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The Government will not stifle the growth of the dairy industry to limit its impact on the environment, says Deputy Prime Minister Bill English.
He says stopping the industry growing would be the easy solution but the Government is not keen on going down that path.
"As the political wind changes, you might end up with easy solutions," he told DairyNZ's Farmers Forum in Hamilton.
"We are picking the hard road."
Overall there will be environmental constraints and in some places they will bite but not everywhere.
English believes that there are significant enough changes in farming practices allowing farmers to be profitable and more productive with lower nitrates.
Wayne and Ange Moxham of Horowhenua have just been named as Fonterra's top organic performer for milksolids. As well as providing organic milk to Fonterra, the couple also sell Udderly Organic milk to more than 100 outlets in the region and are embarking on another exciting venture producing organic gelato. Reporter Peter Burke went along to see their farming operation.
Fonterra has reduced its forecast 2026/27 Farmgate Milk Price.
A five-year study has found that the cost of reducing emissions without technology may be significant and unsustainable for Northland dairy farmers.
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