Dairying is an important land use and industry in New Zealand:
it comprising 11% of the total land used in agriculture, produces 23% of New Zealand’s total export income and involves 3.5 million dairy cows. Dairying, like most intensive land use including urban areas, impacts on water quality and water environments. The ongoing intensification of existing dairy farms and the expansion of dairying into new regions have increased the importance of addressing impacts on water environments.
The Clean Streams Accord provides a statement of intent and framework for actions to promote sustainable dairy farming in New Zealand. It focuses on reducing the impacts of dairying on the quality of New Zealand streams, rivers, lakes, ground water and wetlands. To that aim, the following actions and performance targets have been established:
- Dairy cattle to be excluded from 50% of streams, rivers and lakes by 2007, 90% by 2012.
- 50% of regular crossing points to have bridges or culverts by 2007, 90% by 2012.
- 100% of farm dairy effluent discharges to comply with resource consents and regional plans immediately.
- 100% of dairy farms to have in place systems to manage nutrient inputs and outputs by 2007.
- 50% of regionally significant important wetlands (as defined by regional councils) to be fenced by 2005, 90% by 2007.
As part of its commitment to this Accord, Fonterra does:
- Provide information and advice to suppliers in relation to the priority actions;
- Promote on farm environmental best practice through extension and on farm management programmes;
- Make arrangements with its suppliers to ensure the priority targets are met;
- Develop, promote and implement the Market Focused environmental management system to assist farmers to identify key, farm-specific environmental issues and to demonstrate progress towards the five priority targets;
- Support the “Healthy Waters” Regional Action Teams initiatives;
- Identify, support and be involved in farm related environmental research and development that supports the priority targets;
- Promote on farm environmental best practice through extension and on farm management programmes;
- Report publicly on progress annually.
This industry-backed Accord to improve the environmental performance of dairy farming sends a strong message to the public and to domestic and international consumers, that environmental management is an integral and important component of the dairy industry. This Accord builds on current industry and government initiatives and is consistent with overseas trends and expectations. If done well, industry self-management is more effective in achieving positive environmental outcomes than sole reliance on a rule-based regime imposed by regulatory agencies.