Victorian Farmers Federation vice president Emma Germano has thrown her weight behind the current review of planning rules, which restrict what farmgate shops in Melbourne's green wedge zones can sell.
Under green wedge and green belt planning rules, farmgate stores are only allowed to sell food produced on the land on which they stand, or from adjacent properties.
That's resulted in complaints to Mornington Peninsula Shire that several of the regions larger farmgate stores are flouting the law by breaching the strict planning provisions.
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"We are currently in a time when, more than ever, the community cares about where their food comes from," Ms Germano said.
"What we are looking at is a planning rule, put in place a long time ago
"There is no question that needs to be reviewed, to see if it fits relevant, current expectations of the community and what farmers are trying to achieve."
She said the planning rules were no longer fit for purpose.
"We have these potential roadblocks, that need to be reviewed," she said.
Ms Germano said some farmers wanted the opportunity to capitalise on their land.
Others wanted to maintain the green wedge, but in a manner that reflected the types of food businesses that existed there now.
Any review should also look at farmers homes and accomodation provided for workers.
Ms Germano, who's a third-generation horticulture and mixed farmer from South Gippsland, called for what she said was adequate consultation and consideration on changing the rules.
"Otherwise the squeaky wheel gets the oil," she said.
Planning review
Last year, Planning Minister, Richard Wynne, announced the government was seeking to permanently tighten controls, to better protect Melbourne's green wedges, against overdevelopment.
The government has called for submissions to help identify and protect the city's agricultural land.
Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes said the issue had been frequently raised with her.
"As you have identified, it's a planning restriction, and we will have some announcements around that, in the not too distant future," Ms Symes said.
Specialist rural planner Linda Martin-Chew, of Plan-It-Rural, Kilmore said the green wedge and rural zoning restrictions were "archaic".
"In theory, a cheese producer can't sell crackers, or quince paste - that's the level of stupidity, around it," Ms Martin-Chew said.
"It complements what they are already doing, so they should be in their rights to sell such products.
"It's getting in the way of farmgate sales."
Ms Martin-Chew said the issue didn't only arise in Melbourne's green wedges but covered all farmgate sales in rural zones throughout the state.
"The planning scheme hasn't caught up with healthy, fresh seasonal foods that are being made accessible to the community,' she said.
Some councils had very progressive health promotion policies.
"Their policy intention is around allowing farmgate sales to happen, to allow more access for the community, to food grown as close to home as possible, as opposed to food grown a long way, away."
The rise of farmgate sales was one way in which agriculture was recalibrating itself.
"I really think there should be a broader discussion around the fact these producers, and those involved in regenerative agriculture, are often mixed farmers, it's often organic, or at least ethically produced,
"It is a niche, but it also makes food available, regularly, to give local people that choice."
Ms Martin-Chew agreed there was a strong desire for people to understand the story, behind their food, and that was particularly true of millennials.
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"People can push the envelope on what they are selling, in their farm shops, but the planning systems can't let them do whatever they want; otherwise, you would end up with an Aldi, next to their gate."
She said farmgate shops were not in competition with supermarkets.
"You shouldn't see anything that's not seasonal at a farmgate shop," Ms Martin-Chew said.
"It's a different experience, if you want an avocado, go to Woolies or Coles."
There needed to be some level of compliance, particularly on the Mornington Peninsula, as the farmgate stores were part of the attraction for tourists visiting the area.
"Nobody wants to drive across the city to go to an Aldi, at Rye," she said.
There were a multitude of functions and amenity in green wedges.
Agriculture Victoria says under the planning scheme, the green wedge zone (GWZ) applies to land on the fringe of metropolitan Melbourne outside the urban growth boundary.
The GWZ recognises and protects non-urban land for its agricultural, environmental, historic, landscape or recreational values, or mineral and stone resources.
The zone provides opportunity for most agricultural uses and limits non-rural uses to those that either support agriculture or tourism.
"The people they are picking on are the ones who are producing the food on their property, against those who have an alpaca and a pony," Ms Martin-Chew said.
"In terms of protection of agricultural land, if you shut them down, you have another property available for a McMansion, or a lifestyle property."
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