Farmers call for own tax zones to boost the agricultural sector Callington farmer Jodie Wegener with sons Austin, 6, and Liam, 4, says the new farming body is extremely important for SA . SPECIAL tax zones are needed to entice people to farming and tax breaks should be introduced to help keep farms in the family, the state's farmers say. In a submission to the Federal Budget, to be handed down on May 14, Primary Producers SA (formerly the South Australian Farmers' Federation) calls for more drought funding, funding for research and development, support for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and incentives to attract and retain young people in regional areas. Renamed Primary Producers SA at a special general meeting in Adelaide yesterday, the body says in its budget submission that agriculture cannot compete with mining industries. "Straight-out taxation incentives are required to encourage selected employment, such as to encourage young people into shearing and other farm work," the submission reads. If the importance of agriculture to the Australian economy is to be maintained, it is necessary to ensure that younger people become involved in farming either as owner-farmers or working in agricultural-related industries. Former premier Rob Kerin will serve as interim chairman of Primary Producers SA Inc. The new body will replace SA Farmers Federation and will help unify the state's 13,000 farmers. Mr Kerin said it would place a high priority on raising the profile of the agricultural sector, the state's largest industry, because its contribution to the state isn't as well understood as it should be. Livestock, grain, dairy, horticulture, wine grape and pork producers will be represented through their individual commodity groups in the new Primary Producers SA. Mr Kerin said the new structure meant the whole industry would be much better funded, mainly through levies from the sale of commodities, and better able to represent the individual industry groups. The final SA Farmers Federation president, Roger Farley, said the outcome was extremely successful for the farming community. Mr Farley said surplus funds available to the new Primary Producers SA should be about $500,000 as seed funding from July 1, after all contracts are honoured and costs and wages paid. Callington farmer Jodie Wegener said a new organisation that helped improve the profile of the farming sector was extremely important for South Australia.