The bagMUSTER program is led by CropLife Australia in partnership with the Australian Seed Federation.

Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Seed Federation, Katherine Delbridge, said: "Plastic packaging has an important role to play in Australian agriculture by protecting inputs like seed during transport and storage.

"Input industries therefore have an important role to play in ensuring the resulting plastic waste is recycled in an environmentally and socially responsible way."

Matthew Cossey, Chief Executive Officer of CropLife Australia, said: "Our congratulations to Agsafe, who were selected following a competitive selection process.

"As the existing service providers for CropLife's industry stewardship programs drumMUSTER and ChemClear, Agsafe were clearly the front runners, able to demonstrate how their established infrastructure and community relationships could be augmented to effectively deliver bagMUSTER.

"These programs were developed by CropLife more than 30 years ago and Agsafe has run them since that time and has developed expertise second to none in such programs."

Delbridge added: "Our strategic partnership with CropLife to deliver bagMUSTER is critical to supporting our members to meet their obligations in the Australian Packaging Covenant and the broader agricultural sector in its efforts to address the vitally important Recycling and Waste Reduction Act.

"Through bagMUSTER, collected bags will be processed right here in Australia. This will support efforts to boost recycling capability and technology development in Australia.

"Following a program pilot, bagMUSTER will be industry-funded. Companies who import, manufacture and supply bags or import pre-packaged products will contribute on a fee-for-service basis to minimise costs on the farming sector."

For more about bagMUSTER visit www.bagmuster.org.au