"Growing for Good - Intensive Farming, Sustainability and New Zealand's Environment" - Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Report
The recent report released by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) has put the impacts of intensive farming under the spotlight.
The report uses economic theory to view our input into agriculture, and the trends in natural and human capital which in turn affect agricultural productivity. To focus the study, four regions (Canterbury, Hawkes Bay, Waikato and Southland) were selected. Using questions identified by a small external reference group, a range of people in each region were interviewed. Additional research was commissioned on financial and economic drivers.
The report affirms the importance of agriculture to the New Zealand economy. Sustaining this requires careful attention to our natural resource base, in particular soil and water quality.
The prime areas of focus should be, according to the report:
- the management of nutrient inputs and specifically the effects of applying nitrogen fertilisers on water quality; and
- the allocation of water as demand continues to increase from the farming sector for irrigation.
Other risks for farming which require management are:
- overseas market restrictions placed on goods that do not adhere to specified production standards or methods including those environmentally related;
- a growing dependence on fossil-fuel based fertilisers which are predicted to rise in price; and
- the effect of the ongoing loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services provided to farming.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry welcomes the PCE Report as being a good overview of the sustainability issues facing New Zealand farming. The report takes a broad perspective on sustainability and overviews a range of issues which will likely stimulate considerable debate.
Copies of the report are available from the Office of the PCE or can be viewed on their website www.pce.govt.nz
Sharon Thurlow
Sharon was a Policy
Analyst for Sustainable Resource Use Policy in Wellington who left MAF in
late 2004. During her time at MAF, Sharon's work areas included land access,
SILNA, the East Coast Forestry Project and sustainable forest management.
Sharon was also the editor of the RM Update.
Contact for Enquiries
Amber Duncalfe
Editor - RM Update
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Tel: +64 4 894 0710
Fax: +64 4 894 0745
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