The Primary Industries Ministry is giving an extra $3million to the New Zealand Landcare Trust to improve waterways and promote sustainable management practices, MPI deputy director-general Agricultural and Investment Services Karen Adair said.
The funding from the Productive and Sustainable Land Use Programme will help the New Zealand Landcare Trust to employ up to seven new staff, to provide vital services across the country to clean up waterways and promote more sustainable practices.
"This new funding will increase the trust’s national coverage and enable them to employ a new team of regional co-ordinators to work with the farming community to integrate sustainable land and water management practices into their farming systems."
The new funding continues the Government’s support to farmers and others to help them make environmental and freshwater improvements.
Trust chief executive Dr Nick Edgar said the assistance from the Government to support both economically and environmentally sustainable farming practices was encouraging and a strong endorsement of the trust’s work with the primary sector.
"This is a critical time for farmers to up their game and have a lasting positive impact on our freshwater ecosystems.
"The funding will effectively double the trust’s on-ground network of regional co-ordinators supporting farmers across New Zealand," Dr Edgar said.
Ms Adair said New Zealand’s food and fibre products were in demand globally because of their high quality and our strong farming and growing credentials.
