A new policy is targeted at keeping farms in farmers’ hands, with agritourism posed as a new revenue stream to help local farmers stay afloat while drawing visitors to the region. 

The agritourism policy was announced earlier this month and should make it easier to set up agritourism opportunities and reduce red tape. 

Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said new business activities could happen with either faster or no planning approval. 

“We’re making it cheaper and easier for our farmers to diversify their income by starting, running and growing agritourism experiences, such as farm stays, cafes, cellar doors, retreats, roadside stalls, fruit picking and small wedding venues,” Mr Toole said.  



The policy is also said to respond to a steep increase in public interest in where food comes from and how farms work.

According to the Regional Plan for Central West and Orana, agritourism is expected to be a key way to improve the resilience of individual businesses and rural communities. 

The Western Plains Regional Economic Development Strategy also reported that tourism impacts almost every single sector in the local economy, offsetting the reliance on consumption from locals and traditional industries. 

Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders said the policy encourages locals to boost their revenue and future-proof their farms. 

“The last few years have been really tough on farmers as they recover from the drought, bushfires, floods and the pandemic. Reforms like these will help landholders build resilience by providing another source of income,” Mr Saunders said. 

“Whether they’re building a small shop front, hosting events, taking in campers or starting roadside stalls, farmers can choose from a range of opportunities made simpler by this policy change,” he said.  

Across Australia, agritourism is expected to be worth $18.6 billion by 2030. 

Changes to the policy include farm gate premises (where consumers can interact with produce from farms through picking, tastings, workshops etc. with less red tape), landowners being able to rebuild buildings destroyed by natural disasters without planning approval, and more allowances for farm stay accommodations, including camping. 

The new policy capitalises on the growth in domestic travel that has occurred since the beginning of the pandemic, boosting local tourism levels and demands. 

Agritourism businesses already lawfully operating will not be impacted by the reforms. 

The new policy changes will commence on 1 December.