At a recent farmer gathering, Environment Canterbury councillor David East has urged farmers to produce their own data to refute perceived bad impressions of water management in the Ashburton high country.
More than 50 farmers were joined by Environment Canterbury (ECan) representatives to try to talk sense around water quality issues that have become an ongoing frustration for farmers and recreationists alike.
The day was the Federated Farmers annual high country big day out hosted by Erewhon Station, one of four high country stations tangled in the water quality web.
“I will be arguing to get support for what local farmers are doing,” East told farmers at the gathering.
“I am firmly of the belief that a lot of my colleagues don’t understand the rural perspective, they have tunnel vision.
“All councillors need to come out and see for themselves, just as I have. We need a greater science base to expel the myths, to hear the results of testing that is then incorporated in our decision and policy making.”
“Farmers are part of the problem, they are not the solution of the problem but they are part of the solution, and they are playing their part.
“I will take this all back to council and encourage them to get out here,” East said.
“If there is an appetite for it” the farmers expressed willingness to organise a day to make that happen.
Asked how ECan is going to drive change, senior strategy manager Cam Smith told farmers ECan will take a case back to the government not to waste work, time and expense on any new plans as “we already have one”.
“Give us more time to embed Farm Environment Plans and taken from today, the complexities of water quality, we need to continue conversations to work together.”
ECan acknowledged national direction creates a huge amount of frustration.
“We were on a journey with our communities and now there has been a whole lot of change so it’s how to play on the edges for a win-win for everyone. We don’t have discretion, there’s a law we have to abide by.”
Smith acknowledged there is no one-size-fits-all with local catchment groups playing a key role in rural community engagement going forward.
