ENVIRONMENTAL AND POLICY

The target of the external relations portfolio is to build on community and local government relationships whilst being the advocate for kiwifruit growers on wider issues such as health and safety and resource management.

Freshwater rules (under review)

National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management

The National Policy Statement for Freshwater (NPS-FM) 2020 provides local authorities with direction on how they should manage freshwater.  The NPS-FM came into effect in 2020. Local authorities had until the end of 2024 to publicly notify their freshwater plans. The deadline is now the end of 2027.

Freshwater plans are expected to address:

  • the decline in water quality that has occurred in some catchments, and
  • ensure that the amount of water taken from rivers and groundwater leaves sufficient water to support ecosystem health and other important values within those water bodies.

 

How will the freshwater plans affect growers?

There are likely to be changes to water take limits and minimum flow rules. Essentially, you may not have access to as much water as you do now, which will have an impact on managing your orchard. You may need to consider investing in water storage (some guidance on water storage options is available here).

However, the Government is going to make changes to the NPS-FM  (see below).

 

What is happening with freshwater rules?

In May 2025 the Government launched its consultation on its options to amend freshwater policies.

The proposed amendments would:

  • Give councils greater flexibility to balance environmental goals with economic impacts and allow longer timeframes to reach targets where needed;
  • Remove unnecessary consents for practices like crop rotation and enable commercial domestic vegetable growing;
  • Remove the need to get a resource consent to build large-scale storage facilities on land;
  • Improve the protection of drinking water sources; and
  • Review and simplify data requirements under synthetic nitrogen fertiliser regulations.

 

More information about the NPS-FM is available on the Ministry for the Environment website:

https://environment.govt.nz/acts-and-regulations/national-policy-statements/national-policy-statement-freshwater-management/

 

What is the industry doing about freshwater?

We’ve had a water strategy in place since 2019. We had a five-year plan with the strategy which now needs updating. The strategy and plan will be updated to work with the Government’s amended freshwater policies.

The strategy is available here. The strategy details our aspiration for all growers to:

  • Demonstrate alignment of nutrient inputs and losses to good practice limits.
  • Use monitoring technology to actively manage and demonstrate efficient use of water.
  • Access tools and knowledge to protect and foster healthy, fertile soils.