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).
Suggested search terms
Hold Ctrl to select multiple terms. Using ‘any words’ functions as an “OR” search. Using ‘all words’ functions as and “AND” search.
Search Criteria:
| Document title | Relevant text in the policy | Domain | Topic | State | Local Government name | Council type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2013-2025 | Actions Funding 1. Community based food production is prevalent 1.1 Encourage Community support of agriculture. Eg: Buying local; Farmer's markets; Introduction of farm corner alliances; Implementation of a pilot project for a community garden; edible street scape Medium funding required. New Council capacity required, either a committee or new staff member. SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL FUNDING 1.2 Planning controls ensure there is space provided for future community food gardens 1.3 | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Benalla | Regional |
| Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2013-2025 | Communitybased food production is prevalent | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Benalla | Regional |
| Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2013-2025 | Encourage Community support of agriculture. Eg: Buying local; Farmer's markets; Introduction of farm corner alliances; Implementation of a pilot project for a community garden; edible street scape | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Benalla | Regional |
| Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2013-2025 | Planning controls ensure there is space provided for future community food gardens | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Benalla | Regional |
| Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2013-2025 | Compile, and make available to landholders and investors, information on alternative agricultural enterprises and potentially suitable land uses. Include identification of opportunities and constraints for different enterprises, impacts of climate change on potential enterprises, and gross margin analyses. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | Victoria | Benalla | Regional |
| Climate Change Adaptation Plan | Encourage localised food production to reduce dependence on centralised distribution systems that are more vulnerable to impacts from climate change. For example, new sites could be identified for community gardens or Council could allow cultivation of nature strips for growing fruit and vegetables. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Whitehorse | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Adaptation Plan | Encourage localised food production to reduce dependence on centralised distribution systems that are more vulnerable to impacts from climate change. For example, new sites could be identified for community gardens or Council could allow cultivation of nature strips for growing fruit and vegetables. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Whitehorse | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Adaptation Plan | Continue Council sustainability rebate programs that encourage the retrofitting of residential and private property with sustainable fittings and fixtures. These include greywater treatment system rebate, rainwater tank rebate, solar rebate and home composting incentive program rebate. These programs should be reviewed periodically to ensure they remain relevant and cost effective in bringing about change. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Whitehorse | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Adaptation Plan | Encourage localised food production to reduce dependence on centralised distribution systems that are more vulnerable to impacts from climate change. For example, new sites could be identified for community gardens or Council could allow cultivation of nature strips for growing fruit and vegetables. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Whitehorse | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Adaptation Plan | Encourage localised food production to reduce dependence on centralised distribution systems that are more vulnerable to impacts from climate change. For example, new sites could be identified for community gardens or Council could allow cultivation of nature strips for growing fruit and vegetables. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | Victoria | Whitehorse | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Adaptation Plan | Continue Council sustainability rebate programs that encourage the retrofitting of residential and private property with sustainable fittings and fixtures. These include greywater treatment system rebate, rainwater tank rebate, solar rebate and home composting incentive program rebate. These programs should be reviewed periodically to ensure they remain relevant and cost effective in bringing about change. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Whitehorse | Metropolitan |
| CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION STRATEGY | Through this Strategic Direction, the City aims to foster and encourage the development of dynamic industries including education, knowledge and research, health, advanced manufacturing, tourism and food and horticulture. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Greater Geelong | Regional |
| CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION STRATEGY | Barwon Water’s $76m bio-solids drying facility at Black Rock. The fully enclosed facility will transform waste product from the nearby Black Rock Water Reclaimation Plant into nutrient-rich farm fertiliser and renewable fuel. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Greater Geelong | Regional |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Conduct an education program to raise awareness of benefits of phasing out single-use plastic items. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Conduct composting and worm/farming workshops at Community Centres and other venues across the Peninsula. Assist Community Kitchens to establish and maintain composting. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Conduct food waste campaign to reduce household food including education on sustainable shopping practices, food storage and re-use. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Offer up to 1000 subsidised compost bins / worms farms and information for residents over three years. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Work with the Environmental Protection team through the Best Bites Program to recognise outstanding environmental achievements in businesses. | Health and Wellbeing | Encourage existing retailers/caterers to sell healthy, sustainable and affordable food | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Water stations installed. