Welcome to the Australian Local Food System Policy Database. This is a collection of policies from New South Wales (NSW) and Victorian local governments that relate to healthy, sustainable, and equitable food systems.
For further information about using the database and how it was created see How to use the database. You can search the database by using the fields below. Domain refers to eight broad categories under which various topics are situated. The domains and topics are based on a framework of recommendations for local government action on creating a healthy, sustainable, and equitable food system (also located on the ‘How to use the database’ page linked above).
To cite the database: Reeve B, Carrad A, Rose N, Charlton K & Aguirre-Bielschowsky I (2021) Australian Local Food System Policy Database. Available at: https://law-food-systems.sydney.edu.au/policy-database (access date).
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Hold Ctrl to select multiple terms. Using ‘any words’ functions as an “OR” search. Using ‘all words’ functions as and “AND” search.
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| Document title | Relevant text in the policy | Domain | Topic | State | Local Government name | Council type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Allow only limited growth for all green wedge settlements, where supported by an adopted township strategy and/or policy. Any expansion of townships will be carefully considered for reasons related to the protection of built character and subdivision patterns, landscape character, servicing constraints, existing agricultural and intensive animal husbandry activities, flood risk, and environmental values. Protect the values and assets of the green wedge by preventing further encroachment of urban development into the Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge. Ensure that appropriate land use zones are applied at the edge of townships that ensure a low density/rural transition to the surrounding green wedge land. Encourage and support the use of the precinct for agriculture and biodiversity, to ensure that land use is compatible with the adjacent Precinct 1 and surrounding land. Sup | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Any intensification of the development pattern of the townships that exist within the precinct, or expansion of their boundaries must be strategically justified and be proven to not detrimentally impact the surrounding Precinct 1 or the environmentally sensitive environment of the Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge. Future directions/preferred land uses Discourage non-rural uses such as primary, secondary schools and places of worship within the precinct and locate these types of uses within the existing townships and within the green wedge land that adjoins the UGB, subject to strategic justification. Encourage non–soil based agricultural uses. Retain the rural character of the precinct. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | areas. The following relevant key issues are identified: The protection of environmentally significant areas including the northern hills and the Western Port coast. The protection and management of biodiversity. The protection of the Koo Wee Rup swamp area which contains important groundwater reserves and horticultural soils in the Western Port basin. The management of urban growth, including urban pressures on the rural hinterland. The protection and sustainable use of agricultural land. Clause 21.02 Environment identifies that the majority of Cardinia Shire is located within the Western Port catchment, which is a Ramsar wetland. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Assistance for farmers in investigating alternative, economically viable agricultural methods is critical to ensuring the longevity and viability of the Green Wedge | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Cardinia Shire Council to have a presence at the annual Farm World agricultural event as a way to engage with farmers. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Cardinia, Casey and Mornington Peninsula councils are collaborating with Melbourne Water, Southern Rural Water and South East Water to build on this agricultural strength. They are investigating in the feasibility of an intensive agricultural precinct, the Bunyip Food Belt, which includes agricultural areas within the green wedge. The project proposes to irrigate these areas through a gravity-fed system using Class A recycled water from the Eastern Treatment Plant. If this project proceeds, then it would have a guaranteed water supply that could withstand drought and would improve the area’s competitive advantages for intensive agriculture. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Clause 21.04 Economic Development is also of relevance. The objective of sub Clause 21.04-2 Agriculture is to maintain agriculture as a strong and sustainable economic activity within the municipality. The following key issues are also identified: Maintaining and protecting high value of agricultural land within the municipality. Protecting productive agricultural land from incompatible uses and inappropriate development and subdivision, including non-soil based farming on lands with high soil quality. Accessing sustainable water supplies for agricultural activities. Recognising the impact of intensive farming on surrounding uses. Developing Green Wedge Management Plans to fulfil statutory, strategic, environmental, economic and social requirements. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Climate change is expected to increase flood risks due to more frequent intense rainstorms and rising sea levels. Although the precise impacts are unknown38 , it is important to start planning ahead to assist in preserving the ecological, agricultural and biodiversity important of the green wedge. The former DPI’s research described in Section 7.5 (Soils and Land Capability) examined the impacts of rising temperatures and reduced rainfall on existing and potential agricultural products in the Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge. Five varieties of vegetables and herbs were tested, as well as two types of fruit, and a pasture grass (perennial rye grass). | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Continue to provide support to Landcare to develop farm efficiency programs which will improve farm productivity. This will include the use of bio-link corridors which will promote ecosystem services to farm properties. