increase font size
Jamie Falloon.
The condition of New Zealand's rivers should never be treated as a political football. Yet in the past two weeks we've seen two blatantly political announcements treating it that way.
One suggestion was to reduce dairy cow numbers by 80%. This would require relocating about four million cows. SPCA would be overwhelmed tackling this challenge.
Social media and talkback radio opinion had the idea coming across as a serious option, with dairy farmers in the firing line. Suggestion arose of a conspiracy between Federated Farmers, Fonterra and the Government.
Absurd! It's like saying NZ has too many people and we need to reduce our population by 50% because humans are harming the environment.
If anyone had bothered googling, they would have seen the 'opinion maker' involved has a history of aggressive sound-bites expressing a disturbing and often moronic hatred of dairy farmers and Federated Farmers.
Meanwhile, the Green Party dropped the second political bombshell (more like an under-inflated pig's stomach) -- perhaps to deflect attention from the party's 'marriage of convenience' to Labour.
It all looks cosy on the outside and might be construed as an advance in MMP politics. But look under the bonnet at the 'pre-nup' and it doesn't look so rosy; it looks akin to getting married at first sight -- especially when we know that one of the nuptial couple has the hots for another man, who typically plays hard to get. You know it will end in tears before the wedding vows, if it means running the country; the Green Party will be jilted at the altar, again for Labour's old ex. But enough already of the wedding gossip.
This latest political clunker was a suggestion that we clean up ten "polluted" rivers -- one of them the Ruamahanga.
Politics again! Only one of the rivers suggested is entirely in an urban area. Fact is urban rivers and streams are the most degraded in the country. But this doesn't attract votes -- making Aucklanders spend billions cleaning up their streams. Much smarter to make others pay where you don't have many votes to lose.
This idea sucks (or is that 'sux'?) by giving the impression nothing is being done in the Ruamahanga and that as a community we don't value it. Urban and rural landowners have done lots to improve the river. Yes, it could happen faster, but someone always has to pay.
Farmers are doing their bit: fencing, effluent storage ponds and managing their land better to reduce effects. All townships in the catchment are now either treating sewage on land where possible or have a plan to stop running sewage to the river; next they will get busy on stormwater.
Wairarapa has so far committed about $150 million to this. Yes, there is plenty more work to do but in a small provincial economy it doesn't get done overnight.
So here's my message to those using our rivers and farming as political footballs: get the facts straight, focus on the positives and get people in behind a reasonable, practicable course of action that will make a difference.
• Jamie Falloon is Federated Farmers Wairarapa provincial president.
OPINION: Recent media commentary from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns among our rural communities, particularly around Environment Southland’s approach to winter grazing inspections and nitrogen reporting. But let’s be clear, much of what’s been said simply doesn’t reflect reality.
OPINION: Environment Canterbury's (ECan) decision recently to declare a so-called “nitrate emergency” is laughable.
A shameless political stunt is how Federated Farmers is describing the Canterbury Regional Council decision to declare “a nitrate emergency” on the back of its latest annual groundwater quality survey.
Federated Farmers say Environment Canterbury's decision to declare a 'nitrate emergency' is a shameless political stunt that won't help anyone.
Farmers want the Government to scrap controversial freshwater rules that "put river spirits and ideology ahead of practical water use", says Federated Farmers board member Mark Hooper.
Acclaimed fruit grower Dean Astill never imagined he would have achieved so much in the years since being named the first Young Horticulturist of the Year, 20 years ago.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
OPINION: Microplastics are turning up just about everywhere in the global food supply, including in fish, cups of tea, and…
OPINION: At a time when dairy prices are at record highs, no one was expecting the world's second largest dairy…
