In 2023, the Ministry for the Environment contracted The AgriChain Centre, with Massey University subcontracted for specific technical services, to undertake an investigation into the potential impacts on vegetable production as a result of new requirements being placed onto regional councils to improve water quality. This project was called “Sensitivity Of Domestic Food Supply To Loss In Vegetable Growing Production In Specified Vegetable Growing Areas”.
The project involved examining the National Policy Statement for Fresh Water Management 2020 (NPSFM 2020), which came into effect in September 2020. Local authorities (councils) were expected to apply the NPS FM 2020 by notifying freshwater plans that give effect to the NPS FM 2020 by 31 December 2024.
Almost 3 years after the NPS FM 2020 came into force, stakeholders were indicating concern that insufficient evidence existed to provide for effective and efficient implementation of clause 3.33 of the NPS FM 2020 around vegetable production in the Pukekohe and Horowhenua Specified Vegetable Growing Areas ( SVGA).
The final report identified that for streams with Nitrogen levels lower than the worst case in each SVGA, Nitrogen related National Bottom Lines were either already achieved, or needed minimal changes that would not require changes in vegetable production.
The full report is now available here.
