The Northern Rivers Young Farmers Alliance has called on all councils in the Northern Rivers to submit responses to the NSW Gov draft Primary Production planning reforms.
These reforms include proposed changes that would require Development Applications for properties with less than a 500m setback (like a buffer zone) between ‘intensive livestock agriculture’ animals and neighbouring dwellings or environmentally sensitive areas.
As you can see in the image below this is a big ask for some farmers and a disaster for small scale and sustainable producers and will have a massive impact on the livelihoods of small acre farms and the local food system.
All commercial farms are considered ‘intensive’ for the purposes of the current Standard Instrument Local Environmental Plan (LEP).
The changes will affect all new commercial farms in the planning zones RU1, RU2 and RU4 in NSW
For more information go to http://afsa.org.au/blog/2017/12/05/nsw-planning-reform-campaign-materials/