By Michael Burt
NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann will move a private members bill this week to give councils more power to regulate berry farms in the north coast region.
Ms Faehrmann says the intense expansion of berry farms has prompted local councils and state government to consider tighter controls on environmental impacts.
“I have given notice of the Greens Bill to rein in the out of control, largely unregulated blueberry industry in NSW,” Ms Faehrmann said.
“Across the Mid North Coast and up increasingly the Northern Rivers, the rapid expansion of intensive blueberry farms is having serious consequences for regional communities.”
“Waterways are being polluted by pesticides and fungicides, threatened species habitat is being cleared and livelihoods and lifestyles severely impacted because of a lack of checks and balances in our planning laws.”
In a letter to Ministers Penny Sharpe, Paul Scully and Tara Moriarty, Ms Faehrmann has requested the mandating of buffers for intensive horticulture farms, and strict controls on spraying, runoff and irrigation.
Ms Faehrmann has also called for guarantees on consultation with council and the community for new farm developments.
“Shockingly, in most areas, a development application doesn’t need to be lodged to start an intensive, large-scale berry farm, meaning that neighbouring properties – no matter how close – don’t have a say. Buffer zones between properties and waterways also don’t apply.”
The Greens bill follows a landmark Land and Environment Court (LEC) ruling against a Coffs Harbour City Council stop-work order against polytunnel construction on a local raspberry farm.
The LEC ruled the polytunnels were used for ‘intensive plant agriculture’ which is exempt from council approval.
Berries Australia has refuted the Greens bill, saying the industry does operate under significant regulatory oversight, supported by existing legislation.
“Multiple regulatory bodies have focused on our industry in our region and continue to do so,” said Berries Australia CEO Rachel Mackenzie.
“Our industry is active and very important in this region, so this is also expected and appropriate. We support those various bodies and work hard to communicate requirements to our membership base.”
“It should be noted that local government has the capacity to require development approvals if the Council has voted that way and the council’s application meets minimum standards around evidence and consultation and is consistent with state legislation.”
Ms Mackenzie said Berries Australia has recently launched a Good Practice Guide for growers and as a useful resource the community to understand how the industry operates and what is considered good practice.
NSW Recovery Minister and Lismore MP, Janelle Saffin, backed the berry industry at the guide’s launch in the Northern Rivers in January.
“The berry industry is a Northern NSW success story. The blueberry industry alone has increased in farm gate value from $25 million in 2005 to $507 million today, with around 80% of blueberries being grown right here in Northern NSW,” Minister Saffin said.
“With growth comes greater expectations from consumers, regulators, and the broader community. This guide brings together the knowledge and experience of growers, industry leaders, and sustainability experts to outline what ‘good practice’ looks like in today’s berry industry.”
Made possible by the Australian and NSW Government’s Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program, the $1 million Sector Recovery and Resilience Grant was provided to help support industry-wide recovery while building preparedness for future natural disasters.
The guide covers practical steps across key areas such as site selection, agronomy, production systems, environmental management, labour practices, and community engagement. It will also provide a reference point for researchers, policymakers, local government, and the broader community seeking to understand the industry’s steps toward sustainability.
Berries Australia Director, Andrew Bell, said that while many growers are already leading the way, this guide provides a benchmark for others to follow and build on.
“Good practice is not static, and what is cutting-edge today will be commonplace tomorrow,” Mr. Bell said. “So, whilst we have a hard copy document for this first edition, we will be continually updating the online version.”