New Zealand’s primary industries have won high praise from the Governor-General for the environmental improvements that have been made over four decades.

Speaking at the 40th anniversary of the Institute of Primary Industry Management, Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand told delegates that much work has been done to turn around the sustainability of the sector.

However, he warned that while the sector had faced – and survived – significant challenges in the past, environmental issues will be one of the biggest tests in the future.

‘Forty years ago considerable amounts of waste water were poured, largely untreated, into our rivers and streams and into the sea,’ he says.

‘And this was not just an issue for agriculture – municipal councils pumped largely untreated waste into the sea.’

While such practices have since been phased out, Satyanand says the farming sector must continue to improve its sustainability record to meet evolving public expectations towards the environment.

‘Few farmers want to bequeath to their children or the community land that has been misused for short-term gain. But caring for the environment also makes economic sense.

‘The fencing and planting of riparian strips is a good example of this… keeping stock out of waterways and proper planting to filter sediment reduces pollution.

‘But from an economic perspective, reducing the speed of run-off slows stream flows and reduces the erosion of valuable land.’

Satyanand says environmental obligations have become increasingly important from an international perspective.

‘In a competitive international marketplace, New Zealand has already seen how environmental concerns can potentially impact on our trade – sometimes these concerns are genuine but they can be used as a ruse to restrict our trade.’

The Governor- General also highlighted that ‘allied to the environmental challenges’ the primary sector will face in the future is bridging the urban-rural divide. He says with more New Zealanders losing direct connections to rural life the primary sector ‘must be on the front foot in selling itself, not only to the rest of the world, but also to New Zealand’.

‘While most New Zealanders know only too well the importance of primary industry to our nation’s wellbeing, the sector cannot take as given that urban New Zealand will rally to its call or understand its issues.’

Satyanand is patron of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Society and the New Zealand National Fieldays Society. His wife, Lady Susan, is patron of Rural Women of NZ.