This state election Queensland farmers are calling on the next government to commit to getting serious about developing an approach that properly addresses planning and protection of our prime agricultural land.
Currently, the protection of prime agricultural land from urban encroachment, rezoning, large-scale solar energy projects and other competing land uses is inconsistent, short sighted and inadequate. This approach is having negative and irreversible impacts on Queensland’s agricultural production.
Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) President Stuart Armitage said that prime agricultural land was a rare and irreplaceable asset that must be protected, particularly in a continent like Australia.
“Farmers are familiar with the lip service from our leaders and government on the importance of protecting prime agricultural land,” Mr. Armitage said.
“By 2050 the global population is set to grow to 9 billion, 2 billion more than today. Queensland agriculture is in a prime position to capitalise on a burgeoning Asian middle class that is increasingly demanding the high quality and clean food, fibre and foliage we produce.
“This however is pretty difficult without proper efforts to preserve and intensify the nation’s limited prime agricultural land.
“The current planning framework has become unnecessarily complicated and fails to deliver appropriate outcomes for land use. The rush of large-scale solar developments is the latest rub that is not being properly addressed.
“A Chinchilla melon farmer is grappling with a proposed solar development on his neighbour’s land, only metres from paddocks used for horticulture production.
“Large scale solar developments in the Burdekin have taken highly productive cane farming land out of production undermining the viability of the local sugar mill, putting those jobs at risk.
“The Central Highlands Local Government too is struggling with the existing state planning policy that supports large-scale solar developments as code assessable in rural zones under local planning schemes. In particular, applications for large-scale solar have occurred on designated irrigation areas, often conveniently accessible to the existing grid, resulting in developments being approved in the region’s most productive agricultural land.
“QFF has been working with government and the renewable energy sector to develop a ‘Large-Scale Solar Planning Guideline’, but a Code is needed to deliver state-wide consistency and to help local governments make informed decisions around protecting prime agricultural land.
“By protecting and intensifying existing prime agricultural land our sector can maximize opportunities and profits for farmers and in turn support the communities that benefit from employment and the economic opportunity agricultural production and processing creates.
“However, without the right land to begin with, it is not possible to maintain the food security that is taken for granted domestically, or capitalise on the exciting and lucrative export opportunities ahead.”
This election, QFF is advocating for the following sensible and practical actions to realise our vision for a vibrant and thriving agricultural sector providing food, fibre and amenity to all Queenslanders:
- Simplify the planning framework to provide greater protections for prime agricultural land and enable the sector to capitalise on future opportunities.
- Support industry developed guideline for large-scale solar projects (underway), and commit to developing a State Code.
- Enforce immediate and universal adoption of the rating systems guideline by local governments.
- Enforce local government budget transparency.
- Commit $1 million over 3 years to enable intensive agriculture to adequately liaise and negotiate with the on-shore unconventional gas sector and other extractive resource industries.
The full QFF Policy Platform and its Summary are available online: https://www.qff.org.au/queensland-election/.