Lifestyle blocks 'eating up land'

Dr Andy West says pollution and profligate use of land for housing are the biggest problems facing farmers. Picture / Greg Bowker

AgResearch boss Andy West has hit out at the "profligate" use of the some of the country's best farming land for lifestyle blocks.

Speaking at the Fieldays agricultural showcase, West said an "epidemic" of lifestyle blocks was wasting quality Waikato soil.

He said he regarded waste of land from lifestyle blocks as one of two major issues facing Waikato's farming industry.

The other was pollution caused by nitrate leaching into groundwater.

West hit out at the "absolutely profligate use of land" for lifestyle blocks, often with "vast houses with no lawns".

Use of farmland has escalated hugely in the past 10 years as Flagstaff and suburbs in the north of Hamilton have emerged.

At times, the city's growth has been estimated at about two new streets a month and lifestyle block numbers have soared.

"We are completely wasteful in our use of land.

"What really worries me about this is I don't see what industries are supporting this profligate and wasteful use of our best soils," said West.

"Maybe Waikato can sustain it but I doubt it."

He said AgResearch was planning to research the issue and New Zealand needed to reinforce the importance of its food production industries.

West said the other major threat to Waikato farming was nitrogen use, some of which was driven by the clover root weevil pest found in Waikato in 1996.

The weevil restricts the ability of clover to fix nitrogen, forcing farmers to pour on more synthetic nitrogen fertiliser.

Nitrates, mainly from cow urine leaching into waterways, has been identified as a huge cause of water pollution in Waikato.

Restrictions on farming are already in place around Lake Taupo and Waikato farmers are concerned they may face restrictions in the future.

West said AgResearch had a huge research effort in the area of nitrogen use but he criticised a lack of spending in research and development. "The fact of the matter is that we are not going to solve the problems and achieve the opportunities without science."

If research and development spending didn't increase, New Zealand's economy would languish. "We're just going to remain a pretty middling average economy and fundamentally our healthcare and education system isn't going to be up to world standards."

- NZPA