increase font size
Fed Farmers president Andrew Hoggard is asking Environment Minister David Parker to promptly amend the RMA to enable cycloneaffected farmers and growers to undertake remedial work.
Federated Farmers says it is pleased that Horizons Regional Council (Manawatu-Whanganui) has recognised the need to get work done on-farm by empowering them to fix infrastructure without getting consents.
"Common sense rather than red tape and costs, is what will speed the recovery of the food and fibre sector in cyclone-hit districts," Feds Tararua president Sally Dryland says.
Horizons had earlier posted advice about only allowing "like for like" replacement of culverts without consent, but advocacy from Dryland resulted in a quick policy U-turn.
The council's advice now is that, where infrastructure such as farm bridges and culverts had been damaged or destroyed, these can be replaced without the need for resource consent on the basis they are repaired or reinstated on a like for like basis. Culverts can also be replaced at a bigger size.
Dryaland said that it's all about building back better and smarter. "Why would you replace a culvert with the same sized one if it's just been washed away? No one wants to replace infrastructure with something that is destined to fail again in the next weather event."
Up until last year, farmers were empowered to put in things lie a culvert without needing a consent.
"That's what's needed to speed the recovery," Dryland said. "Let's not stop the right thing from happening because a ticket collector with a clipboard hasn't been onto the farm to see."
Meanwhile, Federated Farmers NZ president Andrew Hoggard has asked Environment Minister David Parker to promptly amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) to enable cyclone-affected farmers and growers to undertake remedial work that may be in breach of district or regional regulatory requirements, along similar lines to that provided to farmers following the Hurunui/Kaikōura earthquakes. Such works became a permitted activity, with modified notification requirements.
While the RMA provides some relief from normal requirements during and immediately following emergencies/adverse events, Hoggard said this will not cover all the urgent work that needs to be undertaken to restore farmers' and growers' operations.
"That legislation in the wake of the earthquakes was very helpful. Given the severity of the impact of the cyclones, with devastation to the land that appears to exceed that of the Christchurch earthquakes, the usual time-consuming RMA processes will impede progress."
OPINION: Recent media commentary from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns among our rural communities, particularly around Environment Southland’s approach to winter grazing inspections and nitrogen reporting. But let’s be clear, much of what’s been said simply doesn’t reflect reality.
OPINION: Environment Canterbury's (ECan) decision recently to declare a so-called “nitrate emergency” is laughable.
A shameless political stunt is how Federated Farmers is describing the Canterbury Regional Council decision to declare “a nitrate emergency” on the back of its latest annual groundwater quality survey.
Federated Farmers say Environment Canterbury's decision to declare a 'nitrate emergency' is a shameless political stunt that won't help anyone.
Farmers want the Government to scrap controversial freshwater rules that "put river spirits and ideology ahead of practical water use", says Federated Farmers board member Mark Hooper.
Rollovers of quad bikes or ATVs towing calf milk trailers have typically prompted a Safety Alert from Safer Farms, the industry-led organisation dedicated to fostering a safer farming culture across New Zealand.
The Government has announced it has invested $8 million in lower methane dairy genetics research.
A group of Kiwi farmers are urging Alliance farmer-shareholders to vote against a deal that would see the red meat co-operative sell approximately $270 million in shares to Ireland's Dawn Meats.
In a few hundred words it's impossible to adequately describe the outstanding contribution that James Brendan Bolger made to New Zealand since he first entered politics in 1972.
Dawn Meats is set to increase its proposed investment in Alliance Group by up to $25 million following stronger than forecast year-end results by Alliance.
A day after the ouster of PGG Wrightson’s chair and his deputy, the listed rural trader’s board has appointed John Nichol as the new independent chair.
OPINION: Ageing lefty Chris Trotter reckons that the decision to delay recognition of Palestinian statehood is more than just a fit…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly recently met someone at a BBQ who works at a big consulting firm who spent…
