Regions
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Agriculture is a key industry for the Far West economically and for the unique scenic qualities of the rural lands where agriculture is undertaken.
The Far West lies in semi-arid rangelands in western NSW, generally west of the 500mm average annual rainfall limit. Agriculture is based on extensive grazing on predominantly native pastures and cropping on appropriate land on the western and southern margins. Some irrigated agriculture occurs where there is access to surface water from the major rivers in the region. Opportunistic cropping can occur on ephemeral lake beds where conditions are conducive. The livestock industry is a very significant part of the regional agricultural economy. Wool and sheep and lamb are the dominant industries. The goat industry capitalises on a formerly ‘pest’ species in the Far West and has grown over the last eight years. Goat meat production is a growing industry in the Far West. More than 95% of goat meat in Australia is exported, with NSW significantly contributing to the processing in other states and national export. The grazing pressure of livestock and other pressures from non- domestic grazing animals (kangaroos, goats, rabbits) contributes to stock density and vegetation management issues. |