The Australian Department of Agriculture was an Australian Government department in existence between May 2019 and February 2020, which was responsible for developing and implementing policies and programmes that contribute to strengthening Australia's primary industries, delivering better returns for primary producers at the farm gate, protecting Australia from animal and plant pests and diseases, and improving the health of Australia's rivers and freshwater ecosystems. Following the appointment of the Second Morrison Ministry in May 2019, Scott Morrison announced David Littleproud's previous ministerial positions were separated, with Bridget McKenzie as Minister for Agriculture and Littleproud as Minister for Water Resources. The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Daryl Quinlivan, was responsible to the Minister for Agriculture, Bridget McKenzie and Minister for Water Resources, the Hon David Littleproud . The Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources is Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck since August 2018. The Assistant Minister to the former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is the Hon Luke Hartsuyker MP. By an administrative order issued on 5 December 2019 and effective from 1 February 2020, the department all functions of the department were merged with the environment functions of the Department of the Environment and Energy, to form the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Secretary Daryl Quinlivan was sacked as a result of the merger. Overview The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources' vision was to help drive a stronger Australian economy by building a more profitable, more resilient and more sustainable agriculture sector, and by supporting the sustainable and productive management and use of rivers and water resources. The department's annual reports provided information about its operations and performances in each financial year, and reviews its progress towards its objectives. The department's Corporate Plan set outs the department's eight strategic objectives. Those identified in the 2016–17 plan included: building successful primary industries supporting agricultural communities expanding agricultural, fisheries and forestry exports sustaining natural resources for longer-term productive primary industries improving water use efficiency and the health of rivers, communities, environmental assets and production systems managing biosecurity and imported food risk building an efficient and capable department being a best practice regulator. The department strove to build strong relationships and work with governments, industry, importers and exporters, natural resource managers, primary producers, consumers, research and development organisations, rural communities and travellers. The department employed approximately 4000 full-time equivalent staff, including accountants, animal and meat