increase font size
Federated Farmers has joined the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord – and at the same time issued a plea to the media.
"I would like to make a special plea to the media on behalf of farmers," says the Feds' Dairy chairperson. "That is for media to invest time to understand what modern dairying is and more importantly, what it is not."
But Leferink also says dairy farmers know they must lift their game on water quality, and farming sustainably is the way ahead – but facts not slogans are needed in the public domain.
"Federated Farmers will make it possible for the media to get on-farm. I know the science of what we do can be hard for the media to portray, let alone when consents, polices and systems are added to the mix....
"That extends to water science where our industry-good body, DairyNZ, is doing fantastic work in 14 catchments. Having met some of their water quality scientists the calibre of talent they have is truly impressive. While water quality scientists, they are also true communicators.
"With water, we need to realise there is no 'one shoe fits all' solution. Each catchment faces different issues demanding different solutions to those issues. We know in Rotorua that the formula, Councils+Farmers+Community = Results, works."
Leferink says the Feds are proud to join the dairy industry's collective effort, the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord, to lift dairying's overall freshwater performance. It forms part of a cogent strategy that could see dairying double its export value by 2025.
"Federated Farmers' signature on the new water accord is the individual farmer's commitment to do all we can to protect the water quality in our streams and rivers," says Leferink.
"As dairy farmers we have to lift our game on water quality. If we want to meet the aspirations we have as an industry. If we want to meet government expectations and earn the respect of the wider community, then farming sustainably is the way ahead.
"As Federated Farmers we know that success won't be measured by our leading farmers or even those in the peloton. It will hinge on how we can successfully lift the farming and environmental performance of our lower performing farmers.
"Those two go hand-in-hand because livestock thrive only with good quality water."
However Leferink says it is not all down to the dairy farmers. "To succeed we need a joined-up effort made up of councils, dairy companies, fertiliser companies in concert with local businesses and local communities."
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.
Like many manufacturers around the world, European agricultural machinery and tractor manufacturers are currently operating in a difficult market environment. But they are heading to the world’s largest agricultural machinery event in Hanover next month with a degree of cautious optimism.
Established in 2021, the John Deere Technician of the Year Awards champion the important contribution parts and service technicians make to the Australian and New Zealand agriculture, construction and forestry industries.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.
New Zealand is closer to eradicating bovine TB than ever before, but possums remain a threat, says Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.
The ACT Party says media reports that global dairy giant Nestle has withdrawn from the Dairy Methane Action Alliance shows why New Zealand needs to rethink its approach to climate.
OPINION: Dairy industry players are also falling by the wayside as the economic downturn bites around the country.
OPINION: Methane Science Accord, a farmer-led organisation advocating for zero tax on ruminant methane, will be quietly celebrating its first…
