Media release from Fish & Game NZ

Fonterra steps up on environmental responsibility

Fish & Game NZ is congratulating Fonterra and the dairy industry for accepting the wise direction of the Environment Court about the need for the sector to move to mandatory environmental best practice.

By not appealing the recent One Plan ruling, Fonterra and the wider industry is recognising and accepting the need to now get on with the job and work to the parameters in the One Plan which have been set out to reduce the sector’s environmental impact, says Fish & Game NZ chief executive Bryce Johnson.

“This signals to the wider public that the biggest player in the New Zealand dairy sector is now prepared to show the lead and take responsibility for ‘avoiding, remedying or mitigating’ dairying’s adverse environmental effects, as required by the RMA.

“The One Plan decision will now also assist the current re-write of the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord, and Fish & Game NZ is keen to assist in its drafting and promotion,” Mr Johnson says.

The Environment Court heard substantial technical evidence from independent expert witnesses on agricultural land uses, best management practices, and the cost of complying with rules such as nitrogen leaching targets and riparian buffer zone fencing.

Mr Johnson says the judgement finally has the country on track to ensure agriculture is moved onto an environmentally sustainable footing.

“New Zealanders want their rivers, streams and lakes restored to being ‘swimmable, fishable and safe for food gathering’. And with the Government asking its own Land and Water Forum to come up with recommendations that ‘resonate with middle New Zealand’, the One Plan has also provided a solid backstop to underpin the Forum’s final recommendations to government”.

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