Worried about the potential impact of the onshore gas industry on aquifers, and consequently agriculture, a south-west Victorian farmer has urged farmers to back his resolution calling for a five-year moratorium.

“The VFF (Victorian Farmers Federation) as an organisation needs to support farmers, not miners,” said Branxholme farmer Colin Frawley.

“More information is becoming available that challenges the notion that unconventional gas mining and farming are compatible, especially in highly productive farming areas. Allowing gas wells on individual properties exposes their neighbours to increased risk to their farming operations.”

Mr Frawley’s resolution will be considered by farmers at the VFF annual conference.

Asked why he submitted the resolution, he said: “We’re looking to VFF to be more supportive of agriculture. It seems to a few of us down here the VFF perhaps think that gas mining and farming can happily co-exist, and we think that’s fundamentally wrong. We think gas mining poses a risk to agriculture, and so we’re looking for VFF to get more supportive of agriculture.”

Mr Frawley said he believed his resolution “would be supported by people in our region”.

Asked to outline his concerns about the onshore gas industry, he said: “The obvious one is water. We couldn’t farm if our aquifers were compromised; that would completely dislocate our business ... If onshore gas mining comes into this area, we take on a lot of risk.”

A resolution also takes aim at the onshore gas industry, arguing “there is increasing evidence of negative impacts on agriculture and water supplies from unconventional onshore gas mining exploration and extraction in both Australia and around the world.”

The VFF policy on onshore gas is to keep the “current moratorium until at least the next 2018 state election”.

But Paul Fennelly, chief operating officer Eastern Australia for the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association, urged the VFF to keep an open mind.

“Natural gas projects take years to reach production, and further delays would create uncertainty for the state’s 1.8 million gas users and investors. We cannot afford to lose sight of onshore gas potential for a manufacturing sector, that includes food processing plants, so it remains viable and competitive,” he said.