The chairman of Keith Hospital James De Barro will be the Nationals candidate for the federal seat of Barker at the election next September.

The agricultural adviser said he would campaign to improve regional health services and agriculture.

Mr De Barro said he wanted to make Barker a marginal seat so more attention was paid to the electorate's concerns.

"Clearly, historically the National representation is the agriculture minister and the regional minister and so we can take those ideas into the cabinet and get far better leverage out of our local member than what we currently have when we have a Liberal lapdog who's told how to do what he has to do," he said.

Mr De Barro said agricultural issues deserved greater attention.

"Whether we're in the Riverland using Murray water or whether we're down here using groundwater or whether we're a dry land farmer grazing producing sheep and cattle or a dairy farmer going through tough times, they need the proper representation, they need help," he said.

The only other candidate so far in Barker is Tony Pasin for the Liberal Party.