NZ DAiry Strategy- Environment Must Be A Priority

6 May 2009

NZ DAiry Strategy- Environment Must Be A Priority

Fish & Game New Zealand await with interest the launch of the Strategy for New Zealand Dairy Farming by the Prime minister, John Key on Tuesday.

The adverse environmental effects of intensive agriculture, and dairy framing in particular, are well understood and recognised by central and local government, the agricultural sector and the public of New Zealand.

“We are looking for the Strategy to unambiguously recognise the problem, address solutions and implement specific measurable performance milestone,” said Bryce Johnson, Chief Executive if the New Zealand Fish & Game Council. “Specifically, we are looking for:

• Dairy industry acknowledgement that there is a proven ‘dairying and the environment’ problem to be solved.

• Dairy industry recognition that the primary responsibility for fixing this environmental problem lies with the industry itself – that the industry actually has a duty to do so.

• Dairy industry commitment to “environmentally sustainable best on-farm practice” becoming a mandatory requirement upon all suppliers, by a specified date with milestone dates to assess progress. This would include riparian buffer zone protection and independently audited whole-of-farm nutrient management plans.

• The dairy industry leading implementation of consequences for suppliers who display persistent non-compliance with regional council resource consents.

• The dairy industry leading implementation of consequences for suppliers who do not demonstrate performance in the transition to environmentally sustainable dairy farming.

• A central leadership role for the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand by causing milk supplier contracts to include consistent environmental best practice conditions.

ENDS

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