Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

What Department of Agriculture and Fisheries does

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, now operating as the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) following a 2023 Queensland machinery-of-government restructure, is a state government department headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, with 1,001–5,000 employees. It is a statutory entity under the Queensland Government that delivers regulatory oversight, scientific research, and direct service programs across four primary industry pillars: agriculture (animal and plant industries, agribusiness support), fisheries (freshwater, marine, aquaculture, and recreational fishing rules), forestry (timber, plantations, industry support), and biosecurity (pest and disease prevention, invasive species, and fire ant control). Its technology footprint is a citizen-facing web and service portal ecosystem (dpi.qld.gov.au and business.qld.gov.au), social media channels, geospatial reporting tools such as the ArcGIS Survey123 locust reporter, and nationally integrated traceability infrastructure including the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) and the Biosecurity Risk-Based Enterprise (RBE) registration system.

The department operates a non-commercial, appropriation-funded business model: it does not sell products or charge subscription pricing (though statutory fees and charges exist for specific regulatory services, per the dpi.qld.gov.au/about/fees schedule). Revenue is received through Queensland state budget allocations rather than commercial contracting. Its customer base is not transactional but rather a Queensland-wide stakeholder constituency: commercial and recreational fishers, aquaculture operators, livestock producers, crop farmers, forestry operators, timber producers, and any individual or business interacting with biosecurity compliance obligations. GTM motion is non-traditional — service delivery, communications campaigns, and stakeholder consultations rather than sales-led acquisition.

Productively, DPI delivers both mandatory regulatory services (NLIS livestock traceability, biosecurity pest/disease reporting, RBE registration, fire ant eradication programs, fisheries licensing) and discretionary strategic initiatives, most notably Prosper 2050 (a long-horizon primary industries strategy) and the Sowing the Seeds of Farming Innovation funding program. The department also runs an in-house science and research division that generates applied agricultural, fisheries, and biosecurity science to underpin policy and on-ground operations.

Name

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Legal name

Department of Primary Industries, Queensland

Website

https://daf.qld.gov.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Department of Primary Industries (formerly Department of Agriculture and Fisheries) is a Queensland state government department providing regulatory oversight, scientific research, and service delivery for the state's agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and biosecurity sectors, funded through state budget appropriations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Agriculture and Biosecurity Services

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Forestry (800), Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAAAO

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Central/Federal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIAMAI

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

SECONDARYBPAIAMAF

Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

SECONDARYBPAIABAL

State/Provincial Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/State/Provincial & Regional Government Administration

Keywords

• Agricultural regulation services
• Biosecurity management services
• Fisheries management services
• Forestry industry support
• Livestock identification systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (now operating as the Department of Primary Industries, Queensland) is a state government department that provides leadership to promote a sustainable and innovative agriculture, fisheries, and forestry sector. It delivers regulatory services, scientific research and development, biosecurity protection, and industry support across animal and plant industries, freshwater and marine fisheries, forestry and plantation management, and invasive species control in Queensland.

Product overview

The Department of Primary Industries Queensland is a government agency providing a unified platform of services for agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and biosecurity. The offering consists of core service divisions (Agriculture, Biosecurity, Fisheries, Forestry, Science and Research) that operate through specific online service tools including the NLIS livestock identification system, biosecurity pest/disease reporting, invasive species management, and locust reporting. Additional initiatives include the Sowing the Seeds of Farming Innovation fund and the Prosper 2050 long-term strategic planning framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agriculture Services Support services for animal and plant industries and agricultural business development across Queensland.
• Biosecurity Services Information and services for preventing and managing biosecurity threats, invasive species, and pest and disease outbreaks in Queensland.
• Fisheries Services Services covering freshwater and marine fishing, aquaculture, fish species and habitats management, and fishing rule enforcement in Queensland.
• Forestry Services Information and services relating to the forestry industry, timber products, and plantation management in Queensland.
• Science and Research Services Scientific research and development services supporting Queensland's agriculture, fisheries, and forestry sectors.
• Report Locusts and Nymphs Online reporting service for members of the public and industry to report locust and nymph sightings to the department.
• Invasive Plants and Weeds Service Information and reporting service for managing invasive plants and weeds in Queensland.
• Report a Biosecurity Pest or Disease Service for reporting biosecurity pests or diseases to Queensland authorities.
• Biosecurity Registration (RBE) Registration system for biosecurity Risk Based Enterprises (RBE) operating in Queensland.
• National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) National system for identifying and tracking livestock across Australia, supporting traceability and biosecurity.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA): Canadian federal agency delivering regulatory inspection across food safety, plant, and animal health. Comparable regulatory authority profile to Queensland DPI's biosecurity and livestock traceability work, particularly NLIS-style traceability.
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): Federal US department covering agriculture, forestry, rural development, and food safety with substantial research arms (e.g., ARS). Overlaps functionally with Queensland DPI across all four domains, though at vastly larger scale and with broader trade and welfare remits.
• Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: Commonwealth-level counterpart overseeing national policy, international trade, and cross-jurisdictional standards across the same four domains. Operates at broader geographic and policy scale, but Queensland DPI is a key delivery partner through NLIS and biosecurity.

Direct peers

• Agriculture Victoria: Victorian state government agency delivering agriculture, fisheries, and biosecurity policy, research and services. Directly comparable in scope (cropping, livestock, fisheries management, AgTech adoption) with the same state-level regulatory authority.
• Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (Primary Industry): Northern Territory division responsible for primary industries, fisheries, and biosecurity. Comparable function though embedded in a broader industry portfolio rather than a standalone department, reflecting NT's smaller scale.
• Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas): Tasmanian state agency integrating primary industries, natural resource management, and biosecurity. Mandate and regulatory scope closely mirror Queensland DPI's four-domain remit, though at smaller scale.
• Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA): South Australian state agency covering primary industries, biosecurity, fisheries, and forestry. Closely comparable mandate, including regulatory enforcement, R&D, and sector development across the same four domains.
• NSW Department of Primary Industries: NSW's equivalent state department overseeing agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and biosecurity. Closest functional peer to Queensland DPI given near-identical mandate structure and shared NLIS integration across state livestock systems.
• Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (WA DPIRD): Western Australian state department with agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and biosecurity responsibilities. Comparable scale and structure to Queensland DPI, including research capacity and regional service delivery.

Regional players

• Ministry for Primary Industries (New Zealand): New Zealand national agency combining agriculture, fisheries, forestry, biosecurity, and food safety under one ministry. Highly comparable consolidated mandate and integrated science/regulatory model, though operating at national rather than state level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInau.linkedin.com/company/department-of-primary-industries
• Xx.com/DAFQld
• Facebookfacebook.com/QldAgriculture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Department of Agriculture and Fisheries