Friday, March 29, 2024

Nitrogen bombshell hidden away

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The devil is in the detail of the Government’s freshwater management proposals with farm consultants finding business as usual rules sitting alongside tough bottom-line standards that will leave some farm businesses struggling to remain viable.
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James Allen, AgFirst director and Waikato farm adviser James Allen said farmers there are already meeting the proposal standards through the region’s Healthy Rivers Plan. 

Healthy Rivers requires greater fencing on hill country, nitrogen limits and limitations on intensifying land-use.

But the bombshell in the national proposals is buried in the document under a section on new bottom line limits on nitrogen losses. 

The proposal’s Science and Technical Advisory Group (STAG) recommends nitrogen in rivers be set at an annual average of 1mg a litre, well back on the 6.9mg some regional councils with defined amounts have been working towards.

AgriMagic Canterbury farm consultant Charlotte Glass said screwing the nitrogen limit in rivers down that much in Canterbury will put farmers under huge pressure. 

“At present there is no known way for Canterbury farmers to meet this outcome.

“That level changes things radically from business as usual, which is what the rest of the proposals mean for Canterbury, with farmers already working to comply with the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan.”

It is critical farmers tell the Government they cannot meet such a low threshold.

Glass says 6.9mg/litre is achievable but 1mg is not.

“It should have been in bold on the front page, not deep in the document.”

Allen urged farmers to respond. 

“If they do not make their voices heard it could happen.

“Some of this proposal is business as usual, farmers can live with the fencing requirements and the need for farm environment plans but not so much with the nitrogen limit.”

Glass questions the sole focus on the environment given Resource Management Act regulation requiring policies to also consider social and economic impacts.

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