Why Katherine Myers is standing up for agricultural land in our region

"I think there needs to be formal recognition of how important this land is," Ms Myers said.

"I'd like to see really clear forward planning both at the local and state level around balancing out our food security, our energy security and our population growth and residential planning."

Ms Myers has long been an advocate for the potato-growing industry.

Proposed high-voltage transmission lines could cross over her property, potentially impacting how her family farms, and she said the impact of that announcement was affecting her husband and father-in-law.

The project, which would increase electricity transmission capacity west of Melbourne, has been heavily criticised by affected residents, who say poor communication between the state government and proponent AusNet has left them in limbo.

An environmental effects statement, the next phase of planning for the Western Renewables Link project, is still pending.

Ms Myers said being one step removed from the property helped her be a voice for her family and the industry.

"[My family] were so immediately affected by that issue that they were kind of paralysed by it," she said.

"I didn't grow up here and I'm not as connected to this property - I had that little bit of distance to be able to advocate for our farm."

She found she enjoyed this work, so when the opportunity came up to be the Victorian Farmers Federation horticulture vice president, she put her hand up.

Ms Myers said it had been difficult to keep working on the project for years.

"It is like the COVID-19 fatigue that the wider community has, we are feeling the same thing with this issue," she said.

Ms Myers has seen both population growth and increased climate changes, which both add to her desire to advocate for the importance of the region.

"We're at a really pivotal time with regards to our food security and our future," she said.

Across the country the climate is changing and becoming more volatile and severe, but Ms Myers said Victoria's west is in a good position to produce food.

"It doesn't feel like it, but it's quite a mild climate with really good groundwater resources," she said.

Ms Myers entered the agricultural world through her university studies.

Although she was originally interested in science she also wanted to study more "practical and applied" subjects like crop and pasture physiology and animal health welfare.

"I love learning as long as I can see the purpose," she said.

While at university she knew it would be difficult to get onto a farm after her studies.

"You either need to be born into it or marry into it," she said.

"While I certainly didn't go there with the plan of meeting a farmer, I did meet my husband and I am really happy to end up here."

While she studied in the city, experience while working in dairy research in Gippsland cemented the idea she wanted to find a home in the regions.

"I came back to uni and I walked the length of Collins Street and I must have passed 1000 people and not one met my eyes or smiled at me," she said.

"I just thought that the city is not for me."

While Ms Myers is not far from Ballarat, people will wave when you are on the roads.

"I love it, you feel so at home and welcome."