Farm & Agriculture Compliance in Australia: A Complete Checklist for Small Agribusinesses

Running a farm or small agribusiness in Australia means navigating a compliance environment that most business owners outside the sector don't fully appreciate. Beyond the land and the seasons, there are employment laws for seasonal workers, biosecurity obligations that carry serious penalties, chemical use licensing, water licences, WHS duties, and all the ordinary tax and payroll obligations that come with employing people.

This farm compliance checklist brings every major obligation together. It is designed for small to medium agribusinesses — whether you're growing fruit and vegetables, running a livestock operation, or managing a mixed enterprise. Work through it section by section to identify where your gaps are and what to tackle first.

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Part 1: Employment Law — Horticulture and Pastoral Awards

Agriculture has some of the most complex employment arrangements in Australia. Seasonal workers, piece rates, labour hire, working holiday makers, and diverse enterprise types mean there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Getting employment right starts with identifying the correct award.

Identifying the Applicable Award

• [ ] Horticulture Award 2020 — applies to employees engaged in horticulture, including fruit picking, packing, pruning, and related roles. This award allows piece rate arrangements as an alternative to hourly rates
• [ ] Pastoral Award 2020 — applies to employees engaged in grazing, livestock, dairy, and related pastoral activities
• [ ] Where multiple awards could apply, you have confirmed which award covers each role in your operation
• [ ] Labour hire workers engaged through a labour hire company — confirm whether the labour hire company is meeting award obligations on your behalf, and understand that you may still have exposure if they are not

Piece Rates (Horticulture Award)

• [ ] Piece rate arrangements are documented in a written piece rate agreement signed by the employee before work commences
• [ ] The piece rate is set at a level that enables an employee of average competence working at a normal pace to earn at least 15% above the applicable hourly award rate
• [ ] Trials are conducted with a representative sample of employees to verify that the piece rate meets this requirement
• [ ] Records are kept of hours worked and amounts earned under piece rate arrangements — this is essential for audit by the Fair Work Ombudsman
• [ ] Employees on piece rates are not paid less than the applicable minimum weekly rate if they work a full week

Seasonal and Casual Workers

• [ ] All seasonal workers have written employment contracts (even short-term casuals)
• [ ] The casual loading (25% on top of the base rate) is being applied correctly
• [ ] Casual employees are provided with the Casual Employment Information Statement at or before commencement
• [ ] Working holiday makers (417/462 visa holders) are paid correctly — they are entitled to the same award rates as other employees and cannot be paid less because of their visa status
• [ ] You are aware that the Fair Work Act includes protections against exploiting temporary visa holders, with specific provisions and penalties

General Employment Obligations

• [ ] All employees have written employment contracts
• [ ] Fair Work Information Statement provided to every new employee
• [ ] Pay slips issued within one working day of each pay period
• [ ] Employment records retained for seven years
• [ ] Overtime, penalty rates, and allowances (e.g., accommodation allowance, travel allowance) paid as required by the applicable award

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Part 2: Superannuation for Seasonal and Agricultural Workers

Superannuation obligations in agriculture are commonly misunderstood, particularly for seasonal and casual workers.

• [ ] Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions paid at 12% of ordinary time earnings from 1 July 2025
• [ ] Super is payable for all employees regardless of how much they earn — the $450 per month threshold was abolished from 1 July 2022
• [ ] Super is payable for working holiday makers (417/462 visa holders) on the same basis as other employees
• [ ] Piece rate workers: Super is calculated on the gross piece rate earnings, not a notional hourly rate — ensure your payroll system handles this correctly
• [ ] Super contributions are paid on time — from 1 July 2026, super must be paid on payday (payday super). Prepare your systems in advance if you currently pay quarterly
• [ ] Superannuation Guarantee Charge (SGC): If super is paid late or underpaid, the SGC applies. The SGC is not tax-deductible and includes interest and an administration charge on top of the missed super amount — making late payment significantly more expensive than on-time payment

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Part 3: Biosecurity Obligations

Biosecurity is one of the most serious compliance obligations for Australian agricultural businesses. Failures can result in significant penalties under federal and state law, and in severe cases can devastate your operation and the wider industry.

