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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Undertake a review of the municipal housing and settlement needs, including a structure plan for Lake Boga and consideration of full-time and seasonal worker accommodation. | Economic Development | Food related job creation | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | § § Support commercial agriculture and associated rural industries that will maintain and build the economic base. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Encourage agriculture to establish and expand with as little restriction as possible, subject to proper safeguards for the environment. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Existing agricultural and rural uses in the area have a 'right to farm' or right to legally continue the use. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Farming uses are encouraged to establish and expand with as little restriction as possible, subject to proper safeguards for the environment | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Farming Zone – Schedule 1 – Broadacre farmland and private irrigation diversion areas This schedule seeks to: § Promote and encourage commercial scale broad acre agriculture such as livestock grazing and cropping, large scale irrigated development and Farmland of Regional Strategic Significance § Protect the opportunity for future horticultural development on Farmland of State Strategic Significance | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Planning can support through policy the trends in horticulture identifying circumstances where second stage processing and packaging, workers accommodation and distribution facilities will be supported. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Planning policy can support the agricultural value chain by providing guidance on the type and scale of on farm value adding and vertical integration developments such as processing, storage and workers accommodation. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Planning policy can support the agricultural value chain by providing guidance on the type and scale of on farm value adding and vertical integration developments. Other measures include: § Reviewing permit requirements for B-double transports on municipal roads § Advocating for upgrade of electricity transmission to enable conversion to three phase power Undertaking a review of the municipal housing and settlement needs that includes consideration of full-time and seasonal worker accommodation. § Undertake a review of the industrial land needs including consideration of the range of uses across the agriculture value chain. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Planning policy can support the agricultural value chain by providing guidance on the type and scale of on farm value adding and vertical integration developments. Other measures include: § Reviewing permit requirements for B-double transports on municipal roads § Advocating for upgrade of electricity transmission to enable conversion to three phase power § § Undertaking a review of the municipal housing and settlement needs that includes consideration of full-time and seasonal worker accommodation. Undertake a review of the industrial land needs including consideration of the range of uses across the agriculture value chain. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Planning policy should support protection of Farmland of Strategic Significance to facilitate economic and industry development. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Promote and encourage commercial scale horticulture and other irrigated agriculture | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Provide for the incremental growth of farming enterprises. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Review permit requirements for B-double transports on municipal roads to improve timeliness and efficiency of agricultural operations. § Advocate for upgrade of electricity transmission to enable conversion to three phase power § Undertake a review of the municipal housing and settlement needs that includes consideration of full-time and seasonal worker accommodation. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | should support protection Farmland of Strategic Significance to facilitate economic and industry development. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Support commercial1 § agriculture and associated rural industries that will maintain and build the economic base. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | The Farming Zone is appropriate, and will be considered, in situations where: § Commercial agricultural businesses require certainty about undertaking normal farming practices and need the flexibility to change farming practices in the future | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | The municipality’s rural areas will have contributed to economic growth building on strengths in agriculture, food processing and manufacturing. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | The vision for the municipality’s rural areas on which the RLUS is based comprises: § The rural areas will be highly valued by the municipality’s community for its contribution to the local economy and social fabric. § § The municipality’s rural areas will have contributed to economic growth building on strengths in agriculture, food processing and manufacturing. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Undertake a review of the municipal housing and settlement needs, including a structure plan for Lake Boga and consideration of full-time and seasonal worker accommodation. § | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Balance demand for rural lifestyle, protection of commercial agriculture and rural based tourism by providing clear land use and development guidelines tailored to local circumstances. