Changes to the Federal Government's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act came into effect in December 2025 and the newly formed National Environmental Protection Agency began enforcement on July 1
The VFF said the new rules were unworkable for agriculture and placed an unfair burden on farmers.
Under the changes, farmers may now need federal approval before clearing vegetation that has not been cleared in the past 15 years, even if they planted the vegetation themselves.
VFF president Ryan Milgate said the changes had fundamentally shifted the way farmers were being told to manage their properties.
“These laws have changed the question farmers ask every day. Instead of asking, ‘can I manage this part of my farm?’, we’re now asking, ‘do I need the Federal Government’s permission to keep farming?’. That’s a major change and most Victorian farmers don't even know it has happened,” Mr Milgate said.
VFF said farmers were now expected to identify nationally protected plants and animals, decide whether routine farm work could have a “significant impact”, and interpret complex environmental laws themselves.
The Federal Government is in the process of developing a draft guide to explain the new rules, but the document is more than 50 pages long.
“If it takes more than 50 pages to explain the law, it’s a pretty good sign it’s too complicated,” he said.
“Farmers shouldn’t have to become environmental lawyers and ecologists just to decide whether they can clear regrowth, remove weeds or carry out normal farm maintenance.”
The VFF is also concerned the rules rely on mapping and data that may not accurately reflect what is actually on the ground, while penalties for getting it wrong can include fines of up to $16.5 million or seven years’ imprisonment.
Mr Milgate said the laws treated farming like a one-off development project, when agriculture involves constant, seasonal decision-making.
“Farming isn’t mining or construction. Farmers make decisions every day based on the weather, seasons and changing conditions. These laws don’t recognise that reality,” he said.
The VFF is calling on the Federal Government to fix the legislation, so farmers can continue managing their land with confidence, while delivering positive environmental outcomes
