The NFF says biodiversity and agriculture are interdependent and both are pivotal in addressing looming climate change and food security pressures.

But the challenge before the Government is striking the right balance between biodiversity and ensuring that farmers are able to increase food production by the 70 per cent needed by 2050 to feed a projected world population of nine billion people.

NFF president David Crombie said the environmental stewardship program, which is currently in Phase One, has been "overwhelming embraced by farmers over the past two years".

"In fact, under the 2010 Federal Budget, we are calling on the Rudd Government to expand the Environmental Stewardship program to cover all endangered species and ecological systems listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act," Mr Crombie said.

"Farmers are Australia’s frontline in dealing positively and proactively in managing environmental needs.

"Farm-gate environmental management is two-pronged. Firstly, sound natural resource management drives effective and efficient farm techniques, making farming viable and sustainable.

"Increasingly, environmentally-friendly practices are generating long-term profitability, improved drought resistance and making our resources more sustainable.

"Secondly, beyond the business, farmers are often required (by various local, state and federal laws) to lock-up large sections of their properties to preserve native vegetation… essentially having stewardship of those natural resources on behalf of all Australians.

"However, as a consequence, farmers lose the productive capacity of those areas from their properties, while incurring ongoing costs to conserve and protect the land, including pest and weed management and maintaining green corridors for wildlife conservation."

Mr Crombie said farmers need help when taking extra responsibility for environmental management.

"Expanding the Environmental Stewardship program would recognise that farmers have been improving environmental sustainability on-farm and taking greater responsibility for ecological land management – delivering positive outcomes for farms, the community and the environment."