Celebrating the bagMUSTER® launch – Event recap

Matthew Cossey, CEO of CropLife Australia addressing the launch event audience.

Australia’s first industry-led collection and recycling program for soft plastic agricultural input bags, bagMUSTER®, was officially launched in Ballarat on 6 March 2025, marking a significant step towards sustainability in Australian agriculture. The event brought together key industry leaders, government representatives, and media to celebrate the program’s commencement and its potential to transform agricultural plastic waste management.

Alicia Garden, General Manager of Agsafe outlining future expansion plans.

bagMUSTER is a stewardship initiative of CropLife Australia, delivered by Agsafe in partnership with the Australian Seed Federation (ASF), and is set to provide producers with a free collection and recycling solution for plastic pesticide, seed, and other agricultural product bags. Phase 1 of the national rollout has commenced in Victoria, with collection sites now opening across rural areas, offering producers an accessible and environmentally responsible disposal option.

The event featured opening remarks by Elyse Denman, Director of Media and Communications, Food and Nutrition at CropLife Australia, followed by a keynote address from CropLife Australia CEO, Matthew Cossey, who highlighted the program’s impact.

Alicia Garden, General Manager of Agsafe, emphasised the program’s long-term vision and its expansion plans.

L-R: Alicia Garden, Matthew Cossey, Katherine Delbridge, and Tim March activating a bailer.

Following closing remarks, the official launch moment took place, where key stakeholders, including Matthew Cossey, Alicia Garden, and ASF CEO Katherine Delbridge and President of the ASF Board Tim March, activated a baler—symbolising the start of large-scale bag collection and recycling efforts.

The event concluded with media interviews and networking, reinforcing the industry’s commitment to sustainability and calling for broader support.

As the program expands nationally, CropLife Australia and Agsafe are seeking further government investment to accelerate implementation, ensuring greater environmental and recycling benefits for rural and regional Australia.

Farmers in Western Victoria can now participate by dropping off eligible plastic bags at designated collection sites. For more information on collection sites, participating retailers, or how to get involved, visit the bagMUSTER.org.au.

View the full image gallery from the event here.