Wednesday, 22 July 2015 06:00

From prosperity to austerity onfarm

Written by 
Chris Lewis, Federated Farmers. Chris Lewis, Federated Farmers.

We've gone from prosperity to austerity in the last 12 months. Though it’s been tough, dairy farmers can take pleasure in telling the public what they have been investing in the environment.

In January-March 2015 Federated Farmers and DairyNZ surveyed dairy farmers nationwide to discover their five-year spend on environmental work. At least 500 replied and, weighted against national averages, farmers were seen to have spent $1 billion.

The biggest portion was spent on effluent management, then stock exclusion, retiring land and riparian planting. 

While participating in the survey I was surprised how much you don’t take your spending into account until you write it down.  On our farm it was close to $300,000 in the past five years.

When I fly into Hamilton airport I can see a lot of farms are doing their bit. The landscape has changed and so have we all. Conversations on the environment have shifted from finger pointing to lets dig in and make things better for the next generation.

Farmers understand the need to balance increases in production and profits with environmental responsibilities. The survey shows that NZ dairy farmers’ environmental spending averaged $90,000 each in the past five years. Waikato dairy farmers collectively spent at least $350m. It is encouraging to see their work quantified.

We’ve still got a lot to do, but let’s celebrate this achievement before we get to the next one, because it will take a little longer if the payout remains low.

In Waikato, farmer’s spending may also be supplemented by the Waikato River Authority’s Clean-Up Trust Fund, helping pay for big projects such as riparian planting on the Waikato and Waipa rivers. So far up to $6m has gone annually into these projects. Farmers may apply for funding for such projects; applications close August 14. 

Our community, industry groups like DairyNZ, Federated Farmers, councils and iwi can contribute to a better Waikato, simply by doing a little each year for ten years. This will result in big gains, as our survey has shown.

• Chris Lewis is Federated Farmers Waikato provincial president.

More like this

Strong uptake of good wintering practices

DairyNZ has seen a significant increase in the number of farmers improving their wintering practices, which results in a higher standard of animal care and environmental protection.

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.

Virtual fence probe

OPINION: Should there be an inquiry into virtual fencing technology for cows?

Featured

Massey Research Field Day attracts huge interest

More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.

National

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of…

Machinery & Products

BA Pumps expand

Cambridge based BA Pumps & Sprayers, specialists in New Zealand-made spraying equipment, has acquired Tokoroa Engineering’s product range, including the…

Entries open for innovation award

Fieldays and its renowned Innovation Awards are celebrating their 57th year, marking a longstanding tradition in the agricultural calendar, with…

» 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