Taking care of our fresh water is one of the most pressing environmental issues for New Zealand to face as a nation. In the last few decades, as intensive dairying has boomed across our farming landscapes, water pollution from farms has soared. At least 30% of our rivers are no longer considered swimmable. We must work together to stop pollution from industrial agriculture, