Ben Bennett, president of Dairy Farmers Australia, said renewable energy zones in Victoria are being placed on top of food-production land [1].
The placement of these zones creates a direct conflict between Australia's transition to green energy and its ability to maintain agricultural output. As the government seeks to meet climate goals, the loss of prime farmland could reduce the capacity of the dairy industry to provide essential food supplies.
Bennett said that a large portion of these energy zones are occupying land specifically used for agriculture [1]. He described the current approach to the energy transition as a "new religion of renewables" and said that food production must not be impeded by this movement [1].
According to Bennett, the government is prioritizing the commitments made under the Paris Agreement over the necessity of food production [1]. He said the government is effectively taking those commitments and "throwing that out the door" in the process of prioritizing climate targets over the land [1].
Dairy Farmers Australia represents the interests of producers across the region. The tension in Victoria highlights a growing struggle between the land requirements for wind and solar infrastructure, and the preservation of high-yield agricultural soil [1, 2].
Bennett said the current strategy fails to balance the need for sustainable energy with the need for food security [1]. He said that the current trajectory of site selection for renewable zones ignores the long-term implications for the farming sector [1].
“Food production is not to be impeded by this new religion of renewables.”
This conflict illustrates the 'food-energy nexus,' where the spatial requirements for decarbonization clash with the requirements for food security. By prioritizing Renewable Energy Zones on fertile land, the Victorian government may face increasing political and economic pressure from the agricultural sector, potentially leading to a re-evaluation of zoning laws to protect prime cropping and grazing land.
