NZ could lose 30% of produce out of food chain
There are fears 30 per cent of produce could be taken out of the New Zealand food chain, and cabbages could rise to as much as $15 each in the worst-case scenario.
Furthermore, most farmers across Tararua, Whanganui, Horowhenua and Ruapehu will be in the same consent boat, with the cost of compliance likely to put many out of business.
The revelations have forced the council to look at changing its resource management blueprint, which has been bogged down by legal challenges and court hearings.
The council's strategy and policy committee unanimously voted on Wednesday to investigate options for changing its One Plan, which sets the rules for the use of resources within Horizons' boundaries.
Council strategy and policy group manager, Dr Nic Peet, effectively told the committee that only 5 per cent of farms would have had big issues getting consents under the original One Plan. But court decisions meant the plan got to a point where anywhere between 50 and 90 per cent of farms would be unable to get consent because of nitrogen leaching targets.
Councillor and former regional Federated Farmers president Gordon McKellar​ said the complexity and cost of consent applications, which some experts thought could cost $40,000 per farm, made applying for them "economic suicide".
Cr Bruce Rollinson​ said wiping out horticulture in the Horizons area could take 30 per cent of New Zealand's produce off the table and bump prices so high people may be paying $15 for a single cabbage.
Source: stuff.co.nz
