increase font size
Environment Minister David Parker.
The Government has announced a $700 million fund to support the primary sector and other groups in meeting new clean water standards.
The package will go towards jobs in riparian and wetland planting, removing sediments and other initiatives to help prevent farm run off entering waterways.
The package isn’t without conditions however, with the Government also announcing that it will be setting stricter controls on nitrogen pollution and new bottom lines on other measures of waterway health, as well as putting controls on higher-risk farm practices such as winter grazing and feed lots.
The Government will also be requiring mandatory and enforceable farm environment plans.
“Our environmental reputation is the thing that underpins our biggest export earners - tourism and agriculture. It’s time for us to invest in cleaning up our water in order to protect the economic value add it brings,” says Environment Minister David Parker.
Parker says years of political inaction have led to many of the country’s rivers, lakes and wetlands now being under serious threat.
The package isn’t just targeting rural water, with the funding also targeting urban waterways for cleaning up and adding new protections for urban streams.
 |
|---|
|
The fund will also target urban waterways. |
Parker says if work isn’t being done on water quality now, the problem is only going to become worse and more expensive to fix.
“Cleaning our waterways will secure the future of our meat, dairy and other primary exports and ensure they continue to earn higher prices overseas. It makes both economic and environmental sense,” says Parker.
“We know the primary sector is facing challenges in the wake of COVID-19 so the Government has reduced the cost and impact on them, including putting up $700 million in funding to help with clean-up efforts, but without compromising environmental benefits,”
 |
|---|
|
Damien O’Connor. |
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says the package will help to increase the value of New Zealand’s primary exports.
“Our high-value overseas consumers want greater assurances that the food and fibre they buy is produced in a sustainable way. Clean water and sustainable farming is entwined with the economic success of the sector, it isn’t one or the other,” says O’Connor.
“All farmers in New Zealand appreciate the value of high quality water and many have done a huge amount of work to improve their practices over the last 20 years or more. Many are leading the way in restoring our waterways.
“Work undertaken to date estimates 80% of dairy farmers won’t be affected by the cap on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser.
“Cleaning up our waterways is also job rich and will provide much needed stimulus to our rural economy.
“We intend to deliver this through already established and proven catchment management groups with initial funding announcements to be made soon,” say O’Connor.
Today marks the first day of operations for Waikato Waters, a new council-controlled organisation established by six district councils to deliver water and wastewater services for their communities.
A miserable budget that didn’t deliver much for anyone.
OPINION: New economic modelling confirms what many of us in Hawke's Bay have long understood - getting water security right for this region is one of the most important decisions we face as a community. Not just for farmers, but for everyone who lives, works and builds a future here.
With six months until the election, Federated Farmers says the Government is running out of time to deliver its long-promised reform to the country's freshwater system.
National's decision to ‘dribble’ information about the NZ/India to Labour contributed to the delay in it deciding to supported the FTA.
Improving health and safety is about incremental gain rather than a sudden decision, says Leeston farmer and Federated Farmers health and safety spokesman David Birkett.
OPINION: Alistair Carmichael raises some interesting questions about striking a balance between profitability in farming and preserving the character of rural communities.
Ploughing champions Mark Dillon and Malcolm Taylor earned the right to represent the country at the World Ploughing Championships in Osijek, Croatia, on 5 and 6 September, after winning their titles at the New Zealand Ploughing Championships in Middlemarch in 2025.
The man appointed to lead Gallagher's global Animal Management business through the next stage of growth believes the wearables boom is here.
Horowhenua organic dairy farmers Ange and Wayne Moxham have taken their business to a new level.
Federated Farmers' new vice president Sandra Faulkner says the issue of adverse events emergency management and infrastructure needs to be taken out of the three-year political cycle.
A fair question has been raised about how member-funded organisations should conduct themselves when taking a public position on any…
OPINION: It really is getting harder to lampoon government bureaucrats when they do such a good job of it themselves.…
