 2015)
• Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (21 September 2015 – 29 May 2019)
• Department of Agriculture (29 May 2019 – 1 February 2020)
• Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (1 February 2020 – 30 June 2022)

References