Farming FAQ
- What is TOP going to do to support farmers' mental and physical health as one of the more demanding industries that we have?
- What does the future of farming look like to TOP?
- Should bigger farms with more environmental impact pay more?
- Will medium-small farms still be hit by big taxes and cost?
- What will be used to determine environmental standards that farmers should be meeting?
- Are land and emissions going to get taxed more?
- Does TOP present a new political environment for farmers?
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What is TOP going to do to support farmers' mental and physical health as one of the more demanding industries that we have?
Answer
TOP aims to make environmental compliance easier, with one seamless system including biodiversity, climate and fresh water. We want to provide farmers with certainty, particularly over the cost of compliance.
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What does the future of farming look like to TOP?
Answer
New Zealand's economy needs to focus on value rather than volume, and farming is no exception to this. Instead of aiming to increase the amount of produce we grow, we need to be producing high-quality produce aimed at discerning consumers. This will include environmental providence.
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Should bigger farms with more environmental impact pay more?
Answer
Farms need to operate within the limits that the land can sustain. We want to help transition farms to be sustainable, and in most of the country that will be possible simply by getting farmers operating at best practice. If farms consistently operate outside what the land can sustain, then yes, they should eventually be charged for it.
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Will medium-small farms still be hit by big taxes and cost?
Answer
No. TOP will provide farm advisers to help develop farm plans. These will need to be implemented over time, but there will also be assistance and incentives to support farmers with that transition. Farmers will be rewarded for protecting existing wetlands and stands of native bush, plus planting erosion-prone land and riverbanks.
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What will be used to determine environmental standards that farmers should be meeting?
Answer
Standards will be based on farm plans which can be customised to individual farms circumstances. Water quality improvements will be determined collectively by the farmers in a sub-catchment.
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Are land and emissions going to get taxed more?
Answer
No. Productive farms that operate within the limits of what their land can sustain will not pay more under TOP's policies. In fact they will be rewarded for planting erosion-prone land and riverbanks.
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Does TOP present a new political environment for farmers?
Answer
Yes. TOP is for progressive farmers that see the need to operate within environmental limits, but want to do that without the added bureaucracy that comes with the Labour and Green proposals.
