NSW Farmers members in the Hunter Valley have invited Sydney-based public servants to see firsthand the impact of the Hunter Water Sharing Plan.
In a submission to the state government, NSW Farmers Hunter Branch said members were "wholly unhappy" and an in-person meeting was crucial to achieving a good outcome as it would be "considerably more informative than a 'desktop audit' which is the current approach of the departmental staff".
As it stands, the Hunter Water Sharing Plan has put in place a 'cease to take' rule that will not help the environment, but will hurt farmers. Local NSW Farmers member Stephen Osborn said decision makers should come and see what's really going on in the valley, so they can better understand the impact of these rules.
"A lot of natural flows actually happen underground, away from the measuring points that could trigger these rules," Mr Osborn said.
"That means it is very likely we get ordered to stop watering and let our crops wither simply because the authorities are looking in the wrong place.
"I'm very hopeful they can come visit like they did with our members on the Central Coast, and come up with some common sense decisions that are good for the environment and our farm businesses."
NSW Farmers is actively working to mediate a solution from the NSW Government that will deliver good outcomes for farmers and the environment alike.
