38705 (2025). Lan Pham to the Associate Minister for the Environment

38705 (2025). Lan Pham to the Associate Minister for the Environment: What, if anything prompted Ministers to direct officials at the meeting on 04 March 2025 to consult on removing the nitrogen cap, as referred to in the regulatory impact statement on options to amend regulations for farming activities?

Hon Andrew Hoggard: On 4 March 2025, Ministers met to discuss proposals for public consultation and considered additional options with officials. At this meeting, Ministers directed officials to include the removal of the synthetic nitrogen fertiliser cap as one of the options for consultation. The cap is a one-size-fits-all approach that does not account for local conditions or the efficiency of individual users. It also imposes an administrative burden through reporting requirements. Farmers have improved their nitrogen fertiliser practices and continue to adopt good management approaches, publicly available data indicates a reduction in synthetic nitrogen fertiliser use in New Zealand between 2020 and 2023. Including this proposal for public consultation ensured we would receive feedback, which we will now consider before taking decisions on whether to progress. Note that any changes will still be subject to further consultation.