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Continue to support and upskill farmers in relation to climate change, its impacts and how to respond to climate change by providing information through Agribusiness Gippsland and its fortnightly newsletter. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Council is in a position to advocate to the Victorian Government to formally recognise the significance of the area and this could be achieved through mechanisms such as a Statement of Planning Policy for the Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge reflecting the vision for the green wedge and the primacy of agriculture and horticulture in the area, along with the new metropolitan strategy and other relevant documents. In addition, the relevant local planning provisions in the Cardinia Planning Scheme should be reviewed and revised to ensure the protection of soil-based activities | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Development and subdivision around the townships that exist in the Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge should be limited. A policy of ‘limited growth’ should be pursued at the townships of Bunyip, Garfield, Nar Nar Goon, Lang Lang, Koo Wee Rup, which could allow for some increased densities and minor infill development, where appropriate, and the designation of an Urban Growth Boundary (where not currently applied) to mark the edge of development. It is also important to ensure the application of appropriate land use zones at the edge of the townships to ensure a sensitive, low scale, rural transition to the surrounding green wedge land. Despite lobbying in some areas, opportunities for rural living and hobby farms should also be restricted. Although there are many who seek a rural living lifestyle, this 41 McKinna, Southern Region RDA (Cardinia) Agrifood Masterplan,June 2013. 51 style of housing can have significant impacts on biodiversity and loss of agricultural land and public costs required to provide services are high. Land fragmentation is a significant threat to the sustainability of highly productive Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge as it diminishes the potential for sustainable farming practices. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Encourage lot consolidation over time in order to increase the economic agricultural viability of land by addressing matters with farmers such as improving farm and land management, discussing alternative farming methods and the production outcomes of consolidated land. * | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Ensure new and growing visitation businesses have a strong link to an agricultural use, based on the strengths and assets of the green wedge and have 34 minimal adverse impact on the environment. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Future directions/preferred land uses Enhance and encourage agriculture on land situated outside environmentally sensitive coastal areas and outside of land containing coastal acid sulphate soils. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Future directions/preferred land uses Soil-based agriculture to be the primary activity within the Special Use Zone – Schedule 1 Discourage the use of non–soil based agriculture (e.g. poultry farms, animal husbandry, horse riding schools etc.) being located on soils within the Special Use Zone – Schedule 1. Encourage non-soil based agricultural uses (e.g. animal husbandry, beef and dairy farming etc.) to the land surrounding the Special Use Zone – Schedule 1. Discourage non-rural uses such as primary, secondary schools and places of worship from locating within the precinct (particularly in the SUZ1) and locate these types of uses within the existing townships and within the green wedge land that adjoins the UGB, subject to strategic justification. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Given this long-term strategic value to Melbourne and to agriculture, the area should be recognised as an area of strategic | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Identify the need for a UGB within the relevant township strategies and prepare an appropriate action within the document. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | In order to assist with waterway health, the Rural Land Program is an incentive program providing assistance and funding opportunities for landholders to undertake works that will keep soil and nutrients on their farm and out of the waterways. The program has been designed to help 23 Melbourne Water, Healthy Waterways Strategy, Melbourne Water, November 2013. Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan 41 landholders improve on farm management practices through financial and technical assistance. Benefits include increased productivity for the property owner and improved waterway health for the broader community. The Rural Land Program is about improving the management of water sensitive areas such as waterways, drains, dams wetlands, gullies, seeps, soaks springs and low lying and seasonally wet areas and applies to priority catchments such as the Lang Lang catchment. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | In response to the issue of food security Cardinia Shire Council has developed and adopted a number of food security principles. Of relevance to this management plan is the following principle: Council supports the principles of a local food system and will advocate for and promote healthy and sustainable food production for primary food producers. Our connection to the horticultural Bunyip Food Belt is important for producing fresh food, contributing to our regions food security, and | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | It also outlines the impact of agricultural land use on stormwater quality due to the transport of soil and nutrients during rainfall events. Land used to hold or slow down floodwaters can offer extra benefits by providing space for native plants and animals and increasing the green open space for recreation and retaining green wedge land.25 Maintaining rural land uses and improving riparian land is important in assisting reducing the input of sediment into Westernport Bay. