Living With Limits – a reality for irrigated agriculture

March 22, 2012

Living With Limits – a reality for irrigated agriculture

The ‘Living With Limits’ session sponsored by Fonterra will be a hot topic at the IrrigationNZ conference in Timaru next month. Water quantity limits and allocations have been in place for a number of years, but water quality limits and associated nutrient discharge allowances will soon also become part of day to day farm management. The 2011 National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management has mandated freshwater objective and limit setting, along with the phasing out of over allocation.

Astute management of water is a sure pathway to wealth and environmental prosperity. It’s a worldwide issue, and New Zealand is no exception, says Australian Mike Young, Professor of Water and Environmental Policy, who will lead the ‘Living With Limits’ session sponsored by Fonterra on the final day of the conference.

Young is one of the pioneers in the development of water trading and allocation systems in Australia and Executive Director of the University of Adelaide’s Environment Institute. He is a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists and a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and a Distinguished Fellow of the Australian Agricultural Resource Economics Society.

Young will be backed up by John Bright of Aqualinc, who will focus on how to make water quality limits work for irrigators.

“Irrigators are increasingly familiar with the practical implications of water allocation limits and the use of water meters for compliance monitoring,” says Bright, “and water quality is about to join water allocation limits as another bottom-line for the farm business”. The key to achieving further economic growth once nutrient loss limits are set will be managing nutrients and irrigation water to keep them in the root-zone, where they are an investment in future production. If they leach or drain below the root-zone they’re a cost for which there is no return.

IrrigationNZ chief executive Andrew Curtis will also present a thought piece for managing within limits - a vision for the future.

Curtis says a paradigm shift needs to occur in all parties thinking – users, community and regulator alike. Firstly, he says all resource users have to accept they have a social licence with the community to operate. “Next we have to better recognise the New Zealand environment is extremely changeable and complex. We have extremely variable growing seasons. Successful resource management needs to reflect this and move to a performance based risk management approach”.

Compliance regimes also need to be designed so that they incentivise and reward those that perform, and beat up those that do no. “The leash should get longer the better you perform, and those that flaunt the system should have the book thrown at them,” says Curtis. Knowledge, innovation and the provision of training opportunities are also key – “farmers can’t do what they don’t know”.

Looking to the future of irrigation, its role in food and fibre production, and its interaction with the environment is the key focus of the upcoming IrrigationNZ Conference and Expo.

The SBS Events Centre in Timaru will be host to New Zealand’s largest irrigation event as IrrigationNZ brings the industry together, from April 2-4, to highlight cutting edge information from national and international professionals in fields of practice, policy, and research in a challenging three days of conference and expo activity.

This major industry event is a golden opportunity to get off the farm and away from work to network with some of New Zealand’s and the world’s best farmers and water industry business people. The conference is a unique chance to be involved in a forum of learning and discussion with the view to future proofing your business alongside like-minded industry players.

Real life experiences of leading national and international keynote speakers with inspirational presentations will address face to face practical experiences covering the latest successful developments in irrigation and water resource management that will deliver ‘fresh thinking’ for optimal water management to build prosperity, opportunity and resilience for all New Zealand.

This 2012 irrigation industry event is a must for everyone serious about the future of irrigated agriculture and New Zealand’s economic future. The biennial conference is a key vehicle used by IrrigationNZ to bring together farmers, business and interest groups to debate relevant industry issues.

Whether you are an irrigator, industry representative, service provider or resource manager – attending the 2012 IrrigationNZ Conference and Expo is essential in the drive to proactively move business forward.

Farmers trade afternoon

This year there is a farmers’ trade afternoon on Monday April 2. This will give farmers the chance to visit the Expo with over 60 exhibitors bringing all the latest technologies and services available to irrigators. For just $5 at the door farmers are invited to attend the Expo open from 1-5pm.

Check out the full conference programme, more information and register now at www.irrigationnz.co.nz/events/conference

IrrigationNZ – is the national body representing all irrigation interests in a unified voice to promote excellence in irrigation development and efficient water management based on the principles of responsible and sustainable water management throughout New Zealand.

ENDS

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