Election 2017 - Party Policies - Primary Industries and Rural Affairs - Agriculture
25th Jul 20, 5:56am
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Agriculture
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- Strongly support mandatory country of origin labelling for all singleingredient imported agricultural products.
- Committed to keeping the Aotearoa/New Zealand environment free of GE organisms.
- In order to meet our Kyoto commitments it is vital that we control methane and nitrous oxide emissions from livestock by promoting organic agriculture.
- Encourage efficient rural use of energy, especially oil (particularly for soil cultivation, irrigation, and inputs such as synthetic fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides), to reduce current energy dependence.
- Promote the target of half of New Zealand's production becoming certified organic by 2025.
- Require Landcorp to implement and model sustainable farming techniques such as organic production, retiring riparian areas and areas of high erosion, conserving biodiversity, reducing synthetic fertiliser use and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Establishing a Commissioner of Animal Welfare, which will be independent of political parties and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and which will report to Parliament.
- Read more here and here.
- Creating 11,000 Jobs for Nature in regional New Zealand, including boosting weed and pest control programmes, which will protect farmers against costly pests like wilding pines and wallabies, and clean up our waterways.
- Investing significantly to help rural communities and fishing communities recover from COVID-19, including funding to increase access to support, financial and continuity planning advice and wellbeing services.
- Backing the horticulture sector to seize new opportunities for growth and stay ahead of international competitors, including funding to enable the introduction of imported plant material for the sector to develop new high-value crops and cultivars.
- Supporting farmer-led solutions through our Productive and Sustainable Land Use package, with a focus on promoting farm land-use practices that deliver more value and improve environmental outcomes.
- Read more here.
- Repeal the Resource Management Act (RMA) and replace it with an Environmental Standards Act and Planning and Development Act.
- Allow skilled workers and Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers to enter New Zealand.
- Create a fast-tracked Primary Sector Visa.
- Repeal or review the nine new water regulations Labour introduced in August.
- Promote water storage options.
- Review the treatment of forestry in the Emissions Trading Scheme.
- Remove the exemption that streamlines the process for forestry applications in the Overseas Investment Office test.
- Remove the review process around introducing agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme in 2022.
- Pass seven changes to the Zero Carbon Bill, including a review of the methane target.
- Pursue an active free trade agenda to open up new markets for New Zealand’s food and fibre products.
- Enforce stronger penalties for biosecurity offences.
- Build the infrastructure to ensure better connectivity for rural communities.
- Read more here.
- Build the New Zealand First Farms initiative to assist qualified new entrants towards farm ownership by leveraging Landcorp’s balance sheet
- Facilitate water storage and irrigation schemes while working in tandem with local groups and Government to fund and build water storage capacity and capability, so that they meet the needs of modern aquaculture and horticulture
- Provide government co-funding for primary sector ‘New Zealand Brand’ value add initiatives, such as Beef and Lamb New Zealand’s “Taste Pure Nature” or protecting the term of ‘Manuka Honey’
- Increase funding and capacity for primary production research
- Introduce accelerated depreciation for wintering sheds
- Dedicate funding for riparian planting and fences
- Update the Sharemilking Act (1937)
- Investigate stock agent licencing reforms
- Enable domestic testing of rye grass for methane reduction
- Explore the feasibility of wool carpets and insulation in all Government funded buildings
- Consider the total overhaul of strong wool marketing models
- Support the National Animal Welfare Advisory Council (NAWAC) in formulating animal welfare standards
- Support research into regenerative farming models
- Help unify the Manuka Honey industry to add value to our export products
- Support agricultural training institutions such as Telford in Balclutha
- Read more here.
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