Introduction to the Dairy Development Guidelines
The NSW Dairy Development and Environmental Guidelines (2024) is an update of the planning and environmental information provided in the Environmental Management Guidelines for the Dairy Industry, published by the NSW Department of Primary Industries in 2008. Since then, the NSW dairy industry has undergone significant change in response to climatic, labour, animal welfare and market pressures, underpinned by new knowledge and technologies that has enabled it to embrace production efficiencies and improve sustainability performance.
Key NSW planning and environmental legislation has also been updated. It is important that dairy developers and authorities making decisions on dairy development, licensing and permit applications understand these changes. Understanding how the NSW legislative framework applies to dairy systems ensures the industry can operate sustainably within rural communities. It’s also important to help consent authorities understand dairy systems and the benefits of best practices for managing amenity and environmental concerns during design, construction, and operation. Improved appreciation and confidence in industry practices can empower decision-makers so that applications are processed along the correct pathway in a timely manner.
The design, construction and management best practices outlined in this document are underpinned by the National Guidelines for Dairy Feedpads and Contained Housing.
These guidelines are designed to help anyone involved in decision making around planning, design, construction and operation of a dairy development, whether it be a greenfield development or a modification and improvement to an existing operation. The guidelines are equally relevant to dairy farmers, their advisors and contractors, consent authorities and regulatory agencies.
The guidelines explain:
- the decision-making processes, foundational investigations and consultations dairy developers need to undertake to submit a well-considered application to make changes to farm infrastructure and/or land use
- which dairy facilities are commonly subject to new development or modification, and the infrastructure that supports this
- the planning and environmental process in NSW, as well as the required assessments, approvals and legislation
- the principles and farm management practices to mitigate against potential impacts to the local community and environment when developing or modifying dairy facilities and subsequent changes to farm operations
- how stakeholders can access information to make informed decisions.
These guidelines can be applied to dairy cattle farm systems and facility scenarios across NSW and may be referenced in planning documents, such as a development application (DA). They may also be referred to and referenced in supporting reports and plans, to help determine potential impacts and reasonable mitigation best practices, as well as approval, licensing or permit conditions.
The guidelines are a starting point for each dairy development scenario. They must be used in conjunction with other planning and environmental guidance, including local government area information and advice, NSW Government guidelines such as the Planning Guidelines – Intensive Livestock Agriculture Development (DPIE, 2019), and national dairy programs conducted by Dairy Australia in partnership with national and state dairy organisations and government agencies
In recent years, a range of new dairy farm facilities have emerged across different climatic regions of NSW. These focus on milking, feeding and housing cows, primarily to address region specific challenges including changing weather patterns and climate extremes, water availability and limited workforces, as well as the need to improve environmental and sustainability performance, and improve animal welfare and production outcomes.
Developing a dairy system or facilities is a complex process. Before starting a new development, consider using the Farm System Evaluator to learn more about facilities and siting considerations.
Farm System Evaluator tool and workshops for farm businesses
Deciding which systems and infrastructure to use for the farm business can be difficult. The Farm System Evaluator (FSE) tool and workshop series help dairy farmers to clarify their goals for farm system change. The result is a measure of their readiness to start project planning and development.
Importantly, the workshops and tool will identify trusted team members needed to progress with the project. Having the right knowledge, skills and competencies to efficiently plan, design and construct the project is essential to successfully grow your business.