Welcome to the Australian Local Food System Policy Database. This is a collection of policies from New South Wales (NSW) and Victorian local governments that relate to healthy, sustainable, and equitable food systems.
For further information about using the database and how it was created see How to use the database. You can search the database by using the fields below. Domain refers to eight broad categories under which various topics are situated. The domains and topics are based on a framework of recommendations for local government action on creating a healthy, sustainable, and equitable food system (also located on the ‘How to use the database’ page linked above).
To cite the database: Reeve B, Carrad A, Rose N, Charlton K & Aguirre-Bielschowsky I (2021) Australian Local Food System Policy Database. Available at: https://law-food-systems.sydney.edu.au/policy-database (access date).
Suggested search terms
Hold Ctrl to select multiple terms. Using ‘any words’ functions as an “OR” search. Using ‘all words’ functions as and “AND” search.
Search Criteria:
| Document title | Relevant text in the policy | Domain | Topic | State | Local Government name | Council type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community & Council Plan | Provide community initiatives that promote healthy eating and community connectedness. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Community & Council Plan | % fully breastfed infants at six months of age | Health and Wellbeing | Breastfeeding | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Community & Council Plan | Educate the community through the provision of information, monitoring, surveillance, and enforcement that supports controlling the spread of infectious disease, including food-borne disease. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Community & Council Plan | Improvement in the quality of food services in Knox | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Community & Council Plan | The time take to action food complaints | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| COMMUNITY AMENITY AND MUNICIPAL PLACES | Keeping of animals and birds | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | Victoria | Hepburn | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AMENITY LOCAL LAW | The following animals and the maximum number permitted are allowed to be kept in residential zones | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | Victoria | Surf Coast | Regional |
| Community Amenity Local Law (2015) | Unless permitted under a Planning Scheme applicable to the land, a person must not, without a permit, keep or allow to be kept on land any | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | Victoria | Wyndham | Metropolitan |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | 13.1 Themes and Guiding Principles for a Sustainable Community The following key themes and principles have been developed in response to a review of the issues impacting the community and the need to strengthen the resilience of the community and secure continued community sustainability. They centre on the critical areas impacting community sustainability being economic prosperity, ecological integrity and community capacity. (These themes were originally canvassed in the draft Issues Paper presented to the Project Steering Committee in December 2009). The key themes derived are listed in no particular order: 1. Protection and advancement of agriculture; | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | Future Direction The vision for agriculture in 2040 for the Hay LGA is that of a productive and sustainable industry, which has been a key driver since white settlement. Features of this future agricultural industry include: ÓÇÉ ÓÇÉ ÓÇÉ ÓÇÉ Diversity; Efficiency; Resilience; and Adaptivity. Agriculture in the Hay LGA has a history of prosperity and resilience and will need to continue to adapt to challenges and opportunities that include: ÓÇÉ ÓÇÉ ÓÇÉ ÓÇÉ Drought; Climate change; Markets; and Changing technology. | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | Future Direction Opportunities exist within the villages to capture growth through tourism associated with heritage values and eco-tourism opportunities. Affordable housing opportunities should be promoted and investment in urban infrastructure facilitated for community revitalisation and capacity. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | Opportunities for affordable housing will be promoted especially within villages | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | Opportunities for affordable housing within urban areas as well as opportunities for seniors housing. Seniors housing should be provided close to the existing Hay Hospital on land to the east or southeast in any urban expansion zone. Any land developed for this purpose should be protected from flooding up to the PMF event; | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | Options for seniors’ housing will be provided to facilitate Hay hospital as a potential multipurpose facility and to provide both affordable and lifestyle accommodation opportunities; | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | 13.1.1 Protection and Advancement of Agriculture Land use planning will allow for the development of systems and processes that facilitate primary production and protect agricultural production assets including land, water and biological resources, and which provide opportunities for agricultural diversification; Land use planning will consider the resilience of the farming community and the peaks and troughs associated with agricultural production systems; and Land use planning will consider the impact and influence that agriculture has on local development activities, its unpredictable nature and its rapid response rate to climatic and market forces. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | A 600ha minimum lot size will facilitate economic development via the entry of new industries such as intensive animal production providing sufficient land for infrastructure with provision for buffers, but not being so large as to prohibit such operations establishing in the LGA. While this Strategy recommends 600ha as a minimum lot size in the pastoral zone which should be implemented through Council’s new LEP, it is recommended that Council monitor and review the impact of this changed minimum lot size. This review should consider the objectives of the various Rural Planning Policies and the impact that the proposed 600ha minimum lot size has had on agriculture in Hay since introduction. This review should be conducted within a 5–10 year time frame after the gazettal of the new Standard Instrument LEP. This Strategy, Rural Lands Analysis and recommendations for minimum lot size are consistent with the Rural Subdivision Principles and Rural Planning Principles of the Rural Land SEPP as shown below. