The NSW Government has launched 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.

The platform, called myFarmPlanner, is part of the NSW Government’s plan 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. 

myFarmPlanner 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.

“Farmers across NSW are increasingly using online tools to save money and boost productivity," Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said.

“This new tool is the latest in the Government’s ongoing commitment to ensure farmers have the latest technologies to help producers make practical, cost effective on farm decisions. 

“myFarmPlanner 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.  

It is designed to provide clear 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 a storm.

By entering farm data individually, producers using the tool can also save money, with the self-service capabilities estimated to eliminate up to $2,000 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 agritourism. 

Future updates of the myFarmPlanner platform will 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 (SFIRP). 

Access the tool here