That’s the message from Orange-based Greens mining spokesman Jeremy Buckingham who’s in the middle of a tour of areas affected by coal and coal seam gas exploration.

Mr Buckingham will tour Gunnedah, Maules Creek, Bellata, Narrabri, Pilliga and Mullaley next week.

He told The Leader yesterday that he’d spoken to more than a dozen community groups after three days on the road, around the Mudgee and Rylstone areas.

“It’s about getting out to the grassroots areas and talking to farming communities and rural and regional communities to hear their concerns about coal seam gas and the role of these industries in key agricultural areas,” Mr Buckingham said.

“I want to make sure that I’m well informed of these issues to represent the community in parliament.”

“The only way you can build your understanding is by talking to people about it.”

Mr Buckingham said he doesn’t believe coal or coal seam gas productions can be assimilated into agricultural areas.

His call for a moratorium on the coal seam gas industry has been well received in areas he has visited.

“I believe there should be no further expansion of coal into key agricultural areas,” he said.

“There should be a moratorium on the coal seam gas industry because it has not been proven safe.

“We do not know the impacts on ground water and the impacts on farmers’ capacity to go about their day-to-day business.”

Mr Buckingham said he was concerned that the traditional representatives for the agricultural sector, the National Party, had been “captured by the coal miners”.

One of the areas he’ll visit is Bellata, where farmers are up in arms over proposed coal seam gas mining in the area.

“There are people who very concerned about the plans of Eastern Star Gas and very concerned their local members aren’t representing them and their concerns in parliament,” he said.

Mr Buckingham said his focus was providing a sustainable future for farmers in country NSW.

“It’s about the long-term viability of agriculture, sustainable food production, sustainable rural communities, and a sustainable environment,” he said.

“There’s no bigger issue in the modern world than food security and we’ve got to protect these areas.”