A free-range pig producer on Melbourne's outskirts says she's unsurprised the state government appears to have gone quiet on proposed protections for the city's peri-urban agriculture and green wedges.
Christine Ross produces heritage-breed Large Black pigs at Macclesfield, trading under the Yarra Valley Free Range Pork brand, and selling her products at farmers markets.
"Saving peri-urban agriculture is absolutely vital," Ms Ross said.
More than 18 months ago, the state government said it was finalising the Green Wedge and Agricultural Land Action Plan, promising more details would be released in coming months.
The government said the project included stronger planning protections for agriculture in the green wedge/peri-urban area, including some short-term actions to be implemented this year.
When she first moved to Australia as a child, she lived in the market garden area around East Bentleigh
"They had all that beautiful soil, now I see that it's all been built over," Ms Ross said.
"It makes me cry, because people have no idea what they are doing putting housing on all these places, because there will be no decent growing areas left if they are not protected.
"They are like the lungs of an area."
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Governments "talked the talked, but didn't walk the walk," she said.
"I guess there are other priorities - I am just hoping there is no movement from planning departments wanting to divide this land up into housing," Ms Ross said.
"That would be my absolute terror.
"Supermarkets will have a hold on everything and bring food from anywhere they like, which is cheap, but they cut out the small farmers, who are doing a really good job".
Ms Ross said she started off with a breeding program in 1990, in a bid to save Large Blacks, eventually setting up Eastwind Rare Breeds Farm.
"We realised we had a few more pigs we couldn't keep and we wanted to let people know how tasty they were, so we looked for markets," she said.
"We are just trying to provide the best food we can, for locals."
The farm also ran goats, chickens, sheep and grew vegetables.
"We like to promote the ethical raising of animals and the welfare side of things, so that people know this can be done on a small scale and you can cover your costs," she said.
Her daughter, Sally Willis, who runs Yarra Valley Free Range Pork with Ms Ross, said there was little support for small producers, who were not hobby farmers.
She said the property was under constant pressure from foxes and wild deer.
Ms Ross said there were also still significant restrictions on farmgate sales, something which she said further discouraged small scale enterprises.
"I have a (mobile) cool room here and I take the meat to farmers markets," she said.
'We bring the meat here from Primesafe accredited butchers, we then drive to the farmers market, plug into the power there and people come and buy our pork.
"Then I come back here and plug my cool room back into power but I am not allowed to sell meat from the property - because I only have a meat transport vehicle.
"Someone living in my street has to get in their car and drive however far it is, to the farmers market, if they want to buy my pork."
She described that as "outrageous."
The state government has been contacted for comment.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
