The broadacre sector encompasses large-scale, extensive farming operations that often rely on advanced machinery and technology to grow and harvest crops.

In Australia, the sector primarily produces cereal grains, canola and legumes. Broadacre farming is a significant part of the country's agricultural industry and a major contributor to agricultural export revenue. In 2021–2022, broadacre crops contributed 34% ($31.1B) of Australia’s total gross agriculture value, with 73% of grain exported.

Broadacre farming faces several challenges to its productivity and profitability. These include the effects of extreme weather and climate change, limited resources (including the quantity and quality of available water), and disease management. If microbial diseases spread in large farms, they can reduce the quality and quantity of crop yields.

Although the application of antimicrobials such as fungicides can prevent and treat plant diseases, it can also result in the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – making pathogens even more difficult and costly to manage. AMR microbes can enter and exit broadacre farms through many routes, such as contaminated plant stock, fertilisers, soil, irrigation water, organic waste, wildlife, and even farm workers and equipment.

The sector has a key role in managing and mitigating AMR to maintain healthy and productive operations. Recent initiatives include collaborative projects to control blackleg, a fungal disease affecting Australian canola crops, by improving AMR monitoring, cultivar selection and fungicide use.