Natural resources and environment

YOUR LEVY AT WORK

INDUSTRY WIDE ISSUES FOR INDUSTRY GOOD

NATURAL RESOURCES

AND ENVIRONMENT

Words by Michelle Sands : HortNZ environment manager

Selwyn District Plan

Selwyn District Council publicly notified the Proposed Selwyn District Plan on 5 October 2020. HortNZ worked with growers to develop a submission. HortNZ is currently participating in the hearing process. Key issues raised in the HortNZ submission included: • Greater recognition (and protection) of the soil resource. • Provisions for activities and buildings/structures that are an inherent part of horticulture – including seasonal workers’ accommodation, artificial crop protection structures, and packing and processing facilities. • Strengthening of the reverse sensitivity management methods. • Rules that enable a rapid biosecurity response should the need arise.

Otago Regional Policy Statement

The Proposed Otago Regional Policy Statement 2021 sets the direction for future management of Otago's natural and physical resources. The proposed Regional Policy Statement provides high-level guidance by way of policies and objectives and establishes the framework for Otago's regional and district plans in which resource management policies, objectives and rules will sit. HortNZ has worked with growers to develop a submission on behalf of all Otago growers. Key issues raised in the HortNZ submission included:

• People are part of the natural environment. Natural environmental limits should account for the essential human health needs of people. The social, economic and cultural well-being of all people must be provided for within natural environmental limits. • Food security is a nationally important issue which needs to be addressed at a strategic level, it is integral to human health. • Diversification of horticulture presents an opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. • Highly productive land (HPL) should be recognised to promote its use (for primary production), as well as to protect it from inappropriate subdivision. • Growing fruits and vegetables in all regions of

New Zealand, including Otago, is reliant on reliable supplies of fresh water.

Food security is a nationally important issue which needs to be addressed at a strategic level, it is integral to human health

Freshwater Farm Plans

The government is consulting on their Fresh Water Farm Plan Discussion document, which responds to the Resource Management Act (RMA) amendment in 2020. The RMA sets out a process for regulated certified and audited Freshwater Farm Plans that would apply nationally. HortNZ has worked with growers and GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) schemes to develop a submission on behalf of all growers. Key issues raised in the HortNZ submission included:

• The horticulture sector in New Zealand has had farm level assurance systems (GAP) for over 20 years. • HortNZ supports Integrated Farm Planning. Critical to the success of Integrated Farm Planning is a common assurance framework. GAP is a working example of an integrated farm planning framework. • The submission seeks an approval system in the regulations to enable Industry Assurance Programmes (such as GAP) to support the delivery of certified

Freshwater Farm Plans. • The submission seeks to enable an alternative pathway for certification and audit via approved Industry

Assurance Programmes (such as GAP), including recognition of certification against a standard and the group model of certification.