Hon Todd McClay
Minister of Agriculture

The Government is partnering with Hawke’s Bay farmers and the Regional Council to improve farm productivity and build resilience against adverse weather events, Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay announced today at a ceremony in Hawke’s Bay.

“The Government is co-investing $995,000 to grow the Land for Life (LFL) pilot programme that supports Hawke’s Bay farmers with practical tools to adapt to changing conditions, build back from the recent cyclones and maximise profitability,” Mr McClay says.

“The programme of 12 pilot farms in Hawke’s Bay has been successful and is now extending to 100 farms regionally, with the ambition to reach 300 in the coming years.

“The approach enables farmers to enhance high-performing land for agricultural use while generating additional income through carbon credits and timber,” Mr McClay says.

High-level benefits projected by LFL include:

• up to $380 million in cumulative economic gains for participating farmers over 30 years
• $1.5 billion in avoided costs from reduced landslides
• sequestration of 61,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions
• improved water quality
• greater overall farm resilience

“This co-investment will validate and extend the model towards a self-funded system that focuses on delivering long-term benefits so it can eventually be rolled out across New Zealand, futureproofing rural communities, and driving economic gains.

“This initiative is another part of the Government’s plan to support our world best farmers and growers, ensuring their success, while meeting our international obligations,” Mr McClay says.

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