Vested Interests in Big Agriculture

Abstract

Almost three decades of studying freshwaters in New Zealand has revealed to me that our lowland freshwater ecosystems are in dire straits and that there is no hint of improvement, or even a slowing of degradation. The leading cause of their demise is landuse change, specifically the rampant and extreme intensification of farming. The response of government, both central and local, has been an abject failure to limit this intensification and its resultant harm. Key to these regulatory failures by authorities charged with protecting freshwaters has been the influence at all levels of powerful agricultural industry lobby groups.