More than 80 farmers have booed Federal Minister for Agriculture, Tony Burke, as he today moved legislation to overhaul wheat marketing and dismantle the single desk.
Sitting in the gallery above the House of Representatives was a delegation of NSW farmers, intent on showing the level of disatisfaction with the changes, which were passed for the final time at lunch time today.
But Mr Burke approved ammendments proposed in the Senate last week, ensuring the Bill was not held up over the parliamentary break when current arrangements would expire anyway.
He said the new arrangements would give all farmers a choice about how to market their own wheat.
"This major economic reform represents the start of a new era in an iconic Australian agricultural industry," Mr Burke said today.
"It delivers on an election commitment and concludes months of detailed consultation on exactly how the new system should work.
"The passing of the Bill gives growers certainty for the current wheat crop, which will be harvested from October.
"We will continue to help growers learn about the new system and publish market data to help them farmers adapt."
But the farmers in the gallery yelled at the Minister, accusing him of selling Australian farmers out to big business and to American farming interests instead.
They yelled "bastards" and "what about the Australian wheatgrower".
The new arrangements will come into force on July 1.