$3 million boost for catchment improvements

MPI announced today that it is providing an extra $3 million to the New Zealand Landcare Trust to improve New Zealand’s waterways and promote sustainable management practices. 

The funding from the Productive and Sustainable Land Use Programme will help the NZ Landcare Trust to employ up to seven new staff, to provide services across the country to clean up waterways and promote more sustainable practices.

“This new funding will increase the trust’s national coverage and enable them to employ a new team of regional coordinators to work with the farming community to integrate sustainable land and water management practices into their farming systems," says MPI’s deputy director-general agricultural and investment services, Karen Adair.

The new funding continues the Government’s support to farmers and others to help them make environmental and freshwater improvements.  

“The assistance from the government to support both economically and environmentally sustainable farming practices is very encouraging and a strong endorsement of our work with the primary sector,” says the trust’s chief executive, Dr Nick Edgar. 

“This is a critical time for farmers to up their game and have a lasting positive impact on our freshwater ecosystems. The funding will effectively double the Trust’s on-ground network of regional coordinators supporting farmers across New Zealand,'' says Edgar.

Adair says New Zealand's food and fibre products were in demand globally because of their high quality and our strong farming and growing credentials.

“Producing and exporting high-value products will be vital to New Zealand’s recovery from COVID. By putting more resources into helping our farmers and growers to integrate more sustainable practices, we can clean up our waterways, and also create jobs and boost our agriculture export and tourism offerings.”