Address to the Dairy Environment Leaders 2026 Forum
A call for collective environmental action
The Commissioner addressed the Dairy Environment Leaders 2026 Forum. He recognised the environmental endeavours of the sector – but called for increased effort to halt declining trends in water quality, emissions and catchment health.
While many farmers are making meaningful changes, progress across the wider sector has been uneven – and in several catchments the scale of degradation exceeds what existing mitigation practices can realistically reverse. New Zealand’s environmental challenges remain significant; with clear signals that voluntary action alone is not enough.
A pragmatic path forward brings together national expectations and locally led solutions. Catchment based approaches, supported by credible incentives and a regulatory backstop, offer a way to align environmental goals with practical implementation on the ground.