Machinery & Infrastructure
1 January, 2026
Petition to protect state’s farmland
THE Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has called on the federal government to ensure farmers do not bear the consequences of the recently passed Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
VFF president Brett Hosking said the Bill was set to speed up decision-making for projects like housing, renewable energy and critical minerals but must not be seen as a green-light to bypass community consultation.
He urged the state’s leaders to consider the contributions agriculture and regional Victoria make to the economy, and to consider farmers who will treat the announcement “with trepidation, and for very good reason”.
“While the intent of faster, more predictable approvals can be seen as good, the specific focus on a faster rollout of renewables and critical minerals projects will leave many farmers nervous,” Mr Hosking said.
“Time and time again they’ve been ignored in the face of infrastructure developments and this move can’t be seen as full steam ahead.
“The voice of regional Victoria matters and this Bill doesn’t trump that.
“It’s so important that the community continues to have a voice and for approvals to properly weigh the impacts on farmland.
“Victoria is home to Australia’s best farmland – we produce a quarter of the nation’s food from just three per cent of its arable land. It’s not empty space ripe for development.”
Mr Hosking said it was crucial all levels of government engage with the agriculture industry before pressing ahead with the implementation of the Bill.
“It’s critical that the government and the new Environmental Protection Agency adopt a proactive approach of working with farmers to help them comply, rather than simply bringing a big stick,” he said.
“This could be a fork in the road moment.
“We’re urging the government to talk to us and understand the implications of the decisions they make.
“To date, they haven’t done that and now the ball is in their court.”
The VFF’s petition to help protect Victorian farmland has been signed more than 8,500 times since it launched.
To sign the petition or learn more visit https://www.vff.org.au/protectourfarmland.