VFF calls to protect ‘strategically significant’ farmland as guidelines for renewable energy are considered

Farmers are calling on the state government to safeguard “valuable farmland”, including areas around Geelong, against renewable energy developments.

Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano says the transition to renewable energy should not come at the cost of valuable farmland. Picture: Josie Hayden.

        

Farmers are urging the Victorian government to protect the state’s most strategically significant agricultural land from renewable energy development, including around Geelong and the Surf Coast.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) lodged a submission during the consultation process for the 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan, which will guide VicGrid’s approach to planning renewable transmission for the next 15 years.

It aims to ensure the right amount of energy infrastructure is built in the right places at the right time to keep delivering power, without building more than is needed.

The VFF identified areas that should be avoided for renewable energy development.

President Emma Germano said the transition to renewable energy must not come at the cost of the state’s most valuable farmland.

“Victoria needs to take a balanced approach to renewable energy development,” she said. “Victoria produces 30 per cent of the nation’s food from just 1.5 per cent of Australia’s land mass.

“Any reduction in that area will have a drastic impact on the quantity and variety of food available to the community.

“The first step to doing this is identifying and protecting our most strategically significant farmland that underpins jobs and food security.”

Areas (in red) the Victorian Farmers Federation has identified as those to avoid when planning renewable energy developments due to the significance to the agriculture industry.

In July, VicGrid released the draft Victorian Transmission Plan guidelines, explaining how it would develop the plan by seeking community and industry feedback.

Consultation included more than 1400 pieces of feedback and submissions.

Feedback on the study area is being reviewed and a comprehensive summary will be shared later this year.

VicGrid chief executive Alistair Parker said the organisation was changing the way transmission and renewable energy zones were planned.

He said this was to ensure regional communities, landholders and traditional owners had a real say in the process and the benefits of the energy transition could be shared more fairly.

“I’d like to thank everyone who made time to attend the community engagement sessions held across the state to provide feedback on our approach,” he said.

“Your local knowledge is critical to this work.”

Ms Germano said the areas identified in the VFF’s submission had some of the best soils, access to water and proximity to manufacturing hubs and infrastructure.

“The regions identified on the map we have provided to the government indicates which farmland is least compatible with large scale renewable energy and transmission infrastructure,” she said.

However, Ms Germano said that did not mean a green light for the rest of the state.

“All renewable energy and transmission infrastructure must be properly planned in a way that is compatible with existing agricultural uses,” she said.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.

Originally published as VFF calls to protect ‘strategically significant’ farmland as guidelines for renewable energy are considered