Two of Australia’s largest gas-producers, Santos and AGL, have signed landmark agreements with the NSW Farmers Association, NSW Irrigators Council and Cotton Australia, undertaking not to explore or develop gas deposits on private land without the prior approval of the landowners. The agreement, if applied universally, would take the sting out of farmers’ objections to coal-seam gas-drilling, and provide the foundation for fair compensation for farmers for access to and use of their…