Government's New Planning System, PC1 'Won't Mesh Together Well'
Waikato farmers have been told that the Government’s new planning system legislation and the region’s Plan Change 1 (PC1) “won’t mesh together very well”.
Federated Farmers president Katie Milne says it's agriculture’s time to shine by stepping up now “when the country needs us more than ever”.
As the country moves towards the highest alert level in the fight against coronavirus, Milne says the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has made sure that agriculture is “all in” as essential services.
Now the farming sector has to step up and function under strict distancing policies on farm “so we are safe while we continue producing food”, she adds.
“As we are in a biological system where the seasons don’t wait things need to keep happening in line with seasonal requirements,” she told Rural News.
She warns these are strict times and only “work” can be done.
“No gallivanting off socially - we are expected to observe lockdown rules after work just like the rest of our communities.
“None of us has the right to flaunt this as it could put the health of others at risk.”
Milne says a lot of work still needs to be done to iron out finer details with Ministry of Primary Industries around the current situation.
“Everyone is working well together on this to get it right.”
New Zealand dairy farmers are set to be the first in the world to receive access to a new digital physical milk pricing tool that enables them to fix the price for their physical milk.
State farmer Pāmu is opening its farm gates this summer in an effort to give the rural sector the opportunity to see how large-scale, multi-system farming is delivering productivity and profitability across New Zealand.
A five-year study has found that the cost of reducing emissions without technology may be significant and unsustainable for Northland dairy farmers.
DairyNZ says Waikato farmers need certainty on Plan Change 1, but they say that certainty must be matched with practical, workable rules and a clear transition that doesn't get ahead of the new resource management system currently under review.
While the Government has moved quickly to make commercial hauliers' lot easier during the current fuel crisis, they appear to be stuck in the creep box when it comes to the agricultural industry.
Waikato farmers have been told that the Government’s new planning system legislation and the region’s Plan Change 1 (PC1) “won’t mesh together very well”.

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