A dedicated agricultural visa will not be introduced by the federal government, which will instead work within existing migration systems to address workforce shortages.
One of the biggest problems farmers face across Australia is a lack of workers, Agriculture Minister Murray Watt says.
"Agriculture workforce issues haven't gone away and we've got to be open minded about how we deal with it," he told the National Press Club on Tuesday.
"We don't consider that it's necessary to have a separate visa just for agriculture.
"We think that putting in place ... the right frameworks around our existing visa system is a way that we can obtain the overseas workers that are needed."
Seasonal workers from overseas have previously detailed exploitation at the hands of employers and Senator Watt said it was the government's priority to fix the system.
Pacific islander workers told a federal parliamentary committee in February their experience in Australia was marked by squalid accommodation, bullying, exploitative working conditions and a lack of access to support services.
But Senator Watt said the government would not establish a royal commission to examine the issue.
"It would be my intention to work with my ministerial colleagues to deliver on some of those improvements in consultation with unions and industry rather than setting up a royal commission," he said.
"The principle is let's get workers on board ... make sure they're treated well and their rights are respected."
With the right training and opportunities, Australian workers could also help fill agricultural labour shortages, Senator Watt said.
"We will always require a level of migration to support our agricultural workforce, what's important is to put in place systems that work for farmers but also respect people's protections," he said.
