This reset will naturally include the strength of our economy once we emerge from this crisis and that raises some interesting challenges for the primary sector and more especially for the Government. Agriculture and tourism have been the country’s principal economic pillars but the $16 billion tourism sector dried up overnight and any recovery is likely to be yeas away. There is speculation it might never return to be the economic powerhouse it previously was.
So that leaves the primary sector to not only generate the bulk of overseas funds for the country to pay its way but to also pay back the $12 billion (and growing) the Government has borrowed to soften the impact of its covid-19 response. This economic reliance comes as the primary sector is arguably being hamstrung by new Government-imposed rules and compliance which, it has been warned, will curb the sector’s ability to earn export dollars.
That’s not to say the sector should have carte blanche. It shouldn’t but maybe this is an opportunity for farmers and regulators to find an agreeable centrist path that meets the needs and expectations of production and the environment.
The Government’s coalition partner New Zealand First is indicating it is not interested in considering new environmental rules but a political impasse is not a solution. Similarly, it would be disastrous to adopt a production-at-all-costs approach but equally wrong if the Government does not acknowledge the economic environment has changed and requires a rethink of some of its policies.
This is an opportunity for farming to front foot this issue, to promote environmental policies that will meet society’s goals while not hamstringing our capacity to generate food and export dollars.
Neal Wallace
