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The National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land proposes a nationwide approach to protecting highly productive land.
Farmer groups are backing Government proposals to prevent productive land from falling to housing development.
Horticultural land is especially in view.
The Government’s draft National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL) proposes a nationwide approach to protecting highly productive land for future generations.
A two month consultation is underway.
Stats NZ says urban expansion threatens all forms of land based primary production.
But horticulture is especially at risk. The scale and value of horticulture hubs, on typically flat, well serviced land at urban fringes, makes that sector more vulnerable to urban expansion than other types of farming.
From 2002 to 2016, NZ’s land area used for vegetable growing decreased 29% — from 100,000ha to 70,000ha.
HortNZ’s natural resources and environment manager, Michelle Sands, says the Government’s proposal is to help retain vegetable and fruit growing in NZ.
“NZ needs its best soils for domestic food production,” said Sands. “Once you build houses on the best soils you cannot get the soils back.”
HortNZ says poor rules in Auckland are preventing new vegetable gardens being set up to replace land lost to housing.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says NZ’s most fertile and versatile land will get new protection.
“Our land is a precious taonga – an irreplaceable treasure and a source of life and wellness,” said O’Connor.
Farm sales are on the rise. According to recent data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ), there was an 18.9% increase in farm sales for the three months ending August 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
Recently released data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) shows there were 224 fewer farm sales (-48.6%) for the three months ended April 2023, compared to the same period last year.
Farmers, foresters and orchardists have just a few days left to complete the official agricultural production census, run by Statistics NZ in partnership with MPI.
New data from Statistics NZ shows that Canterbury had the biggest fall in agricultural emissions, down 2.7%, mainly due to a decline in livestock numbers.
Data released by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) shows a 56.4% rise in the number of farm sales for the three month-period ending November 2020.
Fonterra’s board has been reduced to nine - comprising six farmer-elected and three appointed directors.
Five hunting-related shootings this year is prompting a call to review firearm safety training for licencing.
The horticulture sector is a big winner from recent free trade deals sealed with the Gulf states, says Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg.
Fonterra shareholders are concerned with a further decline in the co-op’s share of milk collected in New Zealand.
A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.
Free workshops focused on managing risk in sharefarming got underway last week.
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