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Obtain portable water stations Portable water stations rotated at high visitation areas, particularly during peak summer season. Install water stations at key recreational and shopping precincts. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | , pest animals, biodiversity and fire risk, understanding vegetation types, habitat value. Continue to provide support to the Mornington Peninsula Landcare Network to deliver their Biolinks Plan. All new landholders receive a welcome pack Provide a welcome pack to new land owners in target areas providing information on local biodiversity conservation and sustainable land management practices. Utilise other opportunities to provide this pack to landholders, e.g. via request on the website, at one-to-one visits, through targeted campaigns or as part of the incentives programs. Welcome pack delivered to all new landowners New land owners Natural Systems Team, Economic Development Ongoing 78.25 – M Success measure Educational resource kit developed Target Audience Farmers and properties eligible for the Land Sustainability Rebate Responsibility Natural Systems Team, Economic Development Timeframe 12 months Overall rating 80.5 – M | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | 6 Goal A community aware of climate change impacts on natural and agricultural assets and empowered to adapt agricultural management systems and protect and enhance natural assets to increase carbon storage | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Approximately 70% of the Shire land is retained as rural land within the Green Wedge planning zone | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Complete and review trial of agricultural silage wrap recycling | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Outcome Actions Improved sustainable land management practices through strengthening the Land Sustainability Rebate Audit 10% of rebate recipients annually against set criteria. Review criteria (after 3 years) to develop more targeted guidelines and consider refinement of eligibility criteria to align with biodiversity and sustainable land management objectives. Increased carbon storage and improved biodiversity management through supporting landholders Provide a rebate for landholders with land conservation covenants (dollars per hectare covenanted) Investigate suitable support opportunities for property owners in areas of mapped biodiversity significance that align with their needs. E.g. Grant scheme that funds a proportion of material costs for biodiversity protection. Subsiding attendance of commercially run land management courses and / or partnering with other agencies to provide land management courses. Provision of technical advice. Thorough analysis of carbon sequestration options provided Conduct cost / benefit analysis for carbon sequestration options on the Peninsula in natural and agricultural systems including recommendations for future actions. Cost / benefits analysis finalised, recommendations made and progressed. Landholders, land managers Economic Development, CCEW Collaboration with: PPWPCMA, Department of Agriculture, CSIRO 2020/21 82.75 – M Success measure Land Sustainability Rebate Guidelines targeted to align with biodiversity and sustainable land management practices. Target Audience Landholders Responsibility Natural Systems Team, Economic Development Timeframe 3 years – review report delivered 2021. Overall rating 86.25 – M Rebate scheme devised and implemented Grants program investigated, and recommendations made to Council. Landholders Landholders Natural Systems Team Natural Systems Team Commence within 18 months Report within 12 months 90.25 – M 84.25 – M | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Outcome Actions Increased awareness and practical knowledge among landholders Work collaboratively with other organisation to: . promote adaptive agriculture; . promote biodiversity conservation; . raise awareness of the impacts of climate change on agriculture; . promote activities that retain soil carbon. Success measure Joint events held with an emphasis peer-to-peer learning such as workshops, field days, site tours, open days. E.g. through the Climate Resilience Smart Farming grant. Information distributed via Shire website, publications and relevant media. Target Audience Landholders Responsibility Internal: Economic Development, Natural Systems. Collaboration with: Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Authority, Trust for Nature, Dept. of Agriculture, CSIRO, Westernport Landcare Network. Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Association Increased practical knowledge among landowners of biodiversity conservation Provide one-to-one advice to landholders seeking to undertake biodiversity conservation works on their land. Promote the availability of this service and track and monitor uptake of the service. Future proofing biodiversity against climate change and increased carbon storage through bushland protection and tree planting Support Landcare with their bio links program and bushland management program. Investigate incentive schemes to engage additional private landowners. Increase biodiversity protection works on Shire land. Monitoring program implemented every 5 years shows biodiversity resilience Landholders Natural Systems Team Ongoing 100.25 – M Landholders benefit from timely conservation advice Landholders with significant remnant bushland Natural Systems Team Timeframe 2018 – 2023 Overall rating 106 – M Ongoing 89 – M | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Protecting natural assets and increasing carbon storage through raising awareness of climate change impacts on natural and agricultural assets and supporting adaptive agricultural management systems and carbon storage initiatives | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Provide a strategic approach to climate change adaptation in agricultural systems | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Improving water efficiency within households, businesses and agriculture. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Community Engagement Strategy | Investigate options for use of recycled water in the agriculture. Work collaboratively with South East Water, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and the agriculture sector to investigate options for large-scale use of recycled water from the eastern outfall pipeline. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | Victoria | Mornington | Metropolitan |