Australian farmers fear exports will be hit by new EU land clearing laws

Australian farmers are scrambling to understand the ramifications of new EU land-clearing laws, which could hurt exports of commodities such as beef or paper under tougher environmental controls .

But environmental groups and some in the federal government believe the new laws could help Australian growers with more sustainable farming techniques get "ahead of the pack" , as negotiations continue for a free trade agreement with the European Union. European Union.

The European Parliament this week passed a bill requiring EU members to check whether certain imported products, including soya, coconut oil, palm, timber, cocoa, coffee, maize, rubber, charcoal and paper – had been produced in areas linked to deforestation. The regulations also include beef, pork, lamb, goat and poultry meat, with the import of goods produced in deforested areas after January 2020 to be prohibited.

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After being adopted by the European Parliament, it must be ratified by each member country.

National Farmers Federation CEO Tony Mahar, is concerned about the change, saying the lack of detail is "'alarming'".

"We need to understand how they would define deforestation or if it would apply retrospectively," he told Guardian Australia.

"We also want to understand what burden of compliance might be placed on family farms here in Australia to prove we are doing the right thing."

Mahar said Australian agriculture land needs "active management", including clearing of introduced species or to prevent soil problems, and spoke of the sustainable environmental practices that most meat producers have followed.

“Our landscape is truly unique and we have our own science-based regulatory frameworks designed to protect it. 'another layer of regulation imposed from around the world,' he said.

But Jess Lerch, head of national corporate campaigns at the Wilderness Society, said the change gave Australian growers an opportunity to showcase their environmental credentials.

< p class="dcr-1vtk2mf">"There is a very small proportion of Australian farmers who have a bulldozer-based business model. If around 1% of the farmers doing all the land clearing are brought under control, then Australia would be closer to the start of the queue for environmental reasons for market access,” she told Guardian Australia .

"It's a big question for lobby groups like the NFF: do they want to retain the 99% of farmers who are doing the right thing, to protect the 1% who don't?"

The Wilderness Society was part of the lobbying effort that saw the European Parliament pass the change. Lerch expected similar environmental checks to be placed on the EU free trade agreement. asserts on the world stage in an effort to address the twin global crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. It is a decision that foreshadows expected future efforts on other issues such as fossil fuels," said she said.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said the federal government is Australian growers must ensure continued market access to the future”.

"Australian producers are already excellent stewards of the land they live and work on, balancing agricultural productivity and food security. silence with good environmental outcomes,” he said.

Guardian Australia understands that some voices within the Federal Government see export controls as a benefit possible for Australian farmers, opening up a potential point of difference for local produce compared to other countries with higher deforestation rates like Brazil.

Direct or Meat & Livestock Australia management Jason Strong said local red meat producers have made great strides to reduce carbon emissions and hopes EU regulations would not harm farmers.

“ EU passes headline-grabbing deforestation trade bill. But the next might be, "Australian red meat producers are the best pl...