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IRIS Tasmania  >  Resource Industry  >  Agriculture  >  Supply  >  Agricultural Land

Agricultural Land

Tools:

Maps - Agriculture

DPIW uses the Land Capability Classification System (LCCS) to assess, classify and map land according to its ability to support a range of crops on a long-term sustainable basis. The State Policy on the Protection of Agricultural Land seeks to protect prime agricultural land from conversion to non-agricultural uses. It achieves this by setting constraints as to how prime land can be used. Prime Land is considered to be land that is classified as Class 1, 2 or 3 by the agricultural land classification system.

The evaluation is based on the degree of limitation imposed on that land by a variety of physical factors, which include erosion, soils, wetness and climate. Land is evaluated on the basis of a range of potential crops, productivity, ease of management and risk of degradation. Only broad acre agricultural crops and pastoral activities are considered, and only where they occur on private freehold and leased Crown land.

In general, while there is a small amount of prime agricultural land in Tasmania there is a large area of Class 4 land that can be used for irrigated cropping if correctly managed. The availability of suitable land is not considered to be a major constraint to expansion in agricultural output at this time. However the availability of irrigation water could restrict future agricultural development. This issue is being addressed through a number of initiatives being undertaken by DPIW.