Petition challenging Victorian Government farm planning changes

The Australian poultry industry is in turmoil over conflicting regulations by Government departments. Victoria State planners overturned a decision by Ministers for Consumer Affairs who caved in to industry demands that intensive poultry farms should be allowed to describe their eggs as free range. Proposed changes to Victoria's planning laws demonstrate the incompetence of Ministers for Consumer Affairs who approved an outdoor stocking density of 10,000 chickens per hectare for free range egg production. But the proposed change to a maximum of 450 hens over an entire property is absurd. Under the changes, permits will not be required for back-yard egg producers with up to 200 chickens and hobby farmers with less than 450 hens. The new planning reforms seem to suggest that genuine egg farmers aiming to make a living will now have to obtain permits for an activity that was regarded by most planning officers as an 'as of right' use on land in a farming zone. Far from improving the concept of a 'right to farm' the changes will have a negative impact on farmers. The planning changes amount to an assault on free range farming. Please help us to change the Government’s mind by signing this petition.