NZ dairy processors want Canada to respect rules
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
THE NOW-DEFUNCT 'clean streams accord' is to be replaced by a new one called the 'sustainable dairying water accord', promoted by the Dairy Companies Association of NZ (DCANZ), DairyNZ, Federated Farmers and others.
DCANZ executive director Simon Tucker says the new accord will focus on riparian, nutrient and effluent management, water use management and dairy 'conversations'. He believes while the clean streams accord had its critics, overall it was successful for the industry.
"With that expiring this year, we thought we should be doing something new. We talked to a lot of farmers, Federated Farmers, the dairy companies, industry stakeholders, central government, regional councils, iwi groups and environmental NGOs to get their feedback. The consensus came back that having a successor to the clean streams accord was a good idea."
The final detail of the new accord is still being hammered out, but it will have a distinctive Land and Water Forum, (LAWF) look about it.
Tucker was a member of LAWF and says at a fundamental level one of the key messages from LAWF was that the best way to address water quality and quantity concerns was to do it collaboratively. This requires the industry to work with the regulators and other stakeholders.
"The LAWF report identifies the need for 'industry good management practices' as a key to improving water quality. This new accord is all about industry self improvement and the adoption of good management practice.
"We had conversations around the LAWF table about where the dairy industry was going with a new accord and received a lot of positive feedback about it."
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand has no intention of backing down in a trade dispute with Canada over dairy products.
There have been leadership changes at the Hamilton-based Dairy Goat Co-operative, which has been struggling financially in recent years.
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