The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Freshwater rules take toll on southern farmer confidence

By Sally Rae
Otago Daily Times·
30 Sep, 2020 10:09 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Many southern farmers have been battling with snowy conditions this week with spring lambs' resilience tested. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

Many southern farmers have been battling with snowy conditions this week with spring lambs' resilience tested. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

Southern sheep and beef farmers have experienced their worst fall in confidence in a recent survey by Beef+Lamb New Zealand, as the Government's freshwater rules are cited as a major factor.

Nationally, confidence dropped to the lowest recorded level since August 2017 with less than half — or 46 per cent of farmers — confident in the future of New Zealand's sheep and beef industry compared to 58 per cent in May.

Farmer confidence was down in all regions, except for the northern North Island, and the largest fall was in the southern South Island at 32 per cent (down 27 per cent), followed by the central South Island at 42 per cent (down 19 per cent).

In a statement, B+LNZ chairman Andrew Morrison, a Southland farmer, said sheep and beef farmers were increasingly concerned at the speed and scale of government-led reforms.

"We are hearing that a key factor behind the fall in confidence is the Government's recent essential freshwater rules, but also concerns about the cumulative impact of law changes in the last couple of years such as the Zero Carbon Bill and changes to the emissions trading scheme that has led to a surge in the conversion of sheep and beef farms into carbon farms," Morrison said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
B+LNZ chairman Andrew Morrison. Photo / Beef+Lamb NZ
B+LNZ chairman Andrew Morrison. Photo / Beef+Lamb NZ

Farmers were also worried about the potential impact of significant policies such as biodiversity, which have been parked until early next year. There were also lingering impacts of drought across parts of the country and uncertainty in export markets as a result of Covid-19.

"Sheep and beef farmers recognise they have a role to play in improving their environmental performance, they have made significant gains in a range of areas in recent years and know there is more to do.

"But farmers are concerned the policy settings in areas such as freshwater and proposals on biodiversity are not workable or practical at a farm level, nor will they necessarily lead to better environmental outcomes.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We want to work with the incoming government on improving the rules that have already being introduced and then focus on their implementation," he said.

Southland-based rural advocate Olivia Ross said this week's snowfall in Otago and Southland showed the new cultivation rules could not be met, despite farmers' best efforts.

Paddocks for winter grazing were to be resown by October 1 — or November 1 if in Otago and Southland — and, with the past month's weather being worse than winter, that was "totally unrealistic".

Since September 1, parts of Otago and Southland had received between 80mm and 150mm of rain with minimal drying days. In the past few days, the average farm in the region had received 10cm-25cm of snow, bringing extra water to already wet pastures. Heading out on to those wet pastures would cause a raft of detrimental effects, she said.

Discover more

Town and country hui 'not a protest' - Federated Farmers

28 Sep 02:15 AM

Sheep and beef farmers push rural confidence further into negative territory

24 Sep 02:00 AM

Worker shortage fears grow as Central Otago harvest looms

29 Sep 02:45 AM

Planning, pragmatism ease the way for Otago farmer

23 Sep 12:30 AM

Meanwhile, Southland Federated Farmers and the Southland Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to organise the Town and Country Hui in Invercargill on October 9.

Southland Federated Farmers president Geoffrey Young said the Town and Country Hui was not a protest but a show of unity and of camaraderie.

"The three key messages we'd like to get out to Southlanders are: the best solutions to Southland challenges will be developed in Southland; Southland can balance a healthy economy and healthy freshwater; and cultivation and planting will happen when conditions are appropriate," he said.

It was about uniting town and country to enable people to learn about the implications of the freshwater legislation, how to be resilient as a province, and to celebrate what was already happening.

Running between noon and 2pm at the Gala St Reserve, it would include a panel discussion. Laura Douglas, from The Fairlight Foundation, would speak about mental wellbeing and resilience to address the low morale.

There would be a barbecue, entertainment and child-friendly activities.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

'We love you Jocko': Hundreds pay tribute to Stewart Island hunting accident victim

The Country

City to Farm - how leftovers are giving back to the land

The Country

The Country: Tasman farmer on flooding aftermath


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

'We love you Jocko': Hundreds pay tribute to Stewart Island hunting accident victim
The Country

'We love you Jocko': Hundreds pay tribute to Stewart Island hunting accident victim

Jock Davies was remembered for his infectious humour, caring nature and great strength.

14 Jul 04:21 AM
City to Farm - how leftovers are giving back to the land
The Country

City to Farm - how leftovers are giving back to the land

14 Jul 03:16 AM
The Country: Tasman farmer on flooding aftermath
The Country

The Country: Tasman farmer on flooding aftermath

14 Jul 02:16 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP