TasFarmers Matters - Time to take a stand and restore balance

THE work of Lindsay White and the broader FLAG group has, if nothing else, shone a bright light on the undercurrent of dissatisfaction and absence of trust farmers are feeling towards the Forest Practices Authority.

But this is also part of a much larger issue, the increasing pressure bureaucracy is placing on the sustainability and viability of farming businesses. For generations, farmers have cared for the land while producing the food and fibre our communities need, and the world recognises as first-class.

No farmer wants to negatively impact the environment on their farm, particularly when that land is part of the legacy they hope to pass on to the next generation.

At the Hobart rally this week, Tas Farmers put forward a clear case for change and outlined the outcomes we believe are necessary.

With FLAG, we have called for an independent inquiry into the operation and conduct of the Forest Practices Authority as it relates to primary production.

We have called for a moratorium on investigations and enforcement action affecting farmers while that inquiry takes place.

And we have called for an urgent review of regulations and exemptions applying to routine agricultural activities, so that ordinary, low-risk farming practices can be undertaken with greater clarity and certainty.

TasFarmers wrote to Minister Felix Ellis seeking a formal response to these concerns by the now-passed deadline of September 4, asking for a clear timeframe of action in response to our requests.

These are not unreasonable requests, nor are they an attempt to dismantle forestry protections or give agriculture a free pass.

They are about restoring confidence in a system that must be fair, practical and consistent.

A farmer should be able to understand the rules that apply to their property. 

hey should be able to seek and receive advice and rely on the answer they receive.

They should not face different interpretations of the same rules depending on where they farm or who they deal with.

And they should not have to fear that ordinary agricultural activities could later become the subject of investigation or enforcement.

We need education and extension so farmers can navigate these increasingly complex laws before something goes wrong.

And forest practices officers who enter farms and businesses need to understand something equally important: that they are entering someone’s workplace, livelihood and, in many cases, their family home.

Regulation must be carried out professionally, respectfully and with an understanding of the practical realities of farming.

Farmers should be treated as people trying to do the right thing, not as offenders by default.

Better education, clearer advice and more constructive engagement would prevent many problems before they reach the point of investigation or enforcement.

What has been lost is the balance between legitimate environmental protection and the practical ability of farmers to run their businesses.

That balance can be restored.

But it will require more than another internal review or another set of guidelines.

It requires a willingness to examine the system independently, address the concerns farmers have raised and ensure that legislation and regulation are being applied fairly and consistently by a statutory authority with the strongest ethical culture.

Tasmanian farmers are not asking to be above the law.

We are asking for laws that recognise farming.

Regulators should work with farmers to achieve good outcomes wherever possible, not treat enforcement as the starting point.