Tuesday, 20 June 2017 08:55

Farming attacks unfair – Guy

Written by  Pam Tipa
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy. Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

Recent attacks on farmers are deeply unfair, says the Minister for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy.

“It was incredibly disheartening to read recently that some schoolchildren were being bullied for coming from a dairy farming family,” he said at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

“It’s also disappointing to hear calls to put a ‘cap’ on the number of dairy cows in the country. This is cynical politics for a number of reasons.

“First, it deliberately isolates one particular farming type as the sole cause of water quality issues in New Zealand. These issues have built up over decades from a variety of land uses, both rural and urban, and will take decades to fix.

“Second, it’s naïve to [criticise] the yearly event of calving, when the population of cows almost doubles in a short time.

“Finally, it ignores the process by which the impact of farming on our environment is regulated: at a regional council level, managed on a catchment-by-catchment basis.” That is how we will achieve the goal of having 90% of rivers swimmable by 2040, Guy says.

“About three quarters of our waterways across the country are in good shape, and achieving our goal of 90% will be a long-term project that will cost the country about $2 billion – that’s taxpayers, ratepayers and farmers.

“We are going to achieve it in a practical, realistic and sustainable way that doesn’t ruin our economy at the same time. This is a long term issue and we’re all in it together.

“A huge amount of work has already gone in with new rules, standards and monitoring which simply didn’t exist 10 years ago. About $450 million has been committed towards freshwater clean-up projects.

“In recent years there has been a huge reduction in pollution entering our lakes and rivers from dairy sheds, factories and town effluent systems, and billions has been spent on upgrades. There is also a huge investment in science and good ideas from both Government and industry looking for new technologies and ways to improve farming practices.”

Guy says a few weeks ago he commented on not being able to double the number of cows in NZ, which attracted attention.

“For some people my comments were surprising and seen as a ‘flip-flop.’ That’s because many believe a myth that this government somehow determines who farms what, and has a preference for dairy,” he says.

“Of course, this myth ignores the role of regional councils in setting environmental limits and granting consents, and more importantly the role of the farmer who alone makes the decision and carries the risk associated with their business.

“For any farmers reading those articles, my comments about not being able to double the number of cows was obvious. Farmers have a better understanding of their land and its limits than anyone else.”

Farmers are environmentalists and their land is their legacy he says. An environmentally sustainable farming operation is not just a source of pride within a community; it’s an asset to pass down to future generations.

More like this

Farmers struggle with water and feed shortages

The drought in western parts of the North Island is reaching crisis point with many farmers from Northland to Taranaki having to truck in water and feed for their stock at great expense.

East Coast Expo delivers two action-packed days of events

The recent East Coast Farming Expo, held over two days at Wairoa, offered an insight into the current state of agriculture on the east of the North Island, at a time when the locals are remembering the second anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Featured

Farmers urged not to be complacent about TB

New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.

Editorial: Making wool great again

OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.

National

Machinery & Products

Farmer-led group buys Novag

While the name and technology remain unchanged and new machines will continue to carry the Novag name, all the assets,…

Buhler name to go

Shareholders at a special meeting have approved a proposed deal that will see Buhler Industries, the publicly traded Versatile and…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Make it 1000%!

OPINION: The appendage swinging contest between the US and China continues, with China hitting back with a new rate of…

Own goal

OPINION: The irony of President Trump’s tariff obsession is that the worst damage may be done to his own people.

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter