Angus Kebbell reports that despite record prices for livestock and dairy, farmers still think they are hard done by and want a 'balance' more in their economic favour between environment protections and their trading outcomes

When it comes to environmental regulations, farmers and contractors know better than most that the devil is in the detail. Rules written in Wellington can look tidy on paper, but they often fail to reflect the complexities of real farming systems. That disconnect is something Luca Jansen, Environmental Stewardship Manager at Deer Industry New Zealand is working hard to bridge.

Luca’s roots run deep in rural New Zealand. “I’ve spent most of my life living on farms,” she explained noting her degree in resource and environmental planning from Massey and more than 17 years as a member of the Planning Institute. Much of her career was spent in local and regional government, but in recent years she stepped out of the public sector and into the deer industry. “I wanted to focus on building a fairer system around environmental regulations, and I thought that would be easier to achieve outside of the public sector.”

That move reflects a frustration many in farming share: that too often, decisions are made without a genuine understanding of what happens on the ground. “Deer farming systems are unique,” Luca said. “Many government agencies whether in Wellington or at regional level, don’t have the farming experience or knowledge so they really do rely on seeking knowledge from industry bodies.” Her approach has been simple but effective: take council staff out onto farms, show them how operations work and talk through the pros and cons. “It’s about councils looking at those unique farming systems and recognising what will actually help the region to succeed. We need food, we need exports and we need jobs - it’s pretty simple.”

That wider lens is something Luca believes has been missing from regulation. Too often freshwater policy is seen only through an environmental lens while its connections to rural communities, culture and the economy are ignored. “It’s not just one aspect of the environment,” she said. “It’s linked in with society, rural communities, culture. It’s our culture and our economy. So yeah, it’s having that wider lens really.”

The Government’s reform of the Resource Management Act offers a chance to get things right, but also carries risks. The plan is to split the Act into two pieces: one focused on urban issues, and the other on the environment, land, water, air. In theory, this makes sense. But as Luca pointed out, “I worry that in the past, we’ve copied regulations from overseas and it tends to not work. We are a unique environment, and our economy is unique as well. I just hope those two separate acts still talk to each other well and that we’re not just focusing on the Natural Environment Act around farmers, because urban activities do impact the environment as well - stormwater, wastewater and we all need clean drinking water too.”

For the deer industry and other smaller farming sectors, there’s also the challenge of being heard. “It’s about not putting everyone in one box,” Luca said. “Consultation is really important. Even though it can be difficult to get to public meetings, I just really encourage farmers to read about what’s happening, spend a bit of time to be engaged in these environmental discussions.”

Freshwater farm plans are one area where constructive progress is being made. The deer industry has been working with government for the past 18 months to iron out inefficiencies and reduce costs. “Instead of a farm advisor needing to go to each individual regional council for approval, if they meet the requirements they can go to the Minister with industry body support to get approval,” Luca explained. “That’s suited to the deer industry, where we don’t have technical expertise in each region. Farmers rely on experts from other parts of the country.” The aim is clear: “Making less paperwork, less administration and actually focusing on on-the-ground mitigations. That’s what it should be about.”

The balance between environmental protection and economic survival is another area that needs careful handling. “Freshwater policies at the moment don’t give much weight to economic, social and cultural values,” Luca noted. “We all know things are hard out there, rates are going up, cost of living is going up. In reality, we can’t achieve everything. We don’t have a magic wand. So what this is looking at is having a good look at what those priorities are, and seeing what is actually achievable.” Farmers often say, you can’t be green if you’re in the red. That saying captures the reality that profitability and environmental protection are not opposing forces, they must work together.

Consistency is another pressing need. “In terms of the deer industry, we need more consistent regulation across the country,” Luca said. A patchwork of regional approaches makes compliance harder and risks undermining trust. Stronger national direction, paired with real accountability at both central and local levels, could bring clarity. That also means holding district councils to account for wastewater treatment and other infrastructure that impacts water quality.

Meanwhile in the emissions space, practical tools are beginning to appear. Deer Industry New Zealand has been working with MPI on an on-farm emissions calculator to provide consistency across sectors. “There were inconsistencies in the different programs farmers were using that came out with different emissions numbers,” Luca said. “So the government set out to have some consistency. We had farmers test this calculator, deer farmers provided feedback, there were some inaccuracies, so the government has been helping to improve that. I believe they will be releasing this calculator any day now.” It will not be mandatory, but it will give farmers a chance to measure and understand their emissions more clearly.

At the heart of all this is a question of trust. Farmers are willing to engage, to adapt and to do their part for water and climate. But they need to see a regulatory system that recognises their realities, values their contribution and works with them rather than against them. You can’t have one without the other. The environment, the economy, the community - they all work together. That’s what we need if we want farming and New Zealand to thrive.

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Angus Kebbell is the Producer at Tailwind Media. You can contact him here.