The Protect Our Farms group have put in the leg work, collecting signatures from across the shire, in support of the proposed agriculture advisory committee.
Mitchell Shire Council will consider a community push to give farmers a formal say in council decision-making, after a petition calling for an Agricultural Advisory Committee drew 628 signatures from across the shire.
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The petition, organised by the not-for-profit group Protect Our Farms, will be tabled at council's July 20 meeting, with council officers preparing a report in response.
Signatures were collected from businesses and community sites across Seymour, Kilmore, Broadford, Pyalong, Tooborac, Tallarook, Wandong and Lancefield, including stock feed suppliers, pubs, a veterinary surgery, farmers markets and CFA sheds.
The proposed committee would give farmers and agribusiness representatives a standing channel to advise council on strategic issues affecting the sector, including planning, land use and climate impacts.
Protect Our Farms argues agriculture currently has no such mechanism, and instead relies on the same public exhibition and submission processes available to any resident or ratepayer.
The group, which has around 200 members, points to agriculture's economic weight in the shire to make its case.
The group’s submission said that farmland covers 34.2 per cent of land area in Mitchell Shire, with agricultural production valued at $217.48 million in output and $147.64 million in exports, adding $92.65 million to Gross Regional Product.
The shire's 408 primary producer businesses employ more than 600 residents, making agriculture the third-largest industry, behind only construction and transport.
Mitchell Shire Council will table the petition at their next meeting non July 20.
Mitchell Shire acting chief executive officer, Les Stokes, confirmed the petition would go before council at their next meeting on July 20.
Council officers would then prepare a report for a future meeting, at which councillors would decide whether to establish the committee.
“A decision would require a Council resolution, and the timeline will depend on the complexity of the assessment and Council’s meeting schedule later in 2026,” Mr Stokes said.
He said agriculture does not currently have a standing advisory mechanism within the shire, and that officers were aware similar committees operate in other Victorian councils.
“These committees are typically made up of local farmers, agribusiness representatives and council members,” Mr Stokes said.
“As part of preparing the report, officers will review the structure, function and effectiveness of existing agricultural committees in other municipalities.”
Factors weighing on the final decision would include alignment with existing council strategies, budget and resourcing, councillor support, existing committee structures, and demonstrated community demand.
