THE PROTECTION OF VALUABLE AGRICULTURE AREAS IS CRITICAL FOR ENSURING THE LONG-TERM FOOD SECURITY, SOVEREIGNTY AND THE PROVISION OF ESSENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.

In Queensland, as demand for land continues to increase, agricultural land is increasingly at risk of being lost to competing non-agricultural uses. This intensifies right-to-farm issues, especially as urban development and other non-rural land uses encroach upon productive farming areas. 

Agriculture plays a fundamental role in many of Queensland’s rural and regional economies. Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers acknowledge the economic, social, and environmental benefits of agriculture and underscores the need to protect the productive capacity and viability of these vital agricultural regions. As non-agricultural uses compete for land, the risk of permanent alienation, loss, or diminished productivity of significant agricultural areas becomes a serious concern. 

Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers advocates for:  

• Stronger land-use planning frameworks that prioritise the protection of agricultural land. 

• Policies that address and mitigate land-use conflicts, ensuring that agriculture remains viable in the face of urban expansion. 

• Recognition of the "right to farm" as a legal principle that upholds the rights of farmers to practice agriculture without undue disruption. 

• Collaborative efforts between government, industry, and communities to balance development needs with the protection of valuable farming regions.