Farmers have celebrated the news that virtual fencing has been legalised for cattle in NSW.
On Thursday, the NSW Government introduced a new regulation to enable the use of technology, marking an exciting step forward for beef and dairy farmers across the state.
“This technology has been a game changer not just in other parts of Australia, but around the globe, and it’s high time we got on board,” NSW Farmers’ Animal Welfare Committee Chair Rob McIntosh said.
“This technology gives us the flexibility we’ve never had before – we can graze and move stock without building kilometres of fences and laneways, and we can also easily move these virtual fences to help manage our livestock and our land.
“From reducing ongoing fencing and maintenance costs to protecting biodiversity, limiting stock handling, and increasing monitoring and grazing accuracy, the benefits of this technology are endless – and we can’t wait to start using it.”
Mr McIntosh said it was positive to see the Minns Government had created practical, state-specific settings to guide the use of the technology in NSW, following strong advocacy from the state’s peak farm body.
“The rules had to reflect the needs of producers, and it’s great to see our government listen to us on this,” Mr McIntosh said.
“This new technology provides a whole new tool to innovate and improve productivity on farm – and we’re so excited to use it to help feed the future.”