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | It has been made clear through consultation, that the Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge should remain as a rural area and that further subdivision and development should be strictly limited. The townships located within the green wedge also provide people with a unique, rural lifestyle while supporting the agricultural and horticultural pursuits of the green wedge. Growth of these areas should only be allowed where linked to an existing settlement and consistent with a township strategy and/or policy. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | It is likely that in the future, the vegetable and herb industries will progressively move to protected cropping systems. This will add to the capital intensity of the enterprises but will lead to further productivity gains.32 Productive agricultural land is a scarce resource in Victoria33 and Cardinia Shire has a considerable amount of land with fertile soil which is highly suitable for agricultural and horticultural uses. This land is identified in the Cardinia Planning Scheme using the SUZ1 which seeks to protect and promote this finite resource. Land fragmentation is a significant threat to the sustainability of this highly productive land as it diminishes the potential for sustainable farming practices. Fragmentation of rural land can occur through subdivisions, boundary realignments or excisions. The retention of larger lots is a significant factor supporting the longevity of 31 McKinna, Southern Region RDA (Cardinia) Agrifood Masterplan,June 2013. 32 McKinna, Southern Region RDA (Cardinia) Agrifood Masterplan,June 2013. 33 Sinclair, I.W., Preserving Rural Land in Australia, presented on behalf of EDGE Land Planning to the Joint NZPI/RAPI National Congress, Wellington New Zealand, 2002. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | It should be emphasised that although the land suitability for all tested commodities decreased from a high rating, in no case did the rating drop below a moderate rating. This means that with appropriate management measures, all agricultural land in the green wedge is expected to remain suitable for agriculture. The findings from this research will be useful to local farmers and rural producers to inform their decision making and succession planning, and should be the subject of an education and information program to assist the rural community. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Key strategies included in the management plan are: promoting soil-based agriculture and horticulture | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Land outside of the RO also needs to be considered for consolidation to improve the economic viability of agricultural land and to further support the purpose of the SUZ1. The retention of larger lots is a significant factor supporting the longevity of agricultural businesses and the potential for agricultural diversification and production in the future.22 | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Land within the SUZ1 within the precinct will be prioritised for soil based agricultural and horticultural use and opportunities for new, innovative or more intensive soil based agriculture and horticulture will be supported to ensure that the rich agricultural potential of the SUZ1 land within the precinct is realised. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Map 6 (Figure 6) shows the nature and types of soil in the Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge. A further important consideration is the potential occurrence of coastal acid sulphate soils (CASS) in some of the low-lying coastal areas of the green wedge. CASS are naturally occurring soils that contain iron sulphides, which when disturbed and exposed to air, can oxidise and result in sulphuric acid. Sulphuric acid can mobilise heavy metals in the soil such as iron, aluminium and arsenic, which can have serious detrimental effects on soil and water, such as: acidification and deoxygenation of water and soil leading to compromised fresh surface and groundwater potability and soil fertility deoxygenation of soil fish kills corrosion of metals. 22 Buxton, M. & Choy, D.L., Change in Peri-urban Australia: Implications for Land Use Policies, presented to the State of Australian Cities Conference, Adelaide Australia., 2007. 37 It is important that activities that may disturb CASS (such as agricultural works involving drainage, infrastructure works, development and extractive industry) are avoided or carefully managed in areas that have been identified as potential CASS | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | need to support farmers to improve local land management and environmental practices such as soil protection, water recycling and revegetation. Opportunities for financial incentives were suggested, as well as the need for better information and education programs. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Objective Recognise the versatility of soils in the Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge and protect and enhance their capability to support productive farming and biodiversity, and ensure that these activities are not detrimental to the environment. Strategies Ensure that green wedge soils and their versatility are recognised as a finite resource and are protected accordingly. Support natural systems by ensuring salinity and discharge of nutrients are managed, including through the use of management plans. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |