Tararua Growers say Environment court decision has a devastating effect on vegetable growers: Horticulture NZ lodges appeal

Horticulture New Zealand has, on behalf of its growers including the Tararua Growers Association, lodged an appeal against the Environment Court decision regarding the Horizons One Plan.

On August 31 Environment Court Judge CJ Thompson ruled on points of the Horizons One Plan that could not be settled in mediation.

The effect of the rulings were to require resource consent for market gardening and vegetable farming, along with cropping and dairy farming, in the region’s priority catchments.

Any grower using extensive pastoral land as part of their operation outside these zones is also likely to require consent. Consent will include detailed nutrient management plans and nitrogen caps to reduce nitrogen entering waterways, and require limits to be met, but there is limited capability to measure discharges from vegetable farming. The same is true for cropping.

“If the basis for the rulings stands uncontested or survives appeal”, says Terry Olsen, President of Tararua Growers Association, “over time these draconian measures will spread from the Horizons region to cover all regional councils and all rural activities in New Zealand.”

“There is no doubt the Horizons One Plan decision is likely to see growers exit the industry due to the transaction costs and uncertainty of getting consents.”

The Tararua Growers Association is adamant:

• This doesn’t just hurt growers
• It will hurt consumers and push up the price of food
• It will hurt workers and cost jobs
• It will hurt rural service industries and towns and choke the region’s growth
• Transferred to other councils and horticultural industries throughout the country, this decision will stifle growth, be a disincentive to innovation and increase the transaction costs of producing food.
• The RMA does not recognise the social and economic importance of food production, so across all resource management areas growers are facing increasing costs and limitations.

“Horizons has the lowest growth of any region in the country, according to a recent Berl report,” states Terry Olsen, “so can anyone tell me why they would go ahead with the Horizons One Plan as it stands, when the result will be even more loss of growth?”

“This appeal is of vital importance as the existing court decision has a devastating impact on growers, consumers, jobs, the Horizons region and the country’s economic growth,” says Terry Olsen.

ENDS

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