Greens launch plan to protect our rivers and lakes

The Green Party is today launching a game-changing plan to protect our waterways https://www.greens.org.nz/great-farming-cleaner-water, which includes $136.5 million to help farmers move to less polluting, more sustainable and more profitable ways of operating.

“Unlike the National Party, we want to stop the causes of water pollution to ensure our rivers are clean, rather than just treat the symptoms. There’s no point spending money cleaning up rivers if you don’t look at what’s making them dirty in the first place,” said Green Party leader James Shaw.

“Scientists and environmentalists have told us that we need to reduce the number of cows we farm in this country in order to protect our rivers. But by doing that we’re asking indebted farmers to take a leap of faith.

“We will invest in the Sustainable Farming Fund, create a Transformational Farming Partnership Fund, support organic farming and growing, and establish a ‘Good Food Aotearoa NZ’ national sustainability accreditation scheme so that farmers aren’t left high and dry.

“Revenue for those ventures will come from a nitrate pollution levy charged on dairy farmers who continue to pollute our soils and water.

“We’ll also accelerate depreciation on the infrastructure that has left so many dairy farmers up to their eyeballs in debt, so that they have breathing room to pay down debt and free up capital to move away from intensive farming.

“The National Party’s mistaken belief that growth relies on high production, and its unrealistic goal of doubling exports by 2025, have put us in this position.

“Government-owned farmer Landcorp is leading the way by looking at sheep milk as an alternative to dairy, transitioning away from palm kernel extract as a feed, and reducing milkings to once a day because it recognises the importance of environmentally sustainable farming.

“World markets are crying out for sustainably-produced food, fibre and wood, and our dirty rivers undermine the clean, green brand that 80 percent of our exports rely on.

“Many farmers already know that we can have both healthy rivers and a healthy economy, so we’re helping them achieve that,” said Mr Shaw.

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