LAST October Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson, announced the most fundamental change since the 1940s in the way primary producers will access services, information and advice.
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As of January 2014 primary producers will no longer deal with their current Catchment Management Authority (CMA) or their Livestock Health and Pest Authority (LHPA) but will have access to a new division, Local Land Services.
This will replace 13 CMAs, 14 LHPAs and incorporate agricultural advisory services currently provided by Agriculture NSW.
According to Ms Hodgkinson the current structures are stifling innovation, reducing productivity and making it harder for farmers and landowners to manage their land.
“Local Land Services will provide greater opportunities,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
“The structure will free up staff to work more closely with their communities, encourage innovation and integration across the landscape and be more accountable to ratepayers.
“It will also provide greater opportunities to work with community based natural resource management organisations like Landcare NSW and Greening Australia, as well as other co-funded organisations.”
So what does this mean for the local farmer?
It begins with the question what region will Lithgow farmers slot into?
The Central Tablelands or Greater Sydney (both area boundaries are expansive with the Lithgow region on the outer edge which ever way the pendulum falls).
Local farmers are concerned this region will be forgotten when it comes to resources and funding.
A workshop held at Bathurst in February for the purpose of local landholders to raise their concerns and hear what the LLS had to say about the future of farming in the area also involved a survey.
The general concerns from those who did attend the workshop was what area do the local farmers in the region fit into?
This question was also raised at the last meeting held for the Hartley and Oberon branches of the NSW Farmers Association.
The problem is alignment.
The proposed boundaries of the new LLS regions will be reduced in number than current LHPA and CMA areas.
President of Hartley branch of NSW Farmers Association, Adam Hawken pointed out that while it brings the areas into alignment with the local LGA boundaries the catchment areas are not neatly align with LGA boundaries.
Both Lithgow and Oberon LGAs contain eastern (Sydney) and Western (Lachlan and Macquarie) catchments,” Mr Hawken said.
“The Lithgow and Oberon are incorporated in a proposed Central Tablelands region, however parts of this area are still under Sydney Catchment making potential cross regional issues.
“Concerns also arise with the alternate suggested boundaries proposed, including one put forward by Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment Management Association.
“They have suggested a proposal for a larger coast and tablelands region (incorporating all LGAs that have any eastern flow catchments in them, as well as further LG areas in the states south east).”
The local farmers issue with this proposal would be that an agricultural focus in general, as well as pest and weed control, may take a back seat to more city based concerns, such as bulk water delivery for example.
Other alternatives raise concerns as the climate and land types are not similar and farming activities cannot be compared.
In addition to boundary concerns, local farmers are concerned about the significant reduction in funding of DPI services and associated restructure and loss of a number of experience DPI extension staff which has occurred recently.
“While extension staff positions are to exist in the LLS model going forward, farmers are concerned that these positions may not be held by experienced staff,” Mr Hawken said.
“Local farmers are concerned that LLS changes may seek to streamline land and agricultural services to save further costs, as were earlier changes that created the existing LHPA.
“While the resultant organisation has been successful, it did come with significant rises in rates costs to landholders.”
It has been proposed by NSW Farmers Association that the LGAs be included in the Central Tablelands LLS region and this has been supported at the Hartley and Oberon branch level as well as Lithgow City Council.
The final position of LLS will be made by the advisory panel in April or May after the completion of the community consultation process.
If you would like a say you can still do so by heading to www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/locallandservices
Time is running out though so lodge your submission or comment ASAP.
It could effect your future in a way you may not have planned.
