A big bouquet for grassroots environmentalists

Terms such as 'licence to pollute' are ridiculous and obviously come from uninformed sources lacking understanding of what this is all about.

The regional council, meanwhile, is wisely trucking on with its One Plan implementation, and rightly so. This plan enables farmers to make environmental plans that continue to reduce our footprint on the environment, and to keep running viable businesses that help in no small way to grow the region's economy.

Of course, One Plan is not all about dairy; that is just one part, and surely it's better to work with all members of the community, including farmers, to work towards achieving outcomes catchment by catchment. That's what the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management says we should be doing.

Remember also that we all have an effect on the environment, whether by running a business, running a car or in the things we choose to buy or use. We all have a role to play and this is no time for finger pointing. Let's get behind each other and be proud of environmental progress in the region.

I'm not saying farmers don't have a responsibility, far from it. Farmers know the importance of looking after land. It's fundamental to what we do, something handed down from generation to generation. Farmers also recognise a healthy environment is an important aspect of our image as an agricultural exporting country.

Farmers are also putting their money where their mouths are, we always do. A recent survey by Federated Farmers showed that farmers nationwide have spent at least $1 billion dollars on environmental work over the past five years.

Here in the Horizons region the spend was slightly higher, with dairy farmers collectively spending at least $100 million on stock exclusion, effluent management and other upgrades: that's about $110,000 per farmer.

And this investment is delivering results. In 1997 there were 439 discharges of dairy effluent to water. By 2012 this was zero, removing the direct input of E coli, nitrogen and phosphorous. This has lessened the annual load on the Manawatu River by about 100 tonnes of nitrates and 18 tonnes of phosphorous, equivalent to what a town five times the size of Dannevirke would produce.

Sediment levels are also dropping, pointing to an estimated reduction of 27% in the Manawatu catchment by 2043 if implementation of the sustainable land use initiative maintains its present rate.

Nutrient budgeting, riparian fencing and environmental projects are also positively affecting our water quality.

I'm proud of what the farming industry is doing, though some clearly are not.

Comments were made recently about fewer prosecutions by regional councils of dairy farms. I say 'well done' to our dairy farmers for achieving 97% compliance last season and for all their fencing, planting and upgrades to effluent systems.

'Well done' also to the people who are working with us; farmers are doing a lot but we're not doing it alone.

The regional council deserves credit for its commitment to its One Plan implementation and so do others in the region. I'm proud of a major riparian planting project underway in our province that will transform the appearance of the countryside.

Farmers are in the thick of it, as are environmental groups and local schools. The community is working together to protect and enrich an environment we all share, as it should be.

• James Stewart is president of Federated Farmers Manawatu/Rangitikei.