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | It is the adaptive nature of agriculture which underpins its sustainability in a challenging environment. The key resources of agriculture historically, today and in 2040 will remain land, water and climate. These resources are recently available in the Hay LGA and provide the necessary base for a productive and sustainable agricultural industry. The protection of land and water resources for agriculture is an imperative for the planning process. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | Rural lands have a range of social, economic and environmental values, including agriculture, extractive resources, water resources, environmental services, tourism, housing, conservation, landscape values and sustaining rural communities. The Strategy identifies the key assets and resources of the community and puts forward a strategic planning framework based on a balanced approach for the optimisation of community values to facilitate community sustainability in the future. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | The primary planning tool, to protect agriculture via the minimisation of fragmentation and land use conflict, is minimum lot size. The minimum lot size sets the standard for the minimum area upon which a new dwelling may be erected or the minimum lot size that can be created via subdivision. The minimum lot size aims to limit speculative and lifestyle development in prime agricultural areas, whilst not constraining agriculture’s growth or development. The recommended minimum lot size for the Hay LEP with accompanying reasoning is detailed in Section 14.4.1. 14.4.1 Minimum Lot Size Section 8.9 of this report identifies that the minimum size of a commercial farm as: Pastoral Farm Broadacre Irrigation Farm Horticulture Farm – – – 5,750ha; 600ha; 90ha. The derivation of these numbers is provided in Annexure 12. The Holdings Analysis detailed in Section 8.7 indicated that 41% of holdings comprised farm sizes of 5,000ha or greater which covered 89% of the LGA. Therefore the majority of the LGA is held in holdings of 5,000ha or greater. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | The Strategy recognises the significance of rural land uses to the Hay LGA and recommends the protection of agricultural resources through land use zoning. The Strategy identifies the need for planned housing opportunities that do not conflict or undermine rural land use activities. Land use planning should facilitate and assist those engaged in agriculture to adapt their farming practices to cope with changing conditions, including facilitating irrigation and intensification of systems. The Strategy recognises that for agricultural industries to grow and prosper into the future there needs to be economies of scale and opportunities to diversify. The Strategy recommendations in respect to rural planning, minimum lot size and rural dwellings attempt to facilitate and provide opportunities for the development of agriculture. Without any development the agricultural sector will not be able to grow and expansion and investment opportunities are curtailed. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | This report recommends two future minimum lot sizes for subdivision with a dwelling entitlement in Hay LGA. For productive agricultural land within 15km of the Hay urban centre, 90ha is the recommended minimum area for subdivision with a dwelling right and 600ha is the recommended minimum area outside these areas, being the majority of the LGA. (This minimum lot size should be reviewed in 5-10 years after implementation to ensure the objectives for the protection and management of rural land are being achieved). Currently small lot primary production is carried out in the Hay PID area and no change to the minimum lot size of 2.0ha is recommended in this area. This minimum lot size should also be applied to the area recommended for similar rezoning east of urban Hay bounded by the Murrumbidgee River. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| COMMUNITY AND SETTLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY | This Strategy recognises planning for rural land use activity, needs to be flexible and farm adjustment facilitated to enable rural producers to cope in changing cyclic conditions including different seasonal and global conditions. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Hay | Regional |
| Community Early Years Plan 2017 – 2021 | Delivered of a program within school and kindergarten settings designed to teach children about waste reduction, energy and water saving techniques and compost recycling. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Wellington | Regional |
| Community Early Years Plan 2017 – 2021 | Delivered of a program within school and kindergarten settings designed to teach children about waste reduction, energy and water saving techniques and compost recycling. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Wellington | Regional |
| Community Early Years Plan 2017 – 2021 | Delivered of a program within school and kindergarten settings designed to teach children about waste reduction, energy and water saving techniques and compost recycling. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Wellington | Regional |
| COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY | 5. FOCUS AREAS 5.1 Industry sectors and activities which foster the prosperity of the Shire through sustainable job creation while in keeping with Council’s environmental and cultural ethos, including: a) Agriculture and food | Economic Development | Food related job creation | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY | 1.1 The purpose of the Community Economic Development Policy is to clearly demonstrate Council’s commitment to a next-generation sustainable economy that: a) encourages the use of locally-grown, manufactured or value added products; | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY | 5. FOCUS AREAS 5.1 Industry sectors and activities which foster the prosperity of the Shire through sustainable job creation while in keeping with Council’s environmental and cultural ethos, including: a) Agriculture and food | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Community Engagement Strategy | Collaborate • Briagolong Town Tree Plan • Sale Livestock Exchange refurbishment | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | Victoria | Wellington | Regional |
| Community Engagement Strategy | Collaborate • Briagolong Town Tree Plan • Sale Livestock Exchange refurbishment | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Wellington | Regional |