# Let’s protect our valuable soils, says Horticulture New Zealand

- Link: https://rd2.co.nz/lets-protect-our-valuable-soils-says-horticulture-new-zealand/
- Published: 2018-06-26T03:16:03+00:00
- Author: Molly Callaghan

The need to protect New Zealand’s best soils for growing healthy fresh fruit and
vegetables is clear in the [_Our land 2018_](https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/land-report-highlights-issues-with-soil-degradation)
report released today, says Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Mike Chapman.
“
This report highlights the expansion in urban areas (a 10 percent increase between
1996 and 2012) and the accompanying loss of some of our most versatile land. “We
have been talking to Government about this issue in Pukekohe, near Auckland, as 
well as other prime growing areas for fruit and vegetables. Some of this soil is
unique, particularly the volcanic soils around Pukekohe where vegetables can be 
grown all year in a frost free environment. This area feeds a lot of New Zealand.“
We believe the valuable growing soils – which are often termed elite soils – should
be protected by central Government policy. We can’t afford to keep losing these 
soils if we want to continue feeding New Zealand their favourite fruits and vegetables.“
We couldn’t agree more with this statement in the report: ‘_Land is fundamental 
to human life, and central to the environmental system we depend on. The decisions
we make and the actions we take affect not just the land, but also water, oceans,
air and atmosphere, and the life they support.’_ “Many horticulture businesses are
run by inter-generational families who are natural custodians of the land. They 
have a vested interest in ensuring they have a business to pass on to their children
and grandchildren, just as it was handed on to them. “We acknowledge that the report
cites some instances where horticulture is outside the soil quality indicators they
used, but would also like to point out a lot of work is underway to mitigate soil
erosion and run off. “Many growers spend large sums of money on long-term riparian
planting plans to protect waterways on their properties and enhance the environment.“
There is also a Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) project underway called Don’t Muddy
the Water, focused on keeping soil on the land where it belongs and out of the waterways.
Started three years ago, this project quantifies the relative effectiveness of the
best management practices for reducing sediment and phosphorus loss. “Results so
far have shown the effectiveness of silt traps that capture sediment so it cannot
run off the land. Preliminary results also show the cumulative discharge of sediment
is lower on cultivated production land protected with silt traps compared to construction
sites. The project is ongoing but it will continue to inform best practices. “We
congratulate the Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand for their
work on this important reporting, and look forward to working with the Government
to ensure we don’t lose more valuable growing land and that we improve environmental
outcomes within horticulture. “Government has indicated they want to work with us
on this so that we can all be proud of the best environmental outcomes that underpin
New Zealand’s reputation as a producer of some of the best food in the world.”