The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham MP, has joined The Nationals’ push to strengthen protections for Victoria’s most productive agricultural land through a new Bill introduced to the Victorian Parliament.
The Planning and Environment Amendment (Agricultural Land and Food Security) Bill 2026, introduced by Shadow Minister for Agriculture Emma Kealy, would ensure agriculture is recognised as the strategic asset it is, rather than treated as just another land use in Victoria’s planning system.
Ms Benham said Mildura’s agricultural industry needed greater certainty that productive farmland would be properly considered in planning decisions.
“Mildura is home to some of the most productive agricultural land in Victoria. This land supports thousands of local jobs, feeds Australians and contributes enormously to our economy. Once productive farmland is lost, we cannot simply get it back.”
Ms Benham said the Bill would give agriculture greater weight in planning decisions and ensure agricultural expertise was properly considered.
“This Bill would ensure the agricultural impacts of major developments are properly assessed, Agriculture Victoria is consulted and agricultural expertise is included in key planning decisions.”
The Bill would establish a framework for identifying Strategic Agricultural Land, require Agricultural Land Impact Assessments for prescribed developments, mandate consultation with Agriculture Victoria before significant decisions are made, and require agricultural expertise on advisory committees and Environment Effects Act inquiry panels.
It would also strengthen rehabilitation obligations through mandatory bonds and monitoring, as well as establish a public register so Victorians could track the cumulative impact of development on farmland.
The Bill is the latest step in The Nationals’ plan to protect farmers, alongside commitments to:
- Scrap the Emergency Services Tax
- Stop VNI West
- Review Victoria’s entire Transmission Plan
- Restore farmers’ right to refuse entry to their land
- Cancel fines issued by VicGrid
- Tackle farm crime
Ms Benham said protecting agricultural land was critical to the future of the Mildura region and Victoria’s food security, and that farmers deserved confidence that the agricultural value of their land would be properly understood in planning decisions.
“Farmers should have confidence that when decisions are made about their land, its agricultural value is properly understood and given the weight it deserves.
“Victoria’s agricultural land deserves a planning system that puts food security and our farming communities first. That is what a Liberal and Nationals Government will deliver.”
