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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Wedge Management Plan | Encourage sustainable, diversified and productive agriculture, access to markets and the right to farm. | Sustainability and Environment | Strengthen food chain connections/distribution | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | Given the presence of agriculture and horticulture in the green wedge, there is an opportunity to contribute to the growing demand for food across domestic and international markets through improved economic productivity and supply chain efficiencies and to create job opportunities for residents. In support of these opportunities Council and its partners will focus on providing businesses with access to the policy framework and required infrastructure and services to enable them to operate effectively and productively, as well as to capitalise on technological opportunities. | Sustainability and Environment | Strengthen food chain connections/distribution | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | Given the presence of agriculture and horticulture in the green wedge, there is an opportunity to contribute to the growing demand for food across domestic and international markets through improved economic productivity and supply chain efficiencies and to create job opportunities for residents. In support of these opportunities Council and its partners will focus on providing businesses with access to the policy framework and required infrastructure and services to enable them to operate effectively and productively, as well as to capitalise on technological opportunities. | Economic Development | Food related job creation | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | Objectives O4.1 Encourage investment that fits in with the values of the green wedge to improve the economy and create local employment. O4.2 Encourage sustainable, diversified and productive agriculture, access to markets and the right to farm. | Economic Development | Food related job creation | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | A4.10 Advocate to the Victorian Government that it alters planning and other controls to: • allow landholders a right to farm in the Rural Conservation Zone on pre-existing cleared agricultural land with decision guidelines to avoid damage to surrounding properties or environment • support supplementary rural business activities, such as farm gate sales, farm stays and other low environmental amenity impact enterprises, that are consistent with green wedge values • to support small-scale and productive hobby farming. | Economic Development | Local food initiatives for economic development | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | add to the food and wine offerings by facilitating diversity of product and infrastructure | Economic Development | Local food initiatives for economic development | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | Consider policy and land use options (that comply with the planning scheme) to allow agricultural enterprises to diversify income sources by supporting complementary activities such as farm gate sales, events, education and accommodation. | Economic Development | Local food initiatives for economic development | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | Hobby, small-scale agricultural production and the keeping of animals are important community activities in the green wedge. They are supported by local farmers markets and activities that encourage ‘food exchanges’. | Economic Development | Public food markets and distributors | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | Supply to metropolitan markets is augmented by local farmers’ markets | Economic Development | Public food markets and distributors | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | • Providing incentives for private landholders to implement sustainable land management practices and conserve biodiversity via our Land Management Incentive Scheme, Sustainable Agriculture Rebate and Trust for Nature covenanted land rebate. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | A4.10 Advocate to the Victorian Government that it alters planning and other controls to: • allow landholders a right to farm in the Rural Conservation Zone on pre-existing cleared agricultural land with decision guidelines to avoid damage to surrounding properties or environment • support supplementary rural business activities, such as farm gate sales, farm stays and other low environmental amenity impact enterprises, that are consistent with green wedge values • to support small-scale and productive hobby farming. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | Continue to support sustainable land and animal management and access to markets by providing education programs, promotion, events and innovative partnership solutions. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | Create a Green Wedge Conversations program to provide local communities with a forum to discuss resilience, leadership, knowledgetransfer and cooperation between people involved with land management, agriculture, nature conservation, public land management and bushfire mitigation and management. Seek external funding assistance to support the program. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | Environment, agriculture, tourism, recreation or nature-based opportunities will also be encouraged throughout the green wedge where they demonstrate environmental, social and economic benefits. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | Given the presence of agriculture and horticulture in the green wedge, there is an opportunity to contribute to the growing demand for food across domestic and international markets through improved economic productivity and supply chain efficiencies and to create job opportunities for residents. In support of these opportunities Council and its partners will focus on providing businesses with access to the policy framework and required infrastructure and services to enable them to operate effectively and productively, as well as to capitalise on technological opportunities. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | Hobby, small-scale agricultural production and the keeping of animals are important community activities in the green wedge. They are supported by local farmers markets and activities that encourage ‘food exchanges’. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | O4.2 Encourage sustainable, diversified and productive agriculture, access to markets and the right to farm. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| Green Wedge Management Plan | providing rebates for Trust for Nature covenanted land and for properties that demonstrate sustainable agriculture practices | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Nillumbik | Metropolitan |
