A new initiative has started to help farmers of smaller enterprises continue to be viable during COVID-19 restrictions.
Greater Sydney Local Land Services has launched a series of online resources to support small farmers during self-isolation.
The Big Shift for Small Farms podcast and 'From the Ground Up - marketing fundamentals' video series include a broad range of expert advice and information for growers and producers running a variety of business from industry experts and their farming peers.
Greater Sydney Land Services manager Vanessa Keyzer said the resources formed part of a major project designed to help the growing number of small-scale farmers in the Sydney basin and other hot spot areas in NSW.
"It's a trend we have been seeing for years as the population grows with the urban sprawl, a range of smaller scale producers have emerged from direct to market vegetable growers to mobile butchers with abattoirs on wheels," she said.
"It is a tough time for our agricultural industry which has experienced drought, fires and floods.
"We want to do everything we can to ensure our farmers feel supported and still have access to expert advice, information and assistance."
The Big Shift for Small Farms' podcast is 10-part series produced by the Grow Love Project dedicated to helping small scale farmers and covering a range of topics from soil health to mental health and everything in between.
The marketing video series features expert tips and technical, practical advice on the fundamentals of marketing and how to develop your own marketing plan.
"Each episode features a variety of farmers and industry experts with direct experience and real-life stories on the topic in question," Ms Keyzer said.
"This was originally run as an interactive two-day workshop which we've now packaged up into a three-part video series and workbook which farmers can access."
You not only get direct access to a marketing expert, but you get to hear from farmers and key agricultural players across the state about their experiences and what they've learnt along the way.
- Vanessa Keyzer, Greater Sydney Land Services manager
The project has been developed by Greater Sydney Local Land Services through funding from the Australian government's National Landcare Program.
- Download the podcast from your usual provider, or visit: www.anchor.fm/the-big-shift and follow this link to view the video series.