Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) president David Jochinke said the organisation would continue to push for a specific farming zone tree clearing permit, following a visit to Horsham by the state’s environment minister.
Environment minister Lily d’Ambrosio visited Horsham to meet with farmers and view equipment, being used in broadacre cropping.
Mr Jochinke said he took the minister out on a boomspray, to show her how it operated.
“We talked about the size of the machinery - these things are not what grandpa used to used, it’s modern machinery and it’s big,” Mr Jochinke said.
“Once we could go around trees quite easily but now it is very cumbersome, trying to weave our way in and out.”
He said the greatest concern was the red tape, surrounding the removal of isolated paddock trees. In Victoria, a permit is required to remove, destroy or lop native vegetation; biodiversity assessment guidelines are applied when assessments are being done.
“What we are asking for is to have a specific agricultural permit, for rural zoned land, to allow farmers to develop an offset process, to ensure the next generation of trees, and the right varieties, are put into the landscape,” Mr Jochinke said.
He said the value of isolated paddock trees was often degraded, due to animals “camping” underneath them and chemical and cultivation overlap.
Mr Jochinke said planting offsets needed to be simpler, as the current regulations were too complex.
“The regulations are completely antiquated and full of red tape; we need an easy to use system, looking at trees as an asset, not a liability.
“If I have a certain type of tree, I have to establish five more, over three to five years; I have to demonstrate I have got them going and they are the right type of tree.”
He said farmers should also be encouraged to build nesting boxes and space out trees across the property, to ensure the right balance between production and protecting the environment.
“In the group of farmers we spoke with, almost every one had planted trees previously
“It’s about trying to get some value and acknowledgement for the good work that’s been done.”
A spokesman for the minister said the meeting was productive, as it provided an opportunity for Ms d’Ambrosio to see first hand the challenges faced by croppers.
“The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is working with the VFF to undertake a demonstration project to work through some practical clearing and offsetting examples to support farmers to understand and work through the application process in a straightforward way,” the spokesman said.
“This will examine how landholders could work together to secure areas of native vegetation across a number of properties to compensate for clearing, enabling more efficient farming practices.”
Under the proposal, Victorians seeking permission to clear native vegetation would be able to provide additional information about their property that led to a more accurate assessment and potentially cost savings.
The spokesman said farmers were keen to engage with government on practical ways they could continue to protect and improve bio-diversity on their farms, while at the same time improving productivity.
The consultation period for the review was originally set to close on February 5 but has been extended to March 8.