Clashing with farmers over water quality is not inevitable … but likely

I have a growing sense of apprehension that water quality may be the next defining ‘battle ground’ between farmers and regional councils.

The Government has laid out its broad principles for improving water quality so that our rivers, streams and lakes are ‘swimmable and fishable’. Now, agencies representing government, regional councils and sector interest groups are working through how to ‘make it happen’.

Increasingly, talk around the decision making table is about setting water quality standards which farmers will have to meet, and how farmers will achieve these standards.

What is missing from the discussion is how to convince farmers to comply because they have bought into the issue?

Surely we have learnt from the clashes that have occurred over issues such as the aborted carbon tax, and the still being debated inclusion of on-farm greenhouse gases into the emissions trading scheme.

Rather than focus at this time on rules and how they will be policed, now is the time to win over the hearts and minds of the rural community to what may be required.

There are numerous examples of Governments of various persuasions showing skill in taking the community with them before bringing in potentially unpopular measures – one can think of tougher drink driving rules, smoking in public places and even cell phone use in cars.

While improving water quality may be a ‘no brainer’ in terms of winning urban support, that will not be the case with farmers when they are faced with the realities of making yet more changes to the way they farm.

If we want to avoid yet another clash with farmers, we need to set the ‘how’ button on pause, and fast forward the ‘why’ debate.

Hilton