Victorian Farmers Federation president David Jochinke says border-based farmers with properties either side of the Murray River have been left in a "world of pain" by revised travel restrictions imposed by the NSW government.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Farmers are fearing for livestock and crops with updated permits preventing Victorian-based producers travelling to their interstate properties outside of the newly created border region.
Tungamah's Nick Lawless has crops planted at a farm near Boree Creek in NSW which have reached a critical stage of their growth, but he is prevented from crossing the border.
"After the permits changed at 4pm on Monday we cannot travel legally between our farms," he said.
"On the new permit I've now got it says I must travel to NSW by aircraft landing at Sydney airport.
"But I need to get to that farm to look at spraying for spring fallow and then won't be able to get a sprayer across to do that work.
"I'm now being told I've got to go to a Victorian airport, get on a plane to Sydney, hire a car in Sydney, travel eight hours to my farm, do what I've got to do, then drive back to Sydney, fly back to Melbourne and drive home.
"It's ridiculous."
Victorian Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes is in urgent talks with her NSW counterpart Adam Marshall to resolve the issue.
"He is obviously concerned from an agricultural perspective about animal welfare and crops," she said.
"He has asked me to collate as many examples as I can so he can have ongoing conversations with (NSW Health).
"Both of us are aiming to get an outcome that avoids this ridiculous situation of requiring people to go to Melbourne, Sydney and then down to their farms.
"He has given me no promises, but he does recognise the severity of the outcomes if we don't come up with a solution."
Mr Jochinke said the situation could be solved with a farmer-only permit category allowing them to travel to and from border properties.
"They just want to be able to go to their property, do what they've got to do and get home again," he said.
"It is not about being given a tourist visa.
"If you are not inside that bubble you are in a world of pain.
"We're hearing loud and clear the frustration.
"Who is responsible for these decisions and who is going to wear the consequences of the inability of farmers to go over the border?
"Even moreso who is going to take charge and fix it?
"If farmers miss that joining, if they aren't there for that calving or not able to put the fungicide on a crop at the right time there is going to be significant financial losses incurred."
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she "can't apologise for putting safety first in NSW and I won't".
"Our first and foremost priority is to stop the spread of the virus in NSW and I don't think anyone would begrudge us for being cautious when people from a highly infectious state are trying to make their way through NSW," she said.