Moree and the wider New England North West area are set for a period of heightened economic growth driven by increasing international demand for the region’s high quality agricultural products.
Moree Plains sits in the New England North West region, which produces more than $2 billion in agricultural commodities each year.
The continuing growth in demand for agricultural commodities is a golden opportunity for Moree, and the surrounding region, to capitalise on changing international food consumption trends to access highly-profitable global agribusiness markets.
Expanding the region’s intensive agriculture and food processing sectors will help strengthen the agribusiness sector.
A stronger agribusiness sector will provide local job opportunities to offset the challenges associated with agricultural restructuring, in addition to the region’s productivity and export competitiveness.
Fostering agricultural and food processing growth will require a strategic approach.
In particular, intensive agriculture and food processing activities need to be appropriately located and designed so potential future land use conflicts are avoided.
A more strategic approach will strike a balance that limits land use conflict for sensitive land uses while also securing opportunities for long-term viability and the expansion of intensive agriculture and food processing activities.
To respond to this challenge, the Department of Planning and Environment is preparing a blueprint to maximise agribusiness opportunities for Moree and the New England North West region’s rich natural resources now and into the future.
A new Regional Intensive Agribusiness study will be prepared to assist councils in supporting and growing the agricultural sector.
The regional plan recognises the important role intensive agriculture and food processing will play in creating a more diverse and dynamic agricultural sector.
By supporting the growth of agribusiness, we will in turn increase productivity and export competitiveness.
I share the community’s optimism in what can be achieved in the New England North West region with an expanded agribusiness sector.
Success in this sector will help drive further investment in our region’s other significant projects, such as intensive horticulture, solar farms, wind farms and the proposed Inland Rail line.
- Visit www.planning.nsw.gov.au for details on the department’s initiatives.