Victoria's peak farming body has released a 20-point plan calling on major political parties to commit to stronger farmland protections ahead of the state election in November.
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says its Victorian Farmland Protection Plan requires a reset in how agricultural land is safeguarded. VFF President Brett Hosking stated that farmers are under pressure as competition for land from mining, energy projects, and urban expansion increases without sufficient protection.
"Farmers are the first to feel it, but every Victorian will live with the consequences if we don't get this right. This isn't only a farming issue; left unchecked, it's a food security issue for every Victorian."
He added that Victorian farms produce a quarter of Australia's food and fibre from just three per cent of the land base, warning that farmland loss is accelerating. "Once that land's gone, it's gone forever."
The plan is structured around four areas, covering compensation and community benefits, planning and community engagement, rehabilitation and decommissioning, and guaranteeing the right to farm.
Proposed measures include establishing a statutory Farmland and Food Security Commissioner, reforming planning laws to require cumulative impact assessments, creating a $200 million Agriculture Productivity Fund through a Royalties for Regions model, introducing government-backed rehabilitation and decommissioning requirements, and pausing critical minerals projects until the framework is implemented and impacts are assessed.
The plan also proposes standalone Right to Farm legislation, a ban on non-disclosure agreements affecting landholders, and binding rehabilitation requirements supported by scientific assessment for non-permanent land uses.
"Victoria is home to Australia's most productive farmland, yet we have weaker protections than New South Wales and Queensland. That must change."
"This is about creating a fair and balanced system, a framework that gives rural communities a voice, and recognises our land is a critical asset for every Victorian, not vacant space awaiting development."
The VFF reports that tensions are increasing as farmers negotiate individually with corporations and government entities, while compulsory acquisition powers override landholder consent and long-term productivity losses remain unmeasured.
The Victorian Auditor-General has identified gaps in mining rehabilitation bonds, and there is no requirement for renewable energy developers to lodge decommissioning bonds. The state is approaching a period of wind and solar decommissioning and mining rehabilitation without clear guarantees for restoring land to agricultural use.
"Australia's best farmland and those who work it deserve Australia's strongest protections. This plan gives every party a clear platform to commit to. We'll be taking it to every candidate in every seat between now and November," Mr Hosking said.
© VFFFor more information:
VFF
Tel: +61 1300 882 833
Email: [email protected]
www.vff.org.au
