Media release from Fish & Game NZ

Waterway fencing does not go far enough

Fish & Game NZ says if Fonterra is serious about addressing water quality and the dairy sector’s environmental performance it would require cows to be excluded from all waterways, including permanently flowing small streams and standing water.

Chief executive Bryce Johnson says those farmers who have worked hard to fence stock out of water bodies are to be congratulated, however he points out it is somewhat disingenuous of Fonterra to claim that “90% of waterways” will soon have stock exclusion in place.

“Like the old Clean Streams Accord, the latest voluntary agreement only requires certain sized water bodies to be fenced. This means the smaller streams – the capillaries of our lakes and rivers, and essential breeding areas for many important freshwater fisheries – can still be treated like farm drains for animal effluent and agricultural run-off.

“If Fonterra wants the New Zealand public to have faith that it is serious about addressing the industry’s impact on our freshwater resources so that they are swimmable, fishable and safe for food gathering, then it has to require stock exclusion from all water bodies – regardless of size – and thus to include a riparian buffer zones in all cases.”

Mr Johnson points out that excluding stock from waterways is only a small part of the serious problem New Zealand has with intensive dairy industry degrading freshwater.

“As we’ve seen recently with Canterbury’s Medical Officer of Health warning about a ticking pollution timebomb, nutrients from intensive agriculture entering waterways is a serious human health and environmental issue that has been ignored for too long.

“Fonterra, and indeed all dairy companies, should have mandatory, independently audited ‘whole-of-farm’ nutrient management plans that account for all added nutrients, including that from the cows.

“The dairy cooperative should also be realistic about its growth plans and concede that New Zealand cannot, and is not, coping with the current limitless dairy production agenda, and that there should be ‘dairy no-go zones’ in sensitive areas.”

Mr Johnson also notes that there are still only “very weak” provisions for the sector to take responsibility for its own poor performers – certainly nothing that is overtly clear to give comfort to the general public.

“Let’s not dress Fonterra’s announcement up as a huge environmental win, but rather a much needed catch-up with a long, long way to go yet. Theo Spierings was dead right pointing out that Fonterra is 10 years behind when it comes to sustainability.”

ENDS

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