Environz

• Environment Minister explains main aspects of RMA reform
• Emissions reduction and the art of negotiation
• Managing environmental challenges (New year, new challenges)
• Had any rubbish ideas lately?
• Test certifier regime review
• Schools stepping up for active travel with feet first
• Dairying and Clean Streams Accord
• Water – our shared resource
• Getting ready for coastal change
• Young minds thinking alike
• In brief
• For your diary

Dairying and Clean Streams Accord

The way we use our land can greatly affect the quality and availability of our fresh water, and among the most intensive land-use occupiers are dairy farms.

Clean waterways are as important to dairy farmers as they are to other New Zealanders – particularly in areas where they live and work.

The Dairying and Clean Streams Accord is one of the initiatives being taken to address water quality issues in dairying areas. It aims to promote sustainable dairy farming in New Zealand to reduce the impacts of dairying on the quality of our streams, rivers, lakes, groundwater and wetlands. It is both an aspirational and practical agreement between Government and industry that shows environmental management as a core component of the dairy industry.

The Accord was collectively signed by the Chief Executive of Fonterra, the Minister for the Environment, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, and Local Government New Zealand’s Regional Affairs Chairman in 2003.

Fonterra initiatives, including tougher effluent management measures which penalise dairy farmers who do not comply with regional council regulations, are an important part of the drive to improve water quality in New Zealand.

In February this year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry assumed responsibility for the Accord, and one month later it has released the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord: Snapshot of Progress – 2007/2008, outlining the progress Fonterra’s farmers have made towards meeting Accord targets during the 2007/08 season and the year-on-year progress made towards the targets since 2003.

It shows that dairy farmers are meeting the five main targets set for farmers in the Accord in most areas, including:

• Dairy cattle to be excluded from 50 per cent of streams, rivers and lakes by 2007, rising to 90 per cent by 2012.
• Fifty per cent of regular crossing points to have bridges or culverts by 2007, and 90 per cent by 2012.
• All dairy farms to have in place systems to manage nutrient inputs and outputs by 2007.
• Fifty per cent of regionally significant wetlands to be fenced by 2005, rising to 90 per cent by 2007.

According to the report, however, the target of zero non-compliance on resource consent conditions for effluent discharge has not been fully met yet.

The Accord will continue to work alongside other initiatives to improve the environmental performance of the dairy sector and set realistic targets that can be met by farmers.

For more information contact Tony Wharton email tony.wharton@maf.govt.nz or phone (04) 894 0700.

Dairying, like most intensive land use, impacts on water quality and water environments.

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