Last year, Australian farms surpassed $60 billion in farm gate income and The National Farmers' Federation has a vision to grow this figure to $100 billion by 2030.

The story of agriculture is not just about farmers. Agriculture supports 1.6 million jobs from the city to the bush, in areas like retail, logistics, processing and many more.

The Riverina and southern NSW is considered the food bowl of Australia and in fact a mecca for primary industries and certainly contributes a major portion in terms of agricultural success. 

Diversity is the key here. From dryland winter crops through to the irrigated produce of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area the area truly caters for a big range of rural product.

And educational centres like Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga draw in the increasing number of people who have their heart set on cementing a career in primary industries. 

For those who enjoy the hustle and bustle of the markets the Riverina is home to the Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre which is the largest sheep and lamb selling centre in the world. It is also an influential cattle market too.

Genetic success is something that can’t go unnoticed. The region has been labelled by industry sources as the ‘stud capital’ of the country and for those who want to secure top-quality store lines sales such as the annual Gundagai Weaner auction hold pride of place on the calendar. 

To the south of the region Henty Machinery Field Days is on the map as one of the best outdoor trade shows in the world. The event, each September, draws in up to 70,000 visitors and millions of dollars worth of equipment and agriculture innovation. 

Each producer featured in the gallery of 50 farmers shown here has a story to tell. And it will be one of resilience, perseverance and adaptability. 

Whether livestock is their game, or mixed farming, horticulture, droving, or marketing the success stories run deep. These are the people who put food on the table and market the most exquisite fibres in the world.