The devil will be in the detail but the comment from Environment Minister David Parker pointed to a more realistic time frame and away from short-term thinking, Fairlie farmer Mark Adams said after the meeting.
“If we can stop the degradation now and have 30 years or 25 to 30 years to get our water back to 1990s levels that’s very important and pragmatic.”
The longer time frame means farmers can play round with it more and have discretion to tinker.
There will still be difficulties and there will be areas where there is no previous testing to show nitrate leaching had ever been below 1%, the target figure being used by the Government.
There will also still be differences between what politicians want and the outcomes farmers want, making it more important for farmers to make a formal written submission on the proposals.
“It’s the weight of submissions we need because they’re aggregated for and against and they don’t need to be substantial or complicated.
“What’s important is to say how the proposals would impact your farm and convey to them the thinking behind what you’re saying.”
Adams said the industry took several generations to reach the water quality levels in place now so if this generation is going to take up the task to make improvements it needs to be given a realistic time frame.
