The plan has been developed by the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association to directly involve the agricultural industry in setting training and skills priorities for employees.

The plan will include the development of a Workforce Development Implementation Reference Panel, to provide advice and feedback on industry training priorities.

TFGA president Wayne Johnston said it was vital to provide an education program focused on the needs of farming businesses, to ensure the sustainability of a successful industry in Tasmania.

‘‘Agriculture is changing at a rate of knots at the moment,’’ he said.

‘‘If you look back at the drones and the robotic dairies and Sense-T and the water, it is changing at a million miles an hour, and if we’re not on the front foot as the dairy industry has been in the last couple of years, then the rest of the agricultural industry is going to be left behind.’’

Honey Tasmania owner and apiarist Tristan Campbell said he welcomed the announcement yesterday.

‘‘I think the upcoming generation of farmers certainly need an extra reason to stay on the land, and extra encouragement,’’ he said.

‘‘I don’t think it’s enough just expecting that they’ll take over the family farm as such.

‘‘The mechanisation of all jobs you can think of – if it’s not already happening, it will happen.

‘‘The general traditional understanding will still have to be there, but there’s also going to have to be that grasp of the technology.’’

Primary Industries Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the plan would help promote different pathways into agriculture.

‘‘It’s vital that we do invest in careers and invest in our young people to encourage them into agriculture,’’ he said. ‘‘Directly, agriculture employs some 6000 or 7000 people.

‘‘In the secondary industry, it is another 6000 or 7000 people, so it’s a significant employer here for Tasmania.’’