Irrigation NZ seeks new CEO
Irrigation New Zealand chief executive Vanessa Winning is stepping down after four years in the role.
IrrigationNZ has released its election manifesto, calling for policies that secure water for growing food.
IrrigationNZ chief executive Vanessa Winning says that keeping food affordable requires that farmers and growers have access to reliable water at the right time in the growing cycle.
“About 90% of New Zealand’s fruit and vegetables rely on irrigation, as does 26% of our milk-based products, and around 10% of our meat,” she says. “To grow this food we irrigate about 5.4% of farmland and use less than 5% of annual freshwater.”
Winning says that reliable water for growing food is accessed by capturing rainwater and snowmelt, storing it, and then making it available when it is needed.
“But this is being hindered by restrictive policy, legislative barriers, and a lack of intent by the current Government, which in turn stalls investment in much-needed water storage infrastructure,” she says.
“As a result, food production is increasingly at risk, particularly in regions which have volatile or very dry weather.”
Winning is calling for a new Minister for Water role to be established in cabinet as well as a cross-agency strategy to ensure appropriate water storage is available to provide security for food production.
“There is a misconception that irrigation equates to animal agriculture and results in dirty rivers,” says IrrigationNZ chair Keri Johnston.
Johnston says it is this narrative that is preventing New Zealand from taking a future-focused view on how water storage can support communities, the environment, and the economy.
“New Zealand has the opportunity to be a world leader in water management – for wellbeing, the environment, resilience, self-sufficiency, to support trade, and for climate change mitigation and adaptation techniques. Let’s move forward with a plan,” Johnson says.
IrrigationNZ’s requests for the next Government
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.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
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.
For Wonky Box co-founder Angus Simms, the decision to open the service to those in rural areas is a personal one.
The golden age of orcharding in West Auckland was recently celebrated at the launch of a book which tells the story of its rise, then retreat in the face of industry change and urban expansion.
Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics have been recognised in this year’s New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) awards. As part of a series looking at this year’s rural winners, Leo Argent talked with Ginny Dodunski, winner of the Veterinary Impact Award for raising the profile of the Wormwise programme.
OPINION: The appendage swinging contest between the US and China continues, with China hitting back with a new rate of…
OPINION: The irony of President Trump’s tariff obsession is that the worst damage may be done to his own people.