Taupo farmers facing production cuts

By STACEY BODGER

TAUPO - Taupo farmers are being hit by falling land values and low morale after Environment Waikato announced plans to preserve Lake Taupo by imposing environmental restrictions on farming.

The regional council has held three public meetings with farmers, who say they are being made scapegoats for the rising nitrogen levels in the lake, which threaten water clarity.

One farmer, who would not be named, said four people had been interested in buying his dairy farm until the restrictions were proposed but now no one would look at the land.

Rural estate agent Paul O'Sullivan confirmed yesterday that there had been a slide in interest in Taupo land and believed the value of farms had fallen by up to 30 per cent in the public's perception.

In May, the council announced plans to place unique resource consent restrictions on dairy, sheep and beef farming to reduce nitrogen flow into the lake, which has risen from 850 tonnes annually before economic development to 1100 tonnes.

Visibility has dropped from 15m to 14m and the council fears that without urgent restrictions, it could fall to 9m within 10 years.

Environment Waikato spokesman Dr Lex Rennes said 30 per cent of the nitrogen came from farmland, with dairy farms producing the most per hectare.

The council will call next month for public comment on proposed restrictions, which are likely to require intensive-farming operators around the lake to apply for resource consent.

That may restrict nitrogen output to 3kg a hectare - a level farmers say is impossible.

Mr O'Sullivan, who has marketed rural properties in the area since 1978, said the impending restrictions were a "bogy" over land in the Lake Taupo catchment.

"It's very unfortunate - Environment Waikato recognises there are many causes but people seem to think that it's all dairy farmers' fault.

"I'm marketing a property which would have been perfect for conversion to dairying but I doubt that will happen now," he said.

Farmer Roger Garland said the council's announcement had shattered farmers, who had no idea how their farms would be affected. "It's a very worrying waiting game - we have to get production off our land but we also know the lake must be protected," Mr Garland said.

Taupo Federated Farmers vice-president Gifford McFadden said farmers disagreed with the council's data and would do their own measurements.

Dr Rennes said the council was always open to suggestions and would weigh up all data.

He said it understood that farmers wanted to stock their land as heavily as possible and was not out to impose "ridiculous" restrictions.