A new online tool that will save farmers thousands of dollars and months of work as they negotiate often complex planning laws when applying for development approvals to build key on-farm infrastructure has been launched by the state government.
The platform – myFarmPlanner – aims to strengthen the state’s $20 billion agriculture sector and to boost productivity by helping farmers use the latest technology to make practical, cost-effective decisions.
The myFarmPlanner app provides farmers with all the information they need to know to lodge a development application in as little as 15 minutes, using a tailored questionnaire and interactive map.
The app brings together information from all approval organisations, including local councils, consenting authorities and industry guidelines.
It provides information about approval pathways and consent authorities, required licences, permits and approvals, details relevant legislation regulations and guidelines and provides location-specific constraints including flood zones, bushfire areas and sensitive receptors.
Under normal circumstance it can take up to 12 months for a farmer to gather all the required DA information needed to build farm buildings, animal housing, processing facilities and other infrastructure particularly after a flood, bushfire or storm.
By entering farm data individually, producers using the tool can also save money, with the self-service capabilities estimated to eliminate up to $2000 in consultant fees per application.
The new tool supersedes a 2021 beta version of the tool, which was targeted at the poultry industry, and is now expanded to cover dairy, horticulture, poultry and agri-tourism.
Future updates of the myFarmPlanner platform aim to include additional agriculture sectors and integrate with the planning portal to improve efficiencies even further.
The development of the myFarmPlanner platform was jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments through the Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program.
Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said farmers across New South Wales are increasingly using online tools to save money and boost productivity.
“This new tool helps ensure farmers have the latest technologies to help producers make practical, cost-effective, on-farm decisions,” she said.
“The myFarmPlanner app addresses critical barriers to agricultural resilience by simplifying the development application process and providing immediate, location-specific guidance on planning requirements, reducing the need for expensive consultants and enabling faster recovery decisions.”
To access the tool, visit My Farm Planner.
