Closing regional lines will delay getting food from paddock to plate, NSW Farmers has warned the state government.

Under draft NSW Freight Policy reforms, a number of key country rail lines across the state could be closed for good, forcing millions of metric tonnes of grain to be transported by road each year.

NSW Farmers Business Economics and Trade Chair John Lowe said with the state’s agricultural production only set to increase, the need for better rail freight had never been more pressing.

“Efficient, connected freight rail networks are what farmers need to get their world-class food off farm and into market, and we should be upgrading our rail lines, not shutting them down,” Mr Lowe said. 

“Switching just 1 per cent of our nation’s freight to rail would slash costs in accidents and emissions by over $70 million dollars a year. 

“Using more trucks for freight will only mean more traffic, more hazards, and more wear and tear on our roads – and don’t forget trucks emit 16 times the GHG emissions that trains do.”

Mr Lowe said upgrades to regional rail lines and improved planning for connections into the Inland Rail would deliver far greater benefits to the agricultural supply chain than the proposed rail closures.

“Increasing the weight carrying capacity of all regional rail lines and properly planning the smaller lines we need to connect farms to ports is essential, so we can have the infrastructure we need to continue to grow production,” Mr Lowe said. 

“While more trucks aren’t the solution to our transport woes, a better funding model for roads and bridges would certainly also go a long way to repairing past damage and ensuring freight that does travel via road can do so safely.

“Safe, smart and sustainable infrastructure is what our supply chains need, if we want to get on the fast track to success here in NSW.”