Region. Land set aside for farming

Swathes of land in the Sydney Basin could be set aside for farming and market gardens under a proposal the state government is considering to stem the loss of agriculture in outlying suburbs.Under the idea, likely to rile developers vying for greenfield space on the city fringes, new planning powers would be developed to establish the farming-only zones. A report from the NSW Department of Industry and Investment last October found that more than half the farms in the Sydney region will disappear in the next two decades because they are in areas earmarked by the government for suburban growth, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The Primary Industries Minister, Steve Whan, will reveal the proposal today at a conference on Sydney's food security and health hosted by the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC).

Region. Local food production at risk

The Sydney Basin is an important location for food production, the economy and employment. The basin’s agriculture includes market gardens, poultry, orchards, cut flowers, mushrooms, turf and nurseries worth around $1 billion, representing up to 12 per cent of the NSW total agricultural production. Some 1000 vegetable farms produce 43 per cent of NSW vegetable production, by value, according to the ABS. When the growth centres and other greenfields lands are transferred to urban uses, the NSW Department of Agriculture surveys show that 52 per cent of the basin’s remaining vegetable farms will be eliminated, according to UWS Urban Research Centre report The recently released Metropolitan Strategy Review document acknowledges the sector’s importance and the departments of planning, industry and investment – primary industry are working closely with councils on Sydney’s fringe to identify significant agricultural lands and develop policies for their ongoing viability in the face of urban development pressure.