A local fruit picking farm is at risk of being shut down by the State government.

Pine Crest Orchard farm in Bilpin, are facing proposed rules that want to limit the number of visitors per day to 50 for their ‘Pick Your Own’ area.

Adding on, the restrictions only want the farm to be open 10 days a year.

Farms that are smaller than 25 hectares won’t be allowed to operate also.

Local Farmer John Galbraith told Jim Wilson, no officials have approached farmers personally about the planned changes.

“We didn’t know this and nobody I spoke to knows about this,” John said.

“You can’t make a general law and apply it to every part of New South Wales!”

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 Department of Planning and Environment statement:

“We want to make it easier for farmers to diversify their income by setting up small-scale low-impact tourism businesses on their farms without the need for a development application, which is currently required.

“We are continuing to work through the policy with councils and affected businesses, to make sure we can balance the potential impacts on neighbours and roads, with the ability for individual farms to diversify their operations.

The reforms will only proceed if they make it easier to allow pick your own fruit activities.”