Strategic plan for sustainable agriculture in the Sydney region

This Strategic Plan is the result of community consultation. The process began in 1993 with an education and awareness program initiated by NSW Agriculture. In 1995 the Minister for Agriculture Richard Amery released an issues paper for public discussion, and the responses were used to develop a draft Strategic Plan. The final Plan was released in May 1998, and it is owned by the community of the Sydney Region.

This document summarises the key points of the Strategic Plan. A complete copy of the Strategic Plan can be obtained in PDF format.

The complete document details implementation strategies, policy actions, time frames and sources of expertise for each objective of the Strategic Plan.

The process of community consultation which formed the basis for the Strategic Plan is outlined, and other strategic planning initiatives for the Sydney region are listed.

The appendixes give the membership of the Working Group, list the community groups and organisations that contributed to the Strategic Plan, explain ESD (Economically Sustainable Development) principles, provide a glossary, and chart the flow of recycled and urban waste through agriculture. (Note: the recycling waste flowchart is available in the booklet form only.)

Summary of key points

What is sustainable agriculture?

For the purposes of this Strategic Plan, sustainable agriculture could be considered as agriculture that improves the total quality of life, both now and in the future, in a way that maintains the ecological processes on which life depends.

To be ecologically sustainable, agriculture must:

• respond to consumer needs for food and fibre products that are healthy and of high quality;
• take full account of the costs of production, including environmental costs, with the ultimate objective that the pricing reflects these costs;
• protect and restore the natural resource base on which agriculture depends, and prevent adverse off-site impacts on the environment and any other sector of the community; and
• be financially viable.

Sydney region

There are many ways to describe the Sydney region. We have chosen to describe its localities and the key commodities they produce:

• Central Coast: citrus, cut flowers, stone fruit, poultry, turf, vegetables
• Hills district: stone fruit, cut flowers, nursery, vegetables
• The Hawkesbury: dairy, turf, mushrooms, vegetables, horses
• Outer western suburbs: poultry, vegetables, cut flowers
• Blue Mountains: nursery, stone and pome fruit
• Macarthur region: poultry, dairy, beef cattle, vegetables, stone fruit

Issues

We have identified six main issues to ensure security and equity for sustainable agriculture in the Sydney region. These issues form the structure of the Strategic Plan.

1. Planning
2. Benefits of sustainable agriculture
3. Information
4. Incentives and equity
5. Education and promotion
6. Agricultural resource management

1. Planning

Agriculture is a significant business in the Sydney region. Investors in environmentally responsible agricultural activities have to be confident of their long term security against external factors such as urban encroachment. In the case of intensive agricultural activities, investors also need to have confidence in other factors such as a reliable supply of quality water. It is not reasonable to expect growers to change their methods without providing them with the long term security to make it worthwhile.

Urban and rural residents need to feel that their lifestyle and environment will be safeguarded against degradation. Sydney's natural resources represent a long term investment for the welfare of the community. Agriculture has a legitimate right to be considered as an activity that will maintain or enhance those natural resources.

Planning is the most important factor in realising the potential of these social, economic and environmental investments and benefits. Land suitable for agriculture is no different to a species of flora or fauna. Once gone, it is lost forever.

Objective 1.1

Strategic planning: Security of the human and capital investment in agriculture is provided for in Strategic Plans.

Objective 1.2

Land use: There is an adequate balance between sustainable agriculture and other uses of land.

Objective 1.3

Constraints: Agriculture is recognised as a legitimate and long term land use.

2. Benefits of sustainable agriculture

The benefits of sustainable agriculture in the Sydney region to the community are extensive. They include:

• Economic returns from highly productive lands, which benefit local, state and national economies. For example, the annual farm gate value of regional agricultural production is at least $1 billion, with flow-on effects to the economy of $2 billion to $3 billion.
• Reliable supply and availability of fresh produce to the residents of the Sydney region. For example, 85% of mushrooms, 70% of tomatoes and 95% of spring onions produced in NSW are grown in the Sydney region.
• Minimal freight costs (financial and environmental).
• Provision of employment opportunities.
• The opportunity for the integration of diverse agricultural activities, e.g. use of spent mushroom compost in nurseries.
• Reduced potential of environmental degradation when land use is matched to its agricultural suitability.
• Capacity to provide waste absorption that is environmentally sensitive and economically viable.
• Maintenance of cultural heritage.
• Support for cultural diversity of the community.
• Provision of a 'green belt' with scenic value, lifestyle and recreational opportunities.

Objective 2.1

Programs substantiate and communicate the benefits of sustainable agriculture to the community.

3. Information

Information is collected and analysed to improve the implementation of the Strategic Plan.

For agricultural planning, information must be easy to use and understand, and collected in a consistent way. Consistency in definitions and expressions is essential to allow a common understanding of the terminology.

Objective 3.1

Information is collected and gaps are filled to improve the implementation of the strategy.

4. Incentives and equity

The benefits of agriculture to the Sydney region can be enhanced by providing incentives to encourage further development of existing agriculture and to attract ancillary industries.

Recognition of communal and private rights and benefits will provide equity for current and future generations. This applies to not only the overall role that agricultural lands play in contributing to the quality of life of the community, but also to the landowners' and farmers' rights to be treated equitably.

The issue of equity for farmers/landowners as managers of large areas of natural resources which benefit the whole community, for example as a scenic asset, also needs to be recognised by the community and addressed by government.

Objective 4.1

Incentives are provided for the further development of existing agriculture within the Sydney region and for the attraction of ancillary industries.

Objective 4.2

Intra- and inter-generational equity is provided for by recognition of communal and private good.

5. Education and promotion

All people who have an interest in the Sydney region need to become aware of the issues associated with sustainable agriculture. For example there is a strong link between community health and good nutrition. In the USA there is a growing recognition of the value of establishing links between consumers, food handlers and food producers to increase access to and the consumption of locally produced fresh, clean and wholesome foods. Such an outcome requires a change in what people value in the food they eat.

Objective 5.1

All people who have an interest in the Sydney region are aware of the issues, benefits and opportunities associated with sustainable agriculture.

6. Agricultural resource management

The impacts agriculture can have on the environment need to be identified and managed to achieve sustainability. State agencies and other bodies need to recognise when best management practices have been developed and are in place. Farmers need to use recognised indicators of farming system sustainability to give the public confidence that farms are operating under best management practice.

Objective 6.1

Environmental impacts: The impacts of agriculture upon the environment and the external factors that impact on agriculture are recognised and appropriately managed.

Objective 6.2

The use of agricultural resources complies with Ecologically Sustainable Development principles.

Objective 6.3

Farmers carry out the best management practices for sustainable agriculture.