MAF Policy News
Issue 4, June 2007
ISSN 1177-701X
In this issue:
Export rights to regulated dairy markets
Recovering from severe weather or a natural disaster – the outcome of the Review of the On-farm Adverse Events Recovery Framework
MAF releases annual snapshot of plantation forests
About the Sustainable Land Management (Hill Country Erosion) Programme
MAF's Director-General's thoughts on improving productivity in our primary sectors
Waikato River Treaty claim settlement consultation begins
Consent order clarifies indigenous forestry in Tasman District
New publications
Export rights to regulated dairy markets
On 23 May 2007 Cabinet agreed to proposals that will provide future certainty for rights to regulated dairy export markets and allow a wider group of dairy processors to participate in regulated markets. The decision followed consultation with industry stakeholders.
Regulated dairy markets were established when the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001 was enacted. They generally operate where importing countries have country-specific tariff quotas for New Zealand products. The initial exclusive allocations of rights to the New Zealand Dairy Board (a wholly owned subsidiary of Fonterra) will expire progressively between June 2007 and December 2010. A Bill amending the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001 will be drafted to put the proposals in place. It is intended that the Bill will be tabled in the House in June or July.
More information
-
Read the summary of the policy decisions
Recovering from severe weather or a natural disaster
Following the Review of the On-farm Adverse Events Recovery Framework, Cabinet agreed the Matrix of Government Response should be used to determine what recovery measures are provided to farmers, growers and foresters following an adverse climatic event or natural disaster.
The Matrix of Government Response is a mechanism for classifying the scale of an event and determining what assistance the government can provide to help recovery. It includes five criteria for assessing an event and examples of how events could be classified.
The matrix and options for recovery measures are outlined in the leaflet On-farm Readiness and Recovery Plan for Adverse Climatic Events and Natural Disasters. The leaflet also discusses the responsibilities individuals and rural communities have for planning and responding to adverse events.
More information
-
Read the On-farm Readiness and Recovery Plan
-
Read about the outcomes of the review
-
Read the summary of submissions
-
Printed copies of the On-farm Readiness and Recovery Plan are available free of charge by emailing policy.publications@maf.govt.nz or by writing to Policy Publications, MAF Policy, PO Box 2526, Wellington
MAF releases annual snapshot of plantation forests
The latest edition of MAF's A National Exotic Forest Description (NEFD) shows a small decrease in the plantation forest area in New Zealand over the year to April 2006. This is the second consecutive year in its 23 year history that the report records a decrease in forest area.
MAF Principal Adviser Paul Lane says this year's report notes the continuing trend of not replanting all forests after harvesting, and in some cases converting immature forest to pasture. This trend started on a larger scale in 2004.
The 2006 survey indicates approximately 12 900 hectares of forest clear felled in the year to 31 March 2006 will not be replanted. This represents a third of the total area harvested. Most of this 'deforestation' occurred in the Central North Island and Canterbury, mostly converted to pasture. Changes in land use are not unusual in New Zealand; however, up until 2004 it was unusual for plantation forests to be cleared.
The NEFD report is produced in partnership with the New Zealand Forest Owners' Association and the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association.
More information
-
Printed copies of NEFD are available free of charge by emailing policy.publications@maf.govt.nz or by writing to Policy Publications, MAF Policy, PO Box 2526, Wellington
Sustainable Land Management (Hill Country Erosion) Programme
MAF is developing the Sustainable Land Management (Hill Country Erosion) Programme to provide leadership and targeted government support to communities that need to protect erosion-prone land.
The Government asked MAF to lead this programme following significant floods in recent years. Annual costs associated with hill country erosion are estimated at $100-150 million. Protecting erosion-prone land can significantly reduce the damage caused by heavy rain and flooding.
The Government has allocated $10 million to the programme over four years. The programme is still in development, but is likely to have three parts:
-
funding for regional initiatives that seek to work with hill country farmers to guard against erosion;
-
training and development and support for local government land management teams;
-
developing scientific and information resources.
More information
Read the Minister of Agriculture's press release
From transition to transformation: MAF's Director-General's thoughts on improving productivity in our primary sectors
MAF's Director-General, Mr Murray Sherwin, outlined his thoughts on productivity in the primary sector when speaking to the Primary Resources Workshop at the Royal Society of New Zealand.
Over the past 20 years or so, productivity growth in the sectors has been transitional, said Mr Sherwin. Flexibility of attitude and of regulatory regimes has enabled a shift in the allocation of resources to higher producing areas. But better use of resources can only take New Zealand so far, now we need to look at how we can transform our primary sector. We need new innovations and technology to continue driving productivity gains.
More information
-
Read the Director-General's speech
Waikato River Treaty claim settlement consultation begins
The Office of Treaty Settlements has begun consultation on the draft Agreement in Principle between the Crown and Waikato-Tainui, over the iwi's historical Treaty claim to the Waikato River. All stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the draft Agreement in Principle before it is signed by the parties.
The key redress offered in the proposed settlement is the first of its kind. It offers an opportunity for Crown agencies to work closely with iwi to achieve co-management of a catchment. It is likely to require changes to:
-
regional policy statement and regional plans;
-
district plans;
-
regional council operating procedures (including resource consent processes).
The river claim is based on the Crown's raupatu (confiscation) in the 1860s, which denied Waikato-Tainui's rights and interests in the Waikato River.
More information available from Office of Treaty Settlements
Visit the Office of Treaty Settlements' website to read the draft Agreement in Principle
Consent order clarifies indigenous forestry in Tasman District
The Tasman District Council, MAF, the Department of Conservation and other local organisations are party to a consent order that provides landowners in the Tasman District with clarity about where sustainable indigenous forestry is permitted.
MAF believes this consent order, which records a negotiated agreement between affected parties, gives adequate protection to areas with significant natural values in the absence of identified Significant Natural Areas in the Tasman District Plan. At the same time it provides an objective approach for determining where indigenous forestry management may be undertaken as a permitted or discretionary activity. MAF is collaborating with the other parties on a memorandum of understanding to investigate the ecological values of remnant natural areas, assess their significance, and develop priorities and methods for the protection of significant natural values in the district.
Indigenous forestry management is a permitted activity in the Tasman District if it was approved under Part IIIA of the Forests Act 1949 (as a Sustainable Forest Management Plan or Permit, or a Personal Use Approval) before March 31 2007. New Plans and Permits are a permitted activity if they are not on lowland alluvial sites, on karst sites or in the Coastal Environment Area. Indigenous forestry in these areas is now a restricted discretionary activity and requires resource consent under the Resource Management Act.
More information
-
For more information about the consent order please contact Chas Perry, Nelson Regional Team Leader, MAF Policy (email chas.perry@maf.govt.nz or phone 03 543 9182)
-
Find out about Sustainable Forest Management Plans and Permits
New publications
PFSI: A guide to eligible land
This short guide provides examples of what land is, and is not, eligible to earn Kyoto Protocol compliant emission units (carbon credits) under the Permanent Forest Sink Initiative.
Forestry production and trade for the December 2006 quarter (Statistical Release 01/2007)
MAF's latest Statistical Release shows that roundwood removals, an indicator of export and domestic processing levels in the forestry industry, decreased in the December 2006 quarter after increasing for two consecutive quarters.
Printed copies of these publications are available free of charge by emailing policy.publications@maf.govt.nz or by writing to Policy Publications, MAF Policy, PO Box 2526, Wellington.
Contact for Enquiries
Publications Adviser
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: 64 4 894 0657
Fax: 64 4 894 0742
Contact this person
