Clearing laws under microscope as farmer threatened with court action

Farmers are being threatened with legal action and risk losing their land for the sake of rebuilding old fences on their properties.

Kevin Sloan is being threatened with legal action for
 removing trees when trying to replace this fence.

A stand off is emerging in rural Victoria as one farmer's fight with his local council looks destined to end up in the courts.

There are now calls for government to change laws to make them more workable for farmers and the environment.

A beef and sheep producer at Violet Town in north-east Victoria is devastated that his local Strathbogie Shire Council is taking legal action against him for removing and cutting back trees on his property line.

Kevin Sloan's property is surrounded by close to six kilometres of roads and his old fences were starting to fall into disrepair.

Read the ABC News story by Warwick Long - “Clearing laws under microscope as farmer threatened with court action.”