increase font size
Federated Farmers North Canterbury president Cam Henderson.
The new National Environment Standard (NES) for Freshwater could derail the progress already made on improving water quality in Canterbury, claim Federated Farmers regional presidents.
"The new regulations coming in over the top of what Environment Canterbury already has in place will waste farmers’ time and ratepayers’ money," says Federated Farmers North Canterbury president Cam Henderson, who was also speaking on behalf of David Clark (Mid Canterbury), Jason Grant (South Canterbury) and Jared Ross (North Otago).
The new NES rules include limits on land use intensification, set controls on intensive winter grazing, and limits the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser.
Federated Farmers says it has been consistently raising issues with the workability of the regulations. The organisation’s Southland province went as far as calling for a boycott on consents related to winter grazing.
"We agree that a number of the new rules are not workable. But more than that, in Canterbury the NES is simply not needed. Not because we don’t have intensive farming but because our current regional plan already deals with improving water quality in a much more targeted and effective way," says Henderson.
The plan already contains provisions to control land use intensification and ensure good management practices are adhered to for all farm types, including for intensive winter grazing. All forms of nitrogen fertiliser, not just synthetic, are accounted for.
Furthermore, the regional plan requires all intensive farms to hold a resource consent to farm. One consent condition is for a personalised and independently audited farm environment plan.
‘’Canterbury farmers and the regional council have contributed years of work and considerable financial investment to implement the plan and drive real change on farm that will lead to improved water quality over time," says Henderson.
Federated Farmers says the new national standard uses different rules to the current regional plan, which means many farmers will likely need to reapply for their consents and rewrite their farm plans, which will then require re-auditing.
‘’We are talking years of council work to reassess farms. That means more staff and ratepayer funding and extra time and money from farmers too - all to end up where we started. And in the meantime, action on improving freshwater quality stands still.
‘’This time and resource would be better spent on continuing to help farmers implement their current plans, and further developing the regional plan to be even more effective."
The Canterbury Federated Farmers presidents will be writing to Environment Minister David Parker claiming the new freshwater standard is being met by the current regional plan.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
Federated Farmers says the final report into banking competition is a significant step forward for rural New Zealand - and a vindication of the farming sector's concern.
Farmer lobby group Federated Farmers has announced it is supporting a new Member’s Bill which it says could bring clarity to New Zealand farmers and save millions in legal costs.
Federated Farmers says climate protest group Greenpeace is manufacturing outrage and attempting to scare New Zealanders with headlines that have no basis in science.
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.
DairyNZ says its plantain programme continues to deliver promising results, with new data confirming that modest levels of plantain in pastures reduce nitrogen leaching, offering farmers a practical, science-backed tool to meet environmental goals.
'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.
