AS THE decision nears on the future of two mining projects - Anglo American's application to extend its Drayton South coal mine toward the Darley and Coolmore studs, and Cockatoo Coal's project in the Bylong Valley - the State government's commitment to protecting agricultural land will be tested.
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The outcome will be a day of reckoning of sorts, given policies to protect prime agricultural land are in place, but are yet to prove effective in practice.
The government is touting its reformed regulations as a solution to the increasing competition between the resources and farm sectors, having finalised its agenda in January by signing off on the mapping of NSW's prime agricultural land.
The "reforms struck the right balance for communities and industry", said a joint press release from the Ministers for Planning and Resources and Energy and Nationals leader and Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner.
Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson was conspicuous in her absence from the announcement.
Ms Hodgkinson's sideline role mirrors a prevalent perception that the Coalition's new regulations leave the door ajar for a rampant resources sector to move in on productive country.
The Gateway process was established as a key measure to manage competing land uses.
It's an expert panel to assess mining or coal seam gas development on the 2.8 million hectares of land zoned as prime for agriculture - dubbed biophysical strategic agricultural land (BSAL) by the bureaucracy.
However, the panel provides advice only, making recommendations to the Planning and Assessment Commission (PAC).
NSW Farmers president Fiona Simson pointed out gaps in the advice.
"Some of our most important agricultural land has been mapped as strategic, but the maps wholly ignore many areas all together, such as the Riverina," Mrs Simson said.
"The mapping provides no absolute protections.
"Our stronger criticism remains with the flawed Gateway assessment, which is unable to stop inappropriate development.
"We see exclusion zones for urban communities and not farm residences (and) exclusion zones for select industries."
Policies to protect agricultural land will come to the crunch when two key determinations are made.
The Gateway panel recommended against Anglo American's application to extend its Drayton South coal mine toward the Darley and Coolmore studs.
The two industries are incompatible, the PAC said. It is yet to finalise its determination.
The same process will be replicated when the panel assesses the agricultural impact of Cockatoo Coal's project in the Bylong Valley.
Mike Foley
Senior journalist for The Land.
Senior journalist for The Land.