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Council can promote and protect agriculture and maintain its competitive advantages with appropriate planning policy. Planning policy can support agriculture by: § Clearly identifying locations where commercial agriculture will be the primary land use and providing supporting policy to prevent fragmentation. § Ensuring that land with access to irrigation delivery infrastructure is protected for commercial agriculture § Clarifying the position with regard to the range of uses that should be promoted or discouraged in the Farming Zone including providing for vertical integration such as on farm processing and storage. § Ensuring that there is separation between agriculture and other non-agricultural and sensitive uses | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Council can promote and protect agriculture and maintain its competitive advantages with appropriate planning policy. Planning policy can support agriculture by: § Clearly identifying locations where commercial agriculture will be the primary land use and providing supporting policy to prevent fragmentation. § Ensuring that land with access to irrigation delivery infrastructure is protected for commercial agriculture § Clarifying the position with regard to the range of uses that should be promoted or discouraged in the Farming Zone including providing for vertical integration such as on farm processing and storage. § Ensuring that there is separation between agriculture and other nonagricultural and sensitive uses | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Discourage a dwelling not associated with or required for the agricultural use of the land. Ensure that the agricultural use has been established on the land prior to the construction of a dwelling on irrigated land. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Discourage the proliferation of dwellings not associated with agriculture Ensure that the development of dwellings does not prejudice existing and future agricultural activities on surrounding land § Ensure that agricultural land is maintained for the cost-effective production of food and raw materials | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Ensure that small lot subdivisions do not prejudice surrounding agricultural activities. Ensure that small lots have access to adequate infrastructure including access to all weather roads. § Prevent small lot subdivision to meet personal and financial circumstances or to create lots for ‘rural lifestyle’ purposes. § § Prevent the creation of irregular shaped lots. Prevent “serial” small lot subdivisions from the one lot. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Existing agricultural and rural uses in the area have a 'right to farm' or right to legally continue the use. Decision Guidelines An application for subdivision must include: § A report that addresses this policy § A site plan showing proposed use and development including: – The nature of the existing agricultural infrastructure and activity on the land and any new proposed agricultural infrastructure and activity on the land. – The lot size, context and physical characteristics of the land. § A site analysis outlining notable features of the site and surrounding area including topography, orientation, slope, vegetation, existing buildings and works, roads (made and unmade), adjoining land uses and developments, utility services, easements, soil type, any planning history of the site and other relevant features. Any proposal for the subdivision of land to accommodate an existing dwelling must demonstrate that: § § § § § The excision of the dwelling is compatible with and will not reduce the potential for farming or other legitimate rural land uses on the land, adjoining land and the general area. § The dwelling is at the front of the property. Long narrow lots, ‘axe-handle’ or island style lots will be strongly discouraged. § The excised lot should not include significant farm infrastructure § Where a dwelling has been excised from the land further subdivision (by any method) to accommodate another existing dwelling from that land will be strongly discouraged. § An application proposing an area of greater than 2 hectares for the dwelling lot will be strongly discouraged. § The dwelling is setback of at least 30 metres from the lot boundaries other than a road. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Farming Zone – Schedule 1 – Broadacre farmland and private irrigation diversion areas This schedule seeks to: § Promote and encourage commercial scale broad acre agriculture such as livestock grazing and cropping, large scale irrigated development and Farmland of Regional Strategic Significance § Protect the opportunity for future horticultural development on Farmland of State Strategic Significance | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Farming Zone Schedule FZ Schedule 1: Broad acre farmland (dryland) Irrigated (private diversion) areas (land where a water license has been issued) FZ Schedule 2: Gazetted irrigation districts § 20ha 20ha Introduce local policies to guide decision making in planning permit applications for land in the Farming Zone for subdivision, dwellings, other rural uses and intensive animal husbandry. Minimum lot size subdivision § § Ensure consideration of future development applies the precautionary principle and minimises risks associated with natural hazards such as flooding and bushfire IMPLEMENTATION Implementation measures to deliver the vision and strategic directions for rural land are aimed at providing clear policy underpinned by a robust strategic position and include: § Updating the Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS) with material from this report including relevant explanatory text, objectives and strategies. § Retaining the Farming Zone (FZ) on land where it currently applies and introduce two schedules: – Schedule 2 for land within older, gazetted irrigation districts Introducing the following revised minimum lot size table: Minimum area for which a permit is not required for a dwelling 100ha 100ha 100ha 50ha – Schedule 1 for broadacre farmland and private irrigation diversion | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |
| RURAL LAND USE STRATEGY | Farming Zone Schedule Schedule 1: Broad acre farmland and irrigated (private diversion) areas – land where a water license has been issued. Further subdivision will be rarely required given the large supply of lots at a range of sizes, particularly small lots sizes and will be strongly discouraged. § Lots should be maintained in sizes suited to horticulture and other intensive irrigated agriculture § State Strategic § Given the proximity of the established irrigation districts to urban centres, an emerging organic industry, the intensive nature of the production systems and risk of off-site impacts, dwellings not required for agriculture will be strongly discouraged Given that most commercial irrigated agriculture holdings comprise multiple lots, construction of a dwelling on every lot can no longer be expected and the nexus between subdivision and dwellings will be broken. This will be achieved by specifying a lot size for a new dwelling that is larger than the minimum lot size for subdivision. Schedule 2: Gazetted irrigation districts Minimum lot size subdivision 100ha 20ha | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Swan Hill | Regional |