Federal Biosecurity Act 2015

• [ ] You understand the concept of the general biosecurity obligation under the Biosecurity Act 2015 — every person in Australia must take reasonable and practical measures to prevent or minimise biosecurity risks
• [ ] Your property and operation are assessed against the biosecurity risk profile for your commodity and region
• [ ] Procedures are in place for detecting and responding to unusual disease or pest symptoms
• [ ] Biosecurity plans or property management plans are documented and kept current (required under some state programs and by market access conditions)

National Livestock Identification System (NLIS)

• [ ] If you run cattle, sheep, goats, or other livestock covered by the NLIS, all animals are tagged with NLIS-approved devices before leaving your property
• [ ] Movements are recorded in the NLIS database within the required timeframes
• [ ] National Vendor Declarations (NVDs) are completed accurately for all livestock movements
• [ ] NLIS records are maintained for the required period
• [ ] You are registered as a Property Identification Code (PIC) holder with your state agriculture department

Notifiable Disease Reporting

• [ ] You know which diseases are notifiable in your state and territory (lists are published by state agriculture departments and the Australian Chief Veterinary Officer)
• [ ] A process exists for reporting suspicion of a notifiable disease to your state agriculture department immediately — delays in reporting are a compliance breach and can worsen disease spread
• [ ] Staff and contractors know who to contact if they observe unusual symptoms in animals or unusual crop disease presentations

Movement Permits

• [ ] Movement permits are obtained where required by your state for the movement of livestock or high-risk plant material
• [ ] Import and export requirements for moving agricultural produce interstate or internationally are understood and complied with

Invasive Species and Weeds

• [ ] You are aware of declared weeds and invasive animals on your land and are managing them as required by state legislation
• [ ] Obligations under any weed management plan applicable to your property are being met

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Part 4: Agricultural Chemical Use and Licensing

The use of agricultural and veterinary chemicals is regulated at both state and federal level. Non-compliance can create market access issues, residue problems, and direct legal liability.

• [ ] All persons applying agricultural chemicals on your property hold the required state-based accreditation or licence (ChemCert, AQF3 in Agricultural Chemical Use, or equivalent — requirements vary by state)
• [ ] Only products registered under the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994 and the APVMA are being used
• [ ] Chemicals are used strictly according to the product label — off-label use is a separate regulatory category with specific requirements
• [ ] Withholding periods are strictly observed for all produce — supplying produce to market that exceeds the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) is a serious offence and a market access issue
• [ ] Chemical usage records are kept (product name, rate applied, area treated, date, weather conditions, operator) — many market access programs require these records for audit
• [ ] Safe storage requirements are met (bunding, labelling, segregation from food, secure storage)
• [ ] Chemical storage complies with requirements under applicable WHS regulations (Safety Data Sheets accessible, SDS current)
• [ ] Disposal of chemical containers complies with state requirements and the drumMUSTER or ChemClear programs where applicable
• [ ] Veterinary chemical use records kept (for livestock treatments, especially where export or domestic market access is relevant)

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Part 5: Work Health and Safety on the Farm

Agriculture is one of Australia's highest-risk industries for workplace injuries and fatalities. WHS obligations apply to farms just as they do to any other business.

PCBU Duties

• [ ] Your business is a PCBU (person conducting a business or undertaking) with a primary duty under the Work Health and Safety Act (or state equivalent) to ensure the health and safety of workers and others affected by your work
• [ ] A hazard register is in place for your farm's specific risks
• [ ] Workers are consulted on WHS matters

Machinery and Equipment

• [ ] All tractors, harvesters, and farm vehicles have current maintenance records and are regularly inspected
• [ ] Rollover protection structures (ROPS) are fitted to tractors where required — this is a critical life-safety obligation
• [ ] All powered machinery has guarding in place over moving parts
• [ ] Workers operating powered plant hold any required licences (e.g., forklift licence, EWP licence)
• [ ] Pre-start checks are conducted for all machinery before use
• [ ] Machinery that is unfit for use is taken out of service until repaired

Quad Bikes and Farm Vehicles

• [ ] Quad bike (ATV) safety risk assessment has been conducted
• [ ] Operator protection devices (OPDs) are fitted to quad bikes where required — Safe Work Australia guidance and state regulations apply
• [ ] Helmets are worn by all quad bike riders
• [ ] Quad bikes are not carrying passengers unless designed to do so
• [ ] Side-by-side vehicles (SSVs) are used with seatbelts fastened

Chemical Safety

• [ ] Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are accessible for all hazardous chemicals used on the farm
• [ ] Personal protective equipment (PPE) for chemical handling is available and maintained
• [ ] Workers are trained in the safe handling, use, and storage of hazardous chemicals

Young Workers and Children

• [ ] No person under 15 years is operating powered agricultural machinery (WHS regulations and state agriculture legislation prohibit this)
• [ ] Young workers (15–18) are supervised appropriately and not assigned tasks that are prohibited for their age

Workers Compensation

• [ ] Workers compensation insurance is current and covers all employees (including casuals and seasonal workers)
• [ ] Injury management and return-to-work procedures documented
• [ ] Incident register maintained for all injuries, near misses, and dangerous occurrences
• [ ] Notifiable incidents reported to the state WHS regulator immediately

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Part 6: Environmental Obligations

Agricultural businesses face significant environmental compliance obligations — from water use to land clearing to managing runoff. These obligations vary significantly by state and region.

