increase font size
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard.
The controversial National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 (NPS-FM) will be gone and replaced within two years, the new Government has announced.
Farmers have welcomed the decision and are vowing to work with the Government on the issue.
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard says that work on the NPS-FM replacement will start immediately.
“This process is expected to take between 18 to 24 months and will include a robust and full consultation process with all stakeholders including iwi and the public.”
The Government says it will develop an approach that is fit for purpose and enduring.
DairyNZ says it is looking forward to working with the government on the refreshed NPS-FM, and with councils and other stakeholders throughout its implementation.
DairyNZ general manager sustainable dairy Dr David Burger says dairy farmers will welcome this announcement.
“As it stood, the NPS was overly complex, with unachievable timeframes for implementing the genuine change our communities want to see and are committed to. Taking the time to get this right will lead to better outcomes for the environment and our communities.
“We appreciate the government’s direction,” he says.
While the consultation is ongoing, the government has announced it will extend the timelines for regional councils to notify new freshwater plans. Councils will now have until December 31, 2027 to align with the new NPS-FM. This is in line with the freshwater policy position agricultural sector partners have advocated for.
“We are pleased to see the government giving regional councils more time to develop fair, achievable regulations,” Burger says.
The NPS-FM was implemented in September 2020 and received a negative reaction from the farming community because some felt it did not suit the diversity of farms in the country. It was deemed especially unworkable in colder parts of the country and on topographically diverse sheep and beef farms.
Beef + Lamb NZ chair Kate Acland says it’s clear the current rules aren’t working so it’s good that the Government has confirmed the NPS-FM will be replaced.
She also welcomed the deadlines for regional plans being moved out to late 2027.
“We have been advocating for changes and this is a positive step in the right direction that will give our farmers some peace of mind as they head into Christmas.
“However, the most important thing is the regional policy processes to give effect to the existing legislation must stop. We’re not sure that what’s been announced will achieve that and will be watching this closely.
“Farmers need certainty and if those regional processes don’t stop, further measures will be needed to achieve that.
“Ultimately we’re looking for enduring solutions that give farmers and New Zealanders confidence that our freshwater is protected, while ensuring the ongoing economic viability of our sector and rural communities.”
OPINION: While we're on the topic of lumberjacks, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has no doubt used a chainsaw hundreds of times, but your old mate reckons he would’ve still been sweating on getting it right when cutting down a pine in front of the cameras, as he did above Queenstown during a recent pre-Budget announcement around extra funding for wilding pine control efforts.
Wilding pines are the wrong tree in the wrong place, and they need to go, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.
OPINION: For thousands of Southland farmers, this week would have tipped them into the non-compliant category when it comes to following regional freshwater plan rules. But the Government has stepped in to give them the clarity they deserve.
Southland farmers staring down a May deadline to submit freshwater farm plans under current regional plan rules have been given an 18-month reprieve by the Government.
Federated Farmers says the Government's announcement of $79 million in funding for wilding pine control marks a major breakthrough.
Two Canadian spraying experts, Tom Wolf and Jason Deveau, are visiting New Zealand in early August to ensure that arable growers are hitting the target with this key piece of equipment.
Otago Southland Young Farmer Tom Slee has been crowned the Season 58 FMG Young Farmer of the Year after an outstanding performance at the Grand Final in New Plymouth, the first time the event has been held in the region.
New Zealand's red meat sector says it welcomes the Government's focus on trade ahead of the general election in November.
Two year 10 students from Putaruru College and John Paul College in Waikato Bay of Plenty have been crowned the 2026 FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year at the competition's Grand Final in New Plymouth.
With the New Zealand/India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) dominating political debate here, India Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting New Zealand next week.
Michelle and Tony Roberts didn't inherit the farming business they have today. They’ve built it from the ground up.
OPINION: Central Hawke's Bay farmer Mark Warren recently told the Hawke's Bay Times it's time for a conversation about allowing…
OPINION: A nation that relies as heavily as NZ does on functional global shipping lanes will have to do its…
