Submissions to government on proposed environmental legislation

YOUR LEVY AT WORK

INDUSTRY WIDE ISSUES FOR INDUSTRY GOOD

Submissions to government on proposed environmental legislation

Michelle Sands : HortNZ strategy and policy manager

Governments proposal on pricing agricultural emissions

HortNZ made a joint submission with primary sector and Māori agribusiness on the government’s pricing agricultural emissions recommendations. HortNZ supports the primary sector and Māori agribusiness joint submission. HortNZ believes a balance has been struck with the recommendations within the submission, that will enable the primary sector to take climate change action, remain productive and respond to increasing market demands for climate action. HortNZ also made a separate submission on the government’s recommendations, reiterating support for the primary sector and Māori agribusiness joint submission. The HortNZ submission also reflected the views of growers, some of which differ from the position HortNZ has taken in the joint submission. Growers hold a range of views on pricing agricultural emissions, including: • Lack of support for pricing agricultural emissions from some growers. These growers considered the focus should be solely on emissions management.

These growers were concerned about the added pressure from pricing, on growers and farmers struggling with inflation, workforce shortages and regulatory complexity • Support from some growers for an agricultural emissions management and pricing system. These growers considered a robust system to be important to support international trade, and alignment with increasing market requirements for climate change action • A split view on whether the point of obligation for paying for fertiliser emissions should be at the Farm

Level or the ETS.

Food Waste Definition for New Zealand

HortNZ has submitted on the government’s proposed definition of food waste. HortNZ has sought the following outcomes: • A suite of national definitions for food, food loss and food waste. - Food: distinguishing between the edible and inedible food waste generated. - Food loss: capturing food loss that occurs during the post-harvest through distribution stages. - Food Waste: capturing food waste that occurs during the wholesale and retail stages through to household stages. • We are concerned that the government is conflating the outcomes sought with improved food loss minimisation and waste management. We consider it necessary to be clear about the key outcomes sought. We seek that policies are assessed for effectiveness both against individual outcomes and combined outcomes. Robust analysis is necessary to optimise co-benefits, avoid unintended consequences and avoid an inequitable distribution of the costs and benefits of food loss and waste management. The three areas we consider food loss and waste policy needs to be explicitly assessed against are impacts on: - Reducing methane and carbon emissions, and including lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions - Optimising waste streams for economic benefit - Improving food security, including food safety, for New Zealand and the Pacific.

Timaru District Council – Proposed District Plan

HortNZ has developed a submission on the Timaru District Plan. We seek a framework that enables horticulture within the rural environment.

HortNZ believes clarity is required to ensure appropriate horticultural production activities, such as non-soil based covered cropping and independent post-harvest facilities are located within horticultural production areas. HortNZ believes reverse sensitivity issues needs to be addressed to enable horticultural production activities to occur in rural zones and particularly where there is new residential development occurring near zone boundaries, or at the edge of established towns.

Proposed Te Tai o Poutini District Plan

HortNZ submitted on the proposed Te Tai o Poutini District Plan. The Te Tai o Poutini Plan is a combined district Plan for the Grey, Buller and Westland District Councils. Hort NZ has sought an enabling approach to Horticulture as a potential growth industry for the West Coast.

PROPAGATION AMNESTY

Waimea is responsible for the management of several protected fruit tree varieties in New Zealand. These varieties are protected by Plant Variety Rights and may only be grown by authorised growers with permission from Waimea. Protected varieties that are propagated, grafted, top-worked or supplied without appropriate authorisation may be subjected to a range of consequences. We are offering an amnesty period for any unauthorised propagation, topworking or supply of protected material until 28th February 2023. During the amnesty period Waimea will apply the normal royalty and propagation fees that would be due. Following the amnesty period any declared or discovered propagation will be subject to a penalty rate or action under the PVR Act 1987. Protected Varieties (non exhaustive list)

Apples: Jugala Galaval Aztec Fuji Candy Fuji Kingsbeer Red Lady in Red* Rosy Glow

*For Lady In Red in North Island locations please contact LE Cooke Nurseryman Ltd.

If you have propagated or supplied material of these or other protected varieties managed by Waimea or have questions regarding this propagation amnesty please contact us.

Cherries: Folfer (Lani®) Kootenay

Pears: Angelys

Tel: 03 544 2700 Email: ip@wvm.co.nz