Water Licences

• [ ] Any extraction of water from rivers, streams, groundwater, or other water sources is covered by a current water licence or water access entitlement
• [ ] Water use is within the limits of your licence
• [ ] Water metering obligations are being met (many states require metering and reporting)
• [ ] Licence conditions — including environmental flow requirements — are understood and observed

Land Clearing

• [ ] Any proposed clearing of native vegetation has been assessed against state native vegetation laws before any work commences — clearing without approval can result in significant penalties and mandatory remediation orders
• [ ] Approvals are in place for any clearing that is not exempt under your state's vegetation clearing framework
• [ ] Records of approved clearing activities are kept

Chemical Runoff and Spray Drift

• [ ] Buffer zones around waterways are maintained when applying agricultural chemicals
• [ ] Spray drift risk management practices are in place (wind speed limits, nozzle selection, buffer zones)
• [ ] Irrigation drainage and chemical runoff are managed to prevent contamination of waterways

Environmental Licences and Approvals

• [ ] If your operation has a significant environmental footprint (intensive livestock, feedlot, large-scale irrigation), check whether an environmental protection licence or approval is required in your state
• [ ] Conditions of any existing environment protection licence or approval are being met

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Part 7: Tax, BAS, Payroll, and ATO Obligations

• [ ] ABN is current and ABR details are accurate
• [ ] GST registration is current if your turnover exceeds $75,000 (or if you carry on an enterprise and want to claim GST credits)
• [ ] BAS is lodged on time (monthly or quarterly as registered)
• [ ] PAYG withholding correctly calculated and remitted
• [ ] Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2 is configured in payroll software
• [ ] TPAR: Agricultural businesses that engage contractors may be required to lodge a Taxable Payments Annual Report (TPAR) with the ATO — check current ATO guidance on whether your industry and services are covered
• [ ] Primary producer tax concessions have been reviewed with your tax adviser (income averaging, farm management deposits, primary producer prepayments)
• [ ] Business name and company registration details are current

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How Often Should You Review This Checklist?

Before each season commences: Confirm workers' award classification and piece rate agreements, check chemical registrations and labels, review biosecurity plan, confirm NLIS tags are in stock

At each livestock movement: Complete NVD, record NLIS database update, obtain movement permit if required

Monthly: BAS (if monthly), PAYG

Quarterly: Super contributions (until June 2026), machinery maintenance schedule, water use vs licence entitlement review

Annually: Workers comp premium, award rate updates (1 July), chemical storage audit, environmental licence conditions review, water licence renewal if applicable, TPAR lodgement

When anything changes: New crops, new livestock, new workers, new chemicals, land use change — reassess obligations across all areas

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Complexity Is the Nature of the Business

Small agribusinesses often operate across multiple compliance domains simultaneously — running payroll for seasonal workers, managing biosecurity for livestock, applying chemicals under licence, and extracting water under a licence, all at once. Each domain is managed by a different regulator: the ATO, the Fair Work Ombudsman, the state agriculture department, the EPA, and the WHS regulator.

Most small farms manage this with no dedicated compliance staff. The risks are real: biosecurity breaches can cost the industry billions, Fair Work back-pay claims for underpayment of seasonal workers have made national news, and chemical residue violations can close market access.

Reguladar helps small agribusinesses keep track of every compliance obligation in a single dashboard — with reminders, owner assignment, and the ability to flag what's overdue before it becomes a problem. See also our small business compliance checklist for universal obligations.

Create your free Reguladar account and get your farm compliance dashboard →

This checklist is general information only. Obligations vary significantly by state, territory, commodity, and operation type. Seek professional or legal advice for your specific situation.

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Related articles:

• Employing Working Holiday Makers on Your Farm: What You Need to Know
• Understanding the Horticulture Award: Piece Rates, Casual Loading, and Record-Keeping
• Biosecurity Planning for Small Livestock Operations