A PANEL of agricultural leaders met in Sydney this week to discuss challenges and opportunities in the rural industry.
The inaugural NSW Farmers Securing the Future of Farming Forum was held before the association's annual conference.
NSW Farmers head of policy and advocacy Annabel Johnson said it was critical to look for innovative ways to grow the sector into the future.
"Australia is clearly a leader in adopting new technology and finding ways to do more with less, and I think we need to push the envelope in really boosting our productivity."
"Not only will that help us combat inflationary pressure in the economy, it will also help us grow a stronger, more sustainable farming sector into the future," she said.
Meanwhile, during the event Andrew Whitelaw from Thomas Elder Markets gave a powerful firsthand account of living through the United Kingdom's foot and mouth outbreak in 2001.
Speaking after the forum Ms Johnson said it's critical we don't let the UK experience happen in Australia.
"I think there's a real desire to see more direct action on FMD," she said.
"All of the good work we do in growing the future of farming will be for naught if we let pests and diseases destroy whole swathes of agriculture."
