Farmers have been up in arms over proposed mines on the Darling Downs, one of the farming areas protected by the new Queensland legislation. (Sophie Benjamin)
Queensland has become the first state in Australia with specific laws to keep open cut mines out of the best crop-growing areas.
The Strategic Cropping Land Act passed State Parliament last night.
Natural Resources Minister Rachel Nolan says any activity which would permanently damage the land is subject to the new law.
"The State Government has established a soil science test which allows us to tell right across Queensland exactly where is the best quality agricultural soil," she said.
"As you'd expect, that is a pretty enormous area, running from Mossman all the way down the coast and then some inland areas like around Emerald and around the Darling Downs."
ABC Rural
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