National Pest Management Plan for TB seeks feedback
As an independent review of the National Pest Management Plan for TB finds the goal of complete eradication by 2055 is still valide, feedback is being sought on how to finish the job.
DairyNZ says it’s backing changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA).
DairyNZ wants it to deliver reduced compliance costs for farmers, increase efficiency and improve environmental outcomes.
Chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says a comprehensive reform of the RMA is long overdue and would be a positive step not only for farmers but all New Zealanders.
“The RMA has become too unpredictable and inefficient for applicants. Farmers will be keen to see this reform deliver a process which is faster, simpler and less costly,” he says.
But unlike Federated Farmers, Mackle believes that potentially replacing the RMA with two separate pieces of legislation for environment and planning makes a lot of sense. He says it will deliver better outcomes for farm environments, which face different issues than our urban counterparts and believes that a separate environment act would also support clear and efficient environmental rule settings.
“The proposal for each region to put forward a combined development plan has some merit. A regional view could support better decision-making on issues such as the appropriate use of land to lock up carbon and the opportunities to support land use flexibility through new irrigation,” he says.
Mackle says DairyNZ wants all political parties to reflect seriously on these recommendations and to work quickly on achieving meaningful reform in the next term of Parliament.
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
Balclutha farmer Renae Martin remembers the moment she fell in love with cows.
Academic freedom is a privilege and it's put at risk when people abuse it.
All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.
Claims that some Southland farmers were invoiced up to $4000 for winter grazing compliance checks despite not breaching rules are being rejected by Environment Southland.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.