increase font size
Federated Farmers environment spokesman Colin Hurst.
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
It says ORC councillors voted 7-5 yesterday to move forward with notifying its controversial draft Land and Water Plan on October 31.
It’s a poor decision that will result in even more regulation being piled onto Otago farmers in the coming months, Federated Farmers environment spokesman Colin Hurst says.
"The last thing farmers struggling through high interest rates, low payouts and drought conditions want to be waking up to is news that more red tape is likely on the way later this year."
A draft of the Regional Plan released last year included fertiliser caps, stock rate limits and new fencing requirements for most of the catchments in the Otago Region, according to the Feds.
Since that draft was released, central Government has made amendments to primary legislation, relaxing timeframes by which time new regional plans need to be developed.
The Government has also stated it intends to review the national direction councils must achieve, including the requirement to give effect to Te Mana o Te Wai.
ORC’s decision completely ignores the Government’s direction, Hurst says.
"Charging ahead with a draft plan will create a lot of uncertainty for Otago farmers.
"There is a strong chance it could be a big waste of ratepayer money. The Government is reviewing both the national freshwater direction and the entire RMA framework, so it could be that Otago is forced to go back to the drawing board in just a few short years to develop yet another regional rule set.
"Cabinet has extended the deadline for councils to implement freshwater plans until the end of 2027, so why on earth would ORC or other councils choose to push on?
"It’s extremely disappointing that ORC is galloping ahead, wasting ratepayers’ money and heightening farmer anxiety, when changes mean their plan will have a lifespan of barely two years."
Hurst is concerned other councils could also look to charge ahead in the same way as Otago.
"The Government has stated it wants to cut the red tape that’s choking farmers, including replacing the RMA with a framework more focused on property rights.
"It is clear the Government needs to do more to stop councils continuing to implement freshwater rules they themselves have stated they disagree with, and will soon change."
New Zealand's pest problem has reached crisis point, according to Federated Farmers' second National Pests Survey, which shows farmers are spending more money and effort on control — yet pest numbers keep climbing faster than they were two years ago.
Despite political shenanigans in Wellington, farmers are confident that Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms will get over the line in this term of Parliament.
The Government has announced it will pause key parts of Waikato Plan Change 1 (PC1) in a decision that is set to give Waikato farmers a reprieve from new consenting and farm-planning requirements while the wider resource management system is overhauled.
OPINION: As the general election approaches, political parties are churning out policies in the hope of attracting more votes.
Federated Farmers president Colin Hurst and his family raised a glass of milk last week to toast the start of a new addition to their farming operation at Makihihi, south of Timaru.
Ballance Agrinutrients chief executive Kelvin Wickham says despite a tough year, he is pleased the business has returned to profit.
When Northland farmer Mark Cameron entered parliament six years ago, the Beehive was a lonely place.
Speculation of a possible joint move by Fonterra and a2 Milk to buy Synlait raises a much bigger strategic question, says agribusiness expert Dr Nic Lees.
I think it's going to greatly weaken National at the election. That's the view of a former senior National MP on the recent attempted coup against Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
Despite political shenanigans in Wellington, farmers are confident that Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms will get over the line in this term of Parliament.
New Zealand's pest problem has reached crisis point, according to Federated Farmers' second National Pests Survey, which shows farmers are spending more money and effort on control — yet pest numbers keep climbing faster than they were two years ago.
OPINION: The same mainstream media muppets that brought you Jacindamania in 2017 have been flat out pimping for the Opportunities…
OPINION: Your old mate reckons the atrocious way farmers in the UK are treated by their lords and masters in…
