RMA amendments 'will be a relief to farmers'
The Government’s announcement that a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) could be introduced in Parliament next month will be a relief to farmers, says Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ).
Beef + Lamb NZ chief executive Sam McIvor reckons NZ sheep and beef farmers, as a sector, have an opportunity to be world-leading stewards of the natural environment and sustainable communities.
He says sheep and beef farmers have made meaningful improvements to their environmental performance and lowering emissions and they deserve credit for these gains.
“However, farmers know there is more to be done – not just extending the good work already underway but also taking new and different approaches,” he told Rural News.
“This includes adopting new management techniques that better connect actions to environmental outcomes, and more onfarm monitoring and measuring that gives farmers confidence their actions are reaping benefits. We also need to inform the wider community to better understand the contributions farmers are making.”
McIvor says the strategy was developed in partnership with sheep and beef farmers who had significant input into the final document and are determined to be part of the solution.
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