Environmental Effects of Dairy Farming in New Zealand
Is New Zealand’s clean green image under threat from dirty dairying or is the agriculture industry getting a bad rap for New Zealand’s lack of monitoring and policy making? |
Contents Executive Summary 3 Introduction 4 Background 5 1 Discussion 6 1.1 Soil 7 1.1.1 Environmental Impacts 8 1.2 Water Quality 8 1.2.1 Environmental Impacts 8 1.3 Water Scarcity 9 1.3.1 Environmental Effects 9 2 Clean Green Solutions 9 2.1 Clean Stream Accord 10 2.2 Resource Management Act 1991 11 2.3 Regional Councils 11 2.4 Sustainable Water Programme of Action 11 Summary 11 References
Figure 1 Land Use in New Zealand 2004. Data Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 6
Figure 2 Median Nitrate levels in river water: Nutrient trends in rivers in the national monitoring network, 1989–2005 8
Executive Summary
In just over 100 years New Zealand has gone from a country covered in natural bush to a farming nation covered in exotic grasses. Although our population is increasing a large majority of these people have been populating the cities. Few seem concerned that the previously diverse range of environments has been reduced to simplified and highly regulated farm land. There has been a drive towards agricultural intensification to produce more milk, wool, meat and crops from the same area of land. Farmers have increased production on these lands through new technologies and using more water and fertilisers.
In 2004 Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment issued a report “Growing for Good”, it found that intensified farming was causing many environmental problems; including declining water quality in many areas, large amounts of eroding land and a growth in demand for irrigation water appeared to be unsustainable in some regions.
This report outlines the above environmental effects and some solutions that have been introduced to lessen the effects of
Contents Executive Summary 3 Introduction 4 Background 5 1 Discussion 6 1.1 Soil 7 1.1.1 Environmental Impacts 8 1.2 Water Quality 8 1.2.1 Environmental Impacts 8 1.3 Water Scarcity 9 1.3.1 Environmental Effects 9 2 Clean Green Solutions 9 2.1 Clean Stream Accord 10 2.2 Resource Management Act 1991 11 2.3 Regional Councils 11 2.4 Sustainable Water Programme of Action 11 Summary 11 References
Figure 1 Land Use in New Zealand 2004. Data Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 6
Figure 2 Median Nitrate levels in river water: Nutrient trends in rivers in the national monitoring network, 1989–2005 8
Executive Summary
In just over 100 years New Zealand has gone from a country covered in natural bush to a farming nation covered in exotic grasses. Although our population is increasing a large majority of these people have been populating the cities. Few seem concerned that the previously diverse range of environments has been reduced to simplified and highly regulated farm land. There has been a drive towards agricultural intensification to produce more milk, wool, meat and crops from the same area of land. Farmers have increased production on these lands through new technologies and using more water and fertilisers.
In 2004 Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment issued a report “Growing for Good”, it found that intensified farming was causing many environmental problems; including declining water quality in many areas, large amounts of eroding land and a growth in demand for irrigation water appeared to be unsustainable in some regions.
This report outlines the above environmental effects and some solutions that have been introduced to lessen the effects of
References: