Media Release
28 February 2013
HBRC Becomes A Friend of Dairy Accord
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has agreed to support in principle the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord and agreed to
become a “Friend of the Accord”.
The Accord has been developed by the Dairy Environmental Leadership Group. It is now seeking the support of regional
councils by the end of February so the Accord can ‘go live’ by the 2013/14 dairy season.
The Accord aims to ‘lift the game’ of dairy farming so that it can be seen to work for all New Zealanders and their
desire for better quality in fresh water resources. The purpose of this new Accord is to enhance the overall performance
of dairy farming as it affects fresh water, by assisting farmers to commit to good management practices, monitor
progress and report on results.
HBRC has been working closely with the dairy sector in the development of the Tukituki Catchment Implementation plan and
supports the sector’s broader efforts to minimise the environmental impacts of dairying.
“The dairy guys have been making a major effort and we have been pleased with the high level of compliance they have
achieved across Hawke’s Bay. The dairy farmers are going a long way to reaching what we would expect of any primary
industry group and the Accord is another sign of this,” says Iain Maxwell, Group Manager Resource Management.
The Accord was developed by the Dairy Environmental Leadership Group which is comprised of representatives from the
dairy sector, central government, regional councils, iwi and the NZ Fish and Game Council.
It builds on and supersedes the Dairying and Clean Stream Accord of 2003 to which HBRC was a signatory.
The Accord sets expectations for riparian management, nutrient management, effluent management, water use management and
conversions, and clarifies governance and administrative roles to achieve the Accord goals.
Regional Councils have agreed to work with the dairy sector to develop and implement regional plans of action and
specific targets for each region.