Victorian farmers know they have a role to play in addressing climate change.

By Monique Patterson

Full Article Here: www.stockandland.com.au/story/8932356/victorian-farmers-keen-to-tackle-climate-change-challenges

A survey conducted by Stock & Land showed 67 per cent of Victorian farmers believe the federal government is doing enough to address the issue.

This is compared to 68pc of NSW farmers, 74pc of South Australian farmers and 79 per cent of Queensland farmers.

Georgina Gubbins, Maneroo Farms, Heywood, said she made every effort to be as efficient as possible on her beef and sheep farms.

"Everyone in the community needs to have input," Ms Gubbins said.

"It's about individuals, not necessarily the government driving it.

"From a farming perspective, we try to be as efficient as we can.

"It all adds up."

Ms Gubbins said it made sense for farmers to make changes.

"As a small business owner, you can't afford to have waste."

Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett Hosking said he believed farmers were committed to making changes needed.

However, Mr Hosking said he believed there had been a number of renewable energy initiatives that had been "poorly rolled out by the government".

"What we've seen is some poor and almost embarrassingly poor engagement with rural communities, families and farmers," he said.

He said he believed farmers felt like they no longer had a voice.

"We know we need massive cuts in emissions, and we need them this decade, and we need to include people on that journey," he said.

Deb Leonard, who is running as a candidate in the federal seat of Monash, said the federal government had made some progress on climate change but much more needed to be done.

"If elected, I will fight for practical solutions that protect farmers and create new opportunities, like grants for farmers to improve energy efficiency, cut costs and build resilience against droughts and floods," Ms Leonard said.

"I'm deeply concerned about the multiple threats farmers in Monash and across Australia are facing.

"Droughts, floods and fires that are becoming more frequent and severe, disrupting food production and supply chains.

"Farmers need real support to build resilience and adapt to changing conditions."

Ms Leonard said she also believed more funding was needed for community resilience initiatives like solar-powered emergency hubs.

"Farmers are the backbone of our economy and I intend to fight for their interests across the board," she said.

The survey in the lead-up to the federal election covered a number of topics, which Stock & Land will delve into in the coming weeks.