Editorial: War's over
OPINION: In recent years farmers have been crying foul of unworkable and expensive regulations.
New Labour leader Jacinda Ardern says her party will slap a royalty on water usage if elected next month.
Ardern says the royalty on the commercial consumption of water will assist with the cost of keeping our water clean.
“The royalty will be flexible to reflect the scarcity or abundance of water in different regions, the different quality of water, and its use. Royalty levels will be set following consultation and the revenue will largely be returned to regional councils.
“To help set the royalty, in my first hundred days, I’ll host a roundtable on water at Parliament, with all affected sectors. I will not set a rate until I have met with those who will be affected; this is an issue that we must tackle together.”
Farmers say Ardern’s statement is a worry.
Federated Farmers water spokesperson Chris Allen says consultation is welcome "but talking won’t allay the fears of farmers of where this could go".
The Federation remained opposed to any royalty on irrigation water, especially when it remains unclear what purpose it would serve, other than adding another tax.
"At least Labour appears now to be proceeding with caution, recognising the considerable risks. They’ve promised that if they are part of a new government, deciding the levels of any royalty on commercial use of water will be preceded by consultation."
Labour’s Coalition partner, the Greens have floated a 10c/litre water charge.
Allen says the 10c a litre figure some had bandied around would bankrupt farmers and cripple our export competitiveness and regional economies.
“Even one thousandth of that figure, if that's a level Labour has in mind, would be "eye-watering" given the volume of consumptive water use.
"With any royalty, farmers and growers would have little choice but to pass on the extra cost, if they could, meaning New Zealand consumers would pay more for food, and our products would be at a disadvantage against imports."
Farmers recognised some positives in the Labour policy announcements. They would applaud that riparian planting would qualify for carbon credits under the Emissions Trading Scheme, "but we hope this is not a hint of a policy announcement to come on including animal emissions in the ETS".
In a win for rural advocacy groups, New Zealand’s five largest banks have agreed to keep regional branches open for three more years.
It’s World Milk Day today (June 1), a time to celebrate the vital role that milk, and dairy products play in our lives and acknowledge the tremendous contributions of the New Zealand dairy sector.
A Waikato accountant says dairy farmers putting together their budget for 2025 won’t have much to cheer for even with an $8/kgMS forecast milk price.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says the Coalition Government’s first budget unveiled yesterday has no frills or surprises.
In the rural landscapes of New Zealand and Ireland, a shared agricultural heritage thrives, built on a strong mixture of tradition and innovation, with mirror image climates earning both countries global acclaim for their food quality and sustainable agriculture.
The National Fieldays brings together farmers, innovators, industry leaders, and rural enthusiasts.