Mike Chapman NZKGI Chief Executive

Across the country, regional councils are developing Regional Policy Statements (RPS). Every regional council is required to develop a RPS.

This is the prime planning document for both the regional council and all the district councils in the region.

All regional and district plans must give effect to the Regional Policy Statement for their region. The RPS is therefore a very important and powerful document.
Agriculture and horticulture industries need to make sure provision is made for:

• The right to grow/farm sustainably. As councils create more rules regulating what you do on your land, we need to reserve the right to grow kiwifruit.

• The sustainable economic development of the region including horticultural development.

• The provision of high quality land for growing kiwifruit. The expansion of towns and lifestyle developments need to take account of this high value land, reserving it for horticulture.

• The protection of water quality and adequate allocation of it to horticulture. Here we are in direct competition with urban water supply needs.

• Adequate Biosecurity measures in place to protect the region.

• An adequate and efficient transport network.

• Research and development being specifically catered for. The success of the kiwifruit industry has been built on research and development and this will be vital in finding solutions to Psa.
On October 7 the kiwifruit and avocado industries made submissions to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council on its Draft RPS. HortNZ (the national horticultural organisation who have a specialist resource management team) ably took the lead, making the key submission with supporting submissions being made by:

• Zespri on the growth projections for the industry, economic benefits provided to Bay of Plenty region and New Zealand's economy.

• NZ Kiwifruit Growers on the role of kiwifruit in Bay of Plenty economy, the structure of the kiwifruit industry, the importance of biosecurity and water to growers, management of agrichemicals and what growers need to be successful orchardists from the RPS.

• The local grower organisations, the Te Puke and Katikati Fruitgrower Associations on access to water and in support of the other submissions.

• Priority One (the Western Bay's Economic Development Agency) supported the recognition and enabling of growth in the kiwifruit sector including the Post Harvest sector.

• Kiwifruit Vine Health on the role of regional councils in assisting with Psa management and the range of work being conducted with respect to Psa that involve regional council powers and duties.

• Plant & Food on the role of the No 1 Road facility in providing research into kiwifruit and avocado production including plant varieties, commercialisation and the uniqueness of the facility in the country.

Expert evidence was also presented on science, power generation, resource management law, irrigation efficiency and nutrient use efficiency.

We are confident the council understood our submissions.
We therefore look forward to council making provision for horticulture in its RPS.