| GREEN WEDGE MANAGEMENT PLAN | prepare action plan (including funding principles) to direct catchment management activities toward drinking water quality priorities. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | Victoria | Yarra Ranges | Metropolitan |
| GREEN WEDGE MANAGEMENT PLAN | 58 Strategic Planning External Partners DPCD Timing Resources 2011/2012 Internal | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra Ranges | Metropolitan |
| GREEN WEDGE MANAGEMENT PLAN | Agribusiness Yarra Valley (formerly known as the Centre for Agriculture and Business Yarra Valley (CAB) – is the regional agribusiness forum. It is a partnership between stakeholders, industry and government to support sustainable agricultural/ business development. Council provides Agribusiness Yarra Valley with annual funding to be an effective source of relevant information to agribusiness, be the lead agency for coordinating activities, and represent the views of agribusiness in the Region. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra Ranges | Metropolitan |
| GREEN WEDGE MANAGEMENT PLAN | Any proposal to introduce to Council a planning framework that better responds to contemporary planning issues would need to ensure the continuity of the RSP’s key principles. It must include an unambiguous commitment to: • Preventing further encroachment of urban development into the Green Wedge; • Preventing further fragmentation of green wedge land through subdivision; • Preventing the further loss or fragmentation of biodiversity; • Protecting the catchment areas; • Prohibiting new extractive industries; • Retaining future options for long term agricultural activity; • Retaining the rural landscape character of the area. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra Ranges | Metropolitan |
| GREEN WEDGE MANAGEMENT PLAN | As part of the wider review of tourism policy mentioned above, Council should investigate its policy position on major recreation facilities including golf courses. Issues that should be considered include Council’s current requirement (under Clause 53) for recreation facilities to be either in association with agriculture or accommodation. This can lead to recreation facilities providing tokenistic agricultural activity for the sake of overcoming a planning requirement, which may not be the best long term outcome for the site. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra Ranges | Metropolitan |
| GREEN WEDGE MANAGEMENT PLAN | Council is participating in a study conducted by the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) on Food Security. Food security is defined as, ‘the availability of nutritious and safe food that is accessible to all, for a reasonable price, on a regular basis.’ Despite a general trend towards drier seasons, the Yarra Ranges Green Wedge offers relatively high and regular rainfall, productive soils, and an established agricultural infrastructure all within close proximity to the Melbourne Metropolitan area. Council has a responsibility to ensure that areas of productive agricultural capability are not squandered through inappropriate land use and development. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra Ranges | Metropolitan |
| GREEN WEDGE MANAGEMENT PLAN | Council will continue to apply the Farm Rate4 and employ an Agribusiness officer. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra Ranges | Metropolitan |
| GREEN WEDGE MANAGEMENT PLAN | Current Council programs – Council supports agriculture through a variety of mechanisms discussed earlier in this report including applying the urban farm land rating to intensive agricultural properties, supporting the Centre for Agriculture and Business and landcare activities and employing an agribusiness officer. It is imperative that Council continues to encourage and support land management programs that promote sustainable land management practices including protecting waterways, revegetation and soil conservation measures. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra Ranges | Metropolitan |
| GREEN WEDGE MANAGEMENT PLAN | Develop/improve planning information sheets on common agricultural and rural planning permits. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra Ranges | Metropolitan |
| GREEN WEDGE MANAGEMENT PLAN | Explore and support the benefits of increasing carbon in the soil through agricultural processes. Future trading could be financially beneficial for farmers and landholders. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra Ranges | Metropolitan |
| GREEN WEDGE MANAGEMENT PLAN | Farm Rates – reduced rates are available to properties where the primary use or activity on the property is identified as farming and where the farming is intensive enough to outweigh the residential use of the property. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra Ranges | Metropolitan |
| GREEN WEDGE MANAGEMENT PLAN | From a green wedge management perspective, Council must help increase the ability of the local environment -and the community that lives within it – to adapt to future climate instability. At a fundamental level this includes long term preservation of the values and assets of the Green Wedge that are considered important to the local and broader community. Retaining viable agricultural land close to Melbourne is critical. Farming practices (such as those that lead to beneficial increase of carbon reserves in the soil) will also need to evolve and finally regulatory processes must keep pace with new technologies and climate change responses. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra Ranges | Metropolitan |