9. COLIN KING (National—Kaikōura) Link to this
to the Minister of Agriculture
What recent reports has he received on the New Zealand dairy industry?
Hon DAVID CARTER (Minister of Agriculture) Link to this
Last week, the Prime Minister and I launched the Strategy for New Zealand Dairy Farming 2009/2020. This comprehensive document sets out the direction for the vital dairy industry over the next 10 years. It outlines the way in which the industry will increase the profitability, sustainability, and competitiveness of New Zealand dairy farmers. This is a first for the primary sector, and it is something that I think we need to see more of. I commend it to the House.
As I said, the Government has welcomed the strategy, and it strongly endorses its five key goals. However, as both the Prime Minister and I made clear at the launch of the document, it is important that the dairy industry takes greater ownership of its environmental performance and sees it not as a compliance issue but as an integral part of future business success. The vast majority of dairy farmers are already doing this well. Unfortunately, a small number refuse to do so, and this is unacceptable to me.