Streams clean enough to drink from | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

THERE were congratulations all round at John Coveney's South Wairarapa farm yesterday as farmers, bureaucrats, Fonterra boss Henry van der Heyden and Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton gathered to celebrate progress on the clean streams accord.

The accord is a voluntary agreement among Fonterra, the ministries for the Environment and Agriculture, regional councils and farmers to clean up rural waterways.

Yesterday's meeting, at Mr Coveney's Pirinoa dairy farm, was held to report on progress so far that has seen a 2007 target to exclude dairy cattle from 50 per cent of stream, rivers and lakes already exceeded.

Mr Sutton said the accord reflects a change of farming culture that has moved from an over-emphasis on increasing farm production to a greater awareness of environmental issues.

Lakes such as Taupo would turn green as farm nutrients polluted the lake unless something was done, he said.

The accord is also driven by overseas dairy customers who are increasingly looking for food that is safe and environmentally sound.

Mr Sutton said he is confident as more farmers sign on to the accord peer pressure will mean regulations aren't necessary.

Mr Coveney, who milks 500 head on his 200ha farm, said he supports the accord.

The amount of land lost and the cost of extra fencing are minimal.

There are also benefits to the farmer from getting cattle out of the streams and providing clean trough water to stock.

There continue to be misgivings about the accord, however.

Wairarapa Federated Farmers president Jim Weston said there are apprehensions that the accord will eventually be extended to include hill country sheep and beef farm, where the cost of compliance is much greater.

Picture: Barry Harris, chief executive of Greater Wellington Regional Council, Fonterra chief executive Henry van der Heyden, Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton and farmer Jim Coveney celebrate the clean streams on the Coveney farm.