Securing water and fertiliser to back NZ farmers
A re-elected National Government will make security of New Zealand’s water and fertiliser a priority for New Zealand farmers, National’s Agriculture spokesperson Todd McClay and Associate Agriculture spokesperson Mike Butterick say.
Security of supply is critical to enable our farmers to produce food and generate the exports that are currently worth $65.2 billion to New Zealand’s economy.
“Water is one of New Zealand’s greatest strategic and natural advantages. It supports regional jobs and earns the export earnings that pay for our hospitals, our schools and our roads,” Mr McClay says.
“New Zealand receives more rainfall per person than almost any developed nation on earth, yet too many of our regions still face real water insecurity, because it often arrives in the wrong places and in the wrong seasons.
“When farmers and growers have reliable water, they produce more, take on more staff and more money flows into the local town, which means more jobs and stronger exports.
“At present, New Zealand only captures and uses about two per cent of our total annual rainfall. There is an additional 400,000 hectares ready for irrigation right now, waiting on water storage projects to be built and resource consents to be granted,” Mr McClay says.
If re-elected, National will secure New Zealand’s greatest natural asset for the next generation by:
- Committing $300 million in concessional loans to get water storage built, starting with five prioritised projects.
- Delivering New Zealand’s first long-term water infrastructure pipeline, in partnership with growers, farmers, councils and iwi.
- Publishing the first National Rural and Provincial Water Use Strategy in 2027, backed by a national storage register.
- Introducing a National Standard for on-farm and other lower-risk off-stream water storage
- Introducing a National Standard for irrigation, to make consenting easier for farmers and growers.
Mike Butterick says fertiliser is equally important to agriculture.
“Without reliable access, our farming sector could not sustain anything close to its current production base.
“New Zealand plans for fuel security and energy security. National believes we should also plan for fertiliser security to protect New Zealand’s productive economy.
“National will prioritise reducing reliance on imports and improve certainty of availability for our farmers, Mr Butterick says.
National will:
- Negotiate fertiliser security agreements, using the AOTES blueprint, with key supplier countries to protect New Zealand-bound product from export restrictions, provide early warning of supply disruptions and greater supply-chain, and keep essential nutrients flowing to our farmers.
- Introduce a $10 million Critical Inputs Fund to partner with domestic fertiliser manufacturers to support pathways for long-term domestic nitrogen production and the transition from natural gas to electrification.
“National backs farmers as part of our plan to grow the economy, spend sensibly and get debt down, with no new taxes. A Labour coalition would squander surpluses, hike debt and hit Kiwis with nine new taxes to pay for its spending plans – and that would mean households paying $2263 in extra tax every year,” Mr McClay says.
