The Australian Greens said today that the decision to axe the Leveraging Australia's Brand for Food Program could undermine important business opportunities for farmers and growers as the international market for clean and green food increases.

"The Government cut the Leveraging Australia's Brand for Food Program in the budget to make a relatively meagre saving of $1.1 million," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on agriculture said today.

The Australian Greens said today that biosecurity operations should not be collapsed into the new Australian Border Force (ABF) as part of Government cost cutting measures.

“Calls from some members of the Government to move away from a stand-along biosecurity body are deeply concerning and could see Australia’s agricultural sector exposed to harmful pests and diseases,” Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens agriculture spokesperson said today.

The Australian Greens have expressed concern over a new report which finds Australia's food regulators are not testing for nanomaterials in food and agricultural chemicals.

"A new Friends of the Earth report, Way Too Little, has found that nanomaterials are used extensively in the food and agriculture industries," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australians Greens agriculture spokesperson said today.

The Australian Greens said today that the Agriculture Minister was trying to downplay cuts to Landcare and natural resource management by spruiking the merits of the Green Army. 

"The government's Green Army regime does not make up for cuts to Landcare and environmental programs. It is an employment program, and a deeply flawed one at that," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens agriculture spokesperson said today.

The Australian Greens said today the Government has broken another promise in cutting funding to Landcare, and have expressed deep concern about the impact of the cuts on NRM efforts.

"In merging Caring for our Country and Landcare to create a single National Landcare Programme, the Government has ripped $483.8 million over five years out of the system. This is a slap in the face for Landcare," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on agriculture said today.

The Australian Greens are dismayed that National Landcare program has been targeted for a 50% cut in the Commission of Audit report.

"A 50% cut in funding will put important Landcare, natural resource management, environmental programs and jobs at risk and comes as the movement celebrates the 25th anniversary of Landcare " Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens agriculture spokesperson said today.

The Australian Greens have expressed concerns over the government's plans to alter the registration process for some agricultural and veterinary chemicals, undermining efforts to eliminate potentially hazardous materials.

"It is very concerning that the Agriculture Minister is seeking to wind back reforms on chemical registration and remove important checks and balances from our chemical regulation regimes," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens agriculture spokesperson said today.

The Australian Greens said today that new research linking increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere to a depletion of the nutritional value of vital crops like wheat, corn and rice shows the dangers facing our agriculture sector and the need to invest in research.

"Research in Nature Climate Change has shown that in addition to climate change threatening our ability to grow crops in the future, it is also linked to a drop in the quality of those crops," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens agriculture spokesperson said today.

At a community meeting in Geraldton tonight, the Australian Greens will launch their policy to stand by Western Australian farmers protecting their land and water from shale gas mining.

"Rural Western Australian communities are facing an onslaught of shale gas expansion that threatens to ruin valuable agricultural land and water supplies," Western Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said.

"Tony Abbott and Colin Barnett are bending over backwards for the big mining companies and leaving farmers stranded to fight a David and Goliath battle without any legal footing.