Tag Archives: Amy Adams

Refreshed toolkit for land and environmental management

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New Zealand farmers have a refreshed version of the Land and Environment Planning (LEP) toolkit to help them manage land and environmental issues on their farms.

Produced by Beef + Lamb NZ Ltd (B+LNZ), the toolkit was launched at an event in Christchurch at the end of last week by Minister for the Environment Amy Adams.

The tool helps farmers identify actions to improve production through good environmental management of the land, soil and water resources, says B+LNZ chief executive Scott Champion. “These plans can help them meet regional council requirements too in all parts of the country.”

The sheep and beef sector is an important contributor to the New Zealand economy, producing $7.5 billion a year in export returns. “Consumers in New Zealand’s red meat sector export markets value this country’s commitment to environmentally sound practices,” says Champion.

A copy of the toolkit can be downloaded here.

 

Farmers recycling more plastic

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More than 650 tonnes of plastic farm waste has been recycled nationwide during the past year thanks to a government-funded scheme, according to the Environment Minister amy Adams.

Under the product stewardship scheme, Plasback supplies more than 1,000 recycling bins to New Zealand farms and collects agricultural plastics such as bale wrap, silage wrap and covers, agrichemical containers and crop bags. The waste is then recyled into plastic resin pellets and then reused in new plastic products.

“Many farmers have been frustrated by the lack of options for dealing with plastic farm waste and know that burning or burying waste is not a sustainable option,” Adams says.

“This voluntary scheme is about getting alongside farmers and providing an environmentally-friendly alternative.”

The programme received $130,000 from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund which supports projects that increase resource efficiency and decrease the amount of waste going to landfill.

Product Stewardship Schemes, which meet the criteria for reducing waste and environmental harm are accredited by the Minister for the Environment.