* Rural

FARMERS’ groups have nominated the effects of environmental laws on property rights as their leading electoral issue.

The National Farmers’ Federation and its state farm organisations believe the biggest threat to the economic fundamentals and management of Australia’s agricultural sector is the increasing encroachment of federal and state environmental legislation and regulation.

They fear community expectations and legislative changes are undermining the commercial viability of farming, eroding assets, reducing income and affecting farm management practices.

Many feel that the laws strangle their operations and are being imposed on them by big-city conservationists with no idea of reality.

Many farmers, through environmental legislation including tree clearing and native vegetation laws, are becoming more and more restricted on what they can do on their own land.

Gabrielle Holmes, co-owner of the property Homesville, west of Dubbo, says she and her partner are prohibited from clearing woody weeds from 3100 hectares.

Woody weeds are a group of native shrubs which monopolise country that has been cleared, often through rabbit infestations, thus making it impossible to graze and inhospitable for both native and introduced animals. It blocks out native grasses and other vegetation.

“We have been told that because of their value as `remnant vegetation’ we can’t clear,” Mrs Holmes said. “This is nonsense. This country was open grassland with the occasional tree prior to settlement. It is environmental vandalism to lock this country up out here.”

The Holmes bought their property six years ago. Their carrying capacity is falling by 2 to 3 per cent a year.

“We need to rebalance between trees and grass,” she said. “This is land management, not land clearing. The government is destroying livelihoods and perfectly good farms. This is potentially very productive land being forced by the government into a heavily degraded state, all in the name of conservation.”

National Farmers’ president Ian Donges said that without getting governments to recognise property rights when it comes to environmental legislation, assets and the values of properties will be increasingly eroded.

Farmers are the environmental custodians of 70 per cent of Australia’s landmass.

Mr Donges said property prices were already starting to be cut, and the situation would deteriorate with new legislation passing through national and state parliaments.

“Should property rights — or the ability to earn income from farm activity — be eroded, reduced or removed because of federal or state legislation, then it is only fair that farmers are compensated for any negative impact on their incomes.”

State farming bodies feel just as strongly.

South Australian Farmers’ Federation president Dale Perkins said his organisation would seek to ensure all political parties focused on inequities in farmers’ property rights during the election campaign — including water rights, native vegetation laws and planning policies and restrictions.

The NSW Farmers’ Association is also demanding answers from candidates over the constant erosion of landholders’ ability to manage their land because of increasing government restrictions.

NSW Farmers’ president Mal Peters says the federal government must put legislation into place to protect the right of farmers to make a living from the land, without unfair environmental regulations which don’t appropriately share the costs.

“Farmers accept they have a duty to manage their land sustainably, avoid nuisance to neighbours, and pass on their properties in good condition to the next generation.

“However, imposts from government have gone well beyond this in the name of `public good’ conservation, resulting in extensive income losses to landholders.”