Rusty Kane (The People's Choice Party) 2011.

Rusty Kane (The People's Choice Party) 2011 Campaign.

The focus for The People's Choice Party and its leader Rusty Kane for it's 2011 campaign, will be promote Organic Dairy Farming and ask why the government and regional councils are not doing more to encourage sustainable organic dairy farming in New Zealand.

Environmental benefits for New Zealand to change to dairy organic farming.
Organic certified farms showed that organic soils stored 28 percent more carbon in soils, and that organic dairy farms had 43 percent more earthworms than their conventional neighbours, and higher levels of biodiversity in soils and waterways.
This is due to lower nitrate leaching from organic dairy farms, and Massey University tests showed that leaching into waterways was reduced 58 percent through the adoption of organic practices.
Nitrate leaching into New Zealand's lakes and waterways from intensive conventional farming is New Zealand's biggest water polluter.
The Australian Government are already backing their farmers Trading in Carbon Credits.

For the Dairy Farmers.
Dairy is the fastest-growing category in the international organic market.
Financial benefits for farmers converting their farms to fully certified organic. No financial or production loss while converting over to fully certified organic. With cheaper natural RPR fertiliser costs away from the more expensive chemically produced NPK fertilisers.
Fully converted organics farmers already receive a $1.05 premium per kilogram of milk solids. Farmers that have converted have found organic farming a positive alternative that is more than just financially rewarding with real sustainability benefits and reduced animal health costs.

Today's and the future potential for Organic Farming..
$27.8 million of organic dairy products were exported in 2009, as the overall organic sector contributed a total of $485m to the economy with organic exports growing to $170 million, from $120m in 2007 a 400 percent increase.
Organics is only 1% of NZ dairy's overall production.
Cows certified as organic livestock is expected to surge by 140 percent over the next five years on the back of burgeoning global demand for organic dairy ingredients.

Other Markets.
An Otago University report commissioned by Organic Products Exporters (OPENZ) and Organics Aotearoa New Zealand has said the domestic market for organic products has also grown, to $315m.
Europe (37 percent), North America (22 percent) and Australia (19 percent) are the largest export destinations, and fruit and vegetables valued at $85.8m were the most valuable market segment.