MEDIA RELEASE

23 February, 2017

Everyone must engage in the challenge to improve freshwater

The pressure is now on all Kiwis to step up in the nationwide challenge to continue to improve the quality of our freshwater, Federated Farmers says.

The government’s release today of the next step in its plans to improve New Zealand’s freshwater show a willingness to engage the entire community in the process.

“And this is essential to the success of what is a practical, but also quite ambitious proposal,” Federated Farmers water spokesperson Chris Allen says.

Some of the highlights for Feds include:

• The swimability target of 90% by 2040 – this is a ‘stretch goal’ but very early feedback suggests freshwater in some regions can be improved and restored in relatively short timeframes.
  “This is all entirely doable, if everyone plays their part.  Farmers have been encouraged by the results they’ve seen in their own catchments, from their own efforts.
  “Now we need better science and monitoring processes to really nail what we need to work on, where we do it and how,” Chris says.
• Stock exclusion regulations – this is a key area for New Zealand’s hill and high country farmers.
  “The solutions proposed in this area need to be practical.  Federated Farmers will make this a focus of the submissions we will be making on this policy.
  “This is a critical area for us to get right.”
• The provision of the $100 million fund for the Freshwater Improvement Fund will be a great asset to the improvement of freshwater.
  “This is an excellent addition to the national capacity to work on freshwater improvement.
  “We’d like to see this funding channelled into some significant scientific research and innovation to boost our ability to achieve the targets the government, and our communities, will set.“Overall, this is a pragmatic and useful next step for freshwater in New Zealand,” Chris says.

ENDS

Chris Allen
021 251 0016