Friday, 16 November 2012 13:13

Fonterra welcomes LAWF report

Written by 

Fonterra has welcomed the third report of the Land and Water Forum and its goal of a "fair efficient and accountable" framework for deciding freshwater objectives.

 

"The report recommends a much improved framework for the sustainable management of water which also takes into account the need for the productivity and economic growth which is so important to New Zealand's future," said Fonterra's managing director, cooperative Affairs, Todd Muller.

"We support the goals of combined decision making in catchments and continued improvement in water quality through better management practices. We also support the establishment of better defined rights around the taking and using of water within set limits."

Muller says Fonterra has valued being a member of the Land and Water Forum, which has enabled good working relationships to be established across a very diverse group of stakeholders.

"LAWF has done well to bring many different parties from all viewpoints around the table. It has been a challenging process at times, but the effort has been worth it and we remain committed to this sort of collaborative approach."

Fonterra supported the concept of land and water management being linked at regional catchment level, guided by national objectives. It was pleased to see the principles laid out in the reported for audited self-management as an alternative to regulation. This would still see progress made towards water quality goals.

"We also support the Forum's view that there was room for improvement in catchment-based regional planning, particularly processes which traditionally floated draft plans for consultation prior to them becoming locked into formalised processes.

"We agree the approaches of old have tended to divide stakeholders into 'for' and 'against' camps and have led to costly and lengthy debate. The forum's proposals around getting plans largely right first time, with any issues, trade-offs and options identified early on, would encourage the more collaborative approach which ultimately is in the best interests of local communities and New Zealand as a whole. Nobody says this will be easy, but we shouldn't let this get in the way of considering a new approach," says Muller.

Fonterra strongly supported the report's emphasis on good management practices as a basic tool for improving water quality.

"As the report notes, there is a raft of tools, techniques and approaches already available and they need to be further developed and incentivised."

More like this

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

LCAs tackle false narratives

The quest to measure, report and make sense of the energy that goes into food production has come a long way in the past 25 years.

$3b windfall?

Fonterra's proposed sale of its global consumer business could fetch over $3 billion but not all proceeds will end up in the pockets of farmer shareholders.

Featured

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

SIDE 2025's new schedule, venue

Annual farmer gathering, the South Island Dairy Event (SIDE), is set to make history as it heads to Timaru for the first time.

Taranaki piggery goes solar

Installing 400 solar panels at their Taranaki piggery and cropping operation will have significant environmental, financial and animal welfare benefits for the Stanley family.

Editorial: Keep FTAs coming

OPINION: The dairy industry will  be a major beneficiary of a new free trade deal between NZ and the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC).

National

Organic sector backtracks on GE

Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) says the Government’s new gene editing and genetic modification reforms could leave New Zealand as…

$3b windfall?

Fonterra's proposed sale of its global consumer business could fetch over $3 billion but not all proceeds will end up…

Machinery & Products

Milk Sustainability Centre launched

The recently announced Milk Sustainability Centre – a collaboration between global giant John Deere and milking and feed specialists De…

Data connection made easier

New Holland and Case IH are introducing new advancements in their precision technology stack to make farming easier and more…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

Not fair

OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter