Our Key Recommendations

This manifesto is split into 7 key themes that we identified as critical aspects of New Zealand’s agriculture system that need to be redesigned in order to achieve a healthy food future. For each key theme identified, several key policy recommendations have emerged. These are the key changes that we would like to see implemented in the short term, as a way of jumpstarting New Zealand’s journey to a regenerative food future.

  • ● A national plan and strategy for biodiversity on farmland is urgently needed. It must be created by the Ministry for Primary Industries, in partnership with all stakeholders.

    ● Effective protection and or restoration given to 30% of each ecosystem in New Zealand to align with the conservation requirements of the United Nations SDG.

    ● Create a regulatory requirement for all farms over 20ha to have a Farm Environment Plan (FEP) by year end 2024. Farms are required to make continual improvements to the FEP to align with recommendations in this document.

    ● Spatial mapping and digitisation of land use design must be improved and scaled up to assist with future decision-making.

    ● Create support structures for farmers to diversify operation and transition to farming systems that move with consumer preference.

  • ● Create national emissions budget targets beyond neutrality by 2050. We must have carbon positive (locking in more emissions than we emit) targets for 2100, 2150 and 2200.

    ● Foresters must have a plan to harvest pine trees after 40 years, they cannot be planted in perpetuity as carbon forests.

    ● Regulation should be changed in increments over the next decade to unlock the ability to sustainably fell new plantings of natives.

    ● Native carbon credits are traded separately in ETS.

    ● ETS lookup tables need to be updated in accordance with Pure Advantages recommendations.

    ● Agricultural emissions should be priced by a producer levy and cut by 20% by 2030 and 100% by 2050.

    ● Every farm in New Zealand must get its carbon budget number by the end of 2022 as per He Waka Eke Noa legislation.

    ● Emissions and sequestration should be treated separately, as a liability and income stream on farm accounts, with options for farmers to get payments for emission abatement and carbon sequestration on regulatory and voluntary markets.

  • ● Government implements a nationwide agriculture and food system education programme into schools.

    ● Public, open-source platforms are established to provide academic material regarding land use options, climate change, and other relevant opportunities in accessible and engaging formats.

    ● Create a ‘Regenerative’ media platform, which is solutions-focused and addresses how, what and why change is needed.

  • ● In line with the freshwater reforms Nitrate in freshwater should be limited to no more than 1mg/L and a limit of 190kg/ha of urea should be applied nationwide.

    ● Increased funding is provided for research oncost and yield of multispecies winter crops and data is made easily accessible.

    ● Restrictions on winter grazing are practical and ambitious in reducing impact

    ● Establish a regenerative agriculture certification programme and encourage the uptake of the wider philosophical principles associated with this approach including continual improvement.

    ● New Zealand should not participate in the purchase of chemical or other products that are unethical or sustainable in their supply chain.

    ● The disconnect between food and the sentient nature of animals is repaired at the consumption interface.

  • ● Increased access to professional mental health support in rural communities.

    ● New Zealand develops a rural mental health specific plan.

    ● Decision making at government level should be based on the fundamental level of interconnection.

    ● Invest in building the social capacity of farming communities in health and sustainability related matters.

  • ● Wool import tariffs are removed globally.

    ● Petroleum fibre sales in New Zealand are taxed.

    ● Bring wool processing infrastructure to New Zealand.

    ● Government investment and public incentives should be given for circular economy solutions.

    ● In the case of New Zealand revisiting the GE discussion, the conversation must be informed by the latest science.

  • ● Alternative funding opportunities are developed to support farmers in transitioning to more sustainable farming practices.

    ● Financial payments are made available for ecosystem services, carbon sequestration and emission abatement.

    ● Impact pledges proliferate to fund farm conversions.

    ● Appropriate markets are developed for externalities, emissions and nitrate which generate liability on farms happen in harmony with those markets that generate revenue (Eg. biodiversity credits).

    ● National integrated accounting framework is adopted to account for natural capital accounts.