Coffs Harbour Council can strengthen the local horticulture industry with a change to how land is managed for agriculture. Currently, there is no formal arrangement for land sharing between a property owner and those wanting to farm the land. We believe Council can advocate and incentivise for a thriving horticulture industry through amending the Local Environment Plan.

Council can:
1) Reduce rates for land holders that encourages land sharing sea changer incentives;
2) Support growers with a central packing infrastructure that also acts as a hub for local growers;
3) Farmers Market encouragement for Coffs producers;
4) Horticulture social enterprise start-ups and;
5) A horticulture publication that communicates relevant and up-to-date information.

Small-scale food producers open many opportunities for economic, social and environmental benefit. Coffs Harbour Greens welcome all levels of government to support market gardening for sustainable local food security. We believe this will help support people to gain the skills and financial resources to manage the entrepreneurial risk. Market gardening is a growing agricultural sector that our climate and soil type can accommodate and we are excited by the local growth that businesses such as Synchronicity Farm, New Life Farm, Bello Food Box and First Choice Organics are making. 

Intensive Agriculture on the Coffs Coast has become well recognised for its economic benefits to our region. However, the challenge for this industry been a history of environmental and social justice failures such as wage-theft, farm run-off pollution, land clearing, illegal dam size, habitat fragmentation, land-use conflict, burning disused nets, illegal dumping, spray-drift and greenhouse gas emissions. This economic ‘anchor’ to our local economy needs every farm to be managed with the best-practice standards or these issues will continue to result in a damaged and degraded environment.

The Coffs Harbour Greens are not opposed to any farmer who implements ecologically sustainable development principles and operates their farming practice on the best practice standards possible. The NSW Greens Agriculture policy calls for sustainable farming practices that protect the environment and secures food availability. The law should empower regulatory bodies to assist farmers and their future!

Home gardens are a cultural practice that is as old as agriculture itself and have been an integral element of Australian society since 1788. It is our view that Council continue to assist households to grow some of their own dietary needs. In these uncertain times, it makes sense to be resilient at all tiers of society from the small home garden, community initiatives to professional farmers. Many recognise the difficulty in growing a diverse healthy range of vegetables and fruits that can save money and offer nutritional input. We congratulate Coffs Harbour Council’s Living Lightly program and we believe in the programs expansion and continued funding but we would also like to see greater support, resources, training, and opportunities for micro-business be implemented for those interested in our community.