The first National Climate Risk Assessment has identified risks across society and environment including agriculture.

The report rates the current risk to primary industries and food as moderate to high which is expected to lift to high to very high by 2050. Livestock farmers are facing significant challenges due to changes in temperatures and rainfall with heat stress expected and hot spells could reduce productivity and affect animal welfare. Feed availability is also impacted with significant rainfall variability and extreme heat potentially reducing soil moisture and crop yields. In southwest and southern Australia, changes to rainfall patterns and higher evaporation rates are expected to lead to lower soil moisture, reducing crop productivity.