ABARES economists conduct analysis of important issues affecting Australian agriculture, fisheries and forestry with a focus on informing government policy.
We look for the ability to apply economic frameworks to real world situations in a team environment and you don't have to be a specialist in agriculture.
Our economists work across the following analytical streams:
- industry and market analysis
- natural resource economics
- macroeconomics and trade
- farm-level analysis and productivity
- econometric modelling
The work is exciting and challenging, the results influential. Our teams are fun, thorough and inclusive.
Our industry and market analysts are the best in the business when it comes to analysing global and domestic agriculture markets and trends.
They are the engine room behind many of our flagship products including the quarterly forecasts on commodity production and prices, and economic surveys of Commonwealth fisheries.
Our natural resource analysts have their fingers on the pulse of Australia’s fisheries and forestry sectors, informing policy makers and industry through their spatial analysis, natural resource market analysis, forest and land synthesis and reporting, and a suite of fisheries economics work.
The team’s yearly analysis of water markets in the southern Murray Darling Basin is vital to industry decision making.
Our economists who analyse trade provide expert guidance for Commonwealth agencies, industry and trade negotiators through their analysis and insights on tariffs, non-tariff measures, trade barriers, biosecurity market access and trade facilitation.
The trailblazing work of our modelling and productivity analysts is respected across the globe, notably for their insights on the impacts of a changing climate and drought on agricultural production.
A key part of the job is exploring agriculture's role in the economy’s transition to net zero.
They also analyse farmland prices, trends in agricultural research and development, structural change in the farm sector and other big issues affecting agriculture.
Our farm economists work with Australia’s best and longest-running research dataset on farm businesses and households – ABARES farm survey data. They investigate issues of the day, publish statistics used across industry and government and uncover the real drivers of farm performance.
ABARES economists possess a high degree of personal and professional integrity. They demonstrate the ability to challenge issues constructively and to provide data-led policy advice.
Development opportunities
We’re committed to ensuring our economists have a well-rounded perspective. Our staff take part in a range of development and training opportunities including:
- an in-house training program that takes you through the ins and outs of being an agricultural economist
- field trips and industry tours
- strategic writing, data analysis and modelling
- speaker training with industry experts
- seminars on latest research techniques and methodologies
- rotations across key functions or areas of interest within ABARES
- a range of external conferences, seminars and workshops
ABARES is fully supportive of continuing education, and study support is available for relevant courses.
Research outputs
ABARES economists are contributors to a broad range of specialist research outputs focussed on individual industries and issues, including:
- quarterly Australian Crop Report
- quarterly Agricultural Commodities Report
- annual Water Market Outlook
- Trade analysis
- Australian fisheries economic indicators
- Farm performance data and research
Want to become an ABARES economist? Visit the Department’s careers page for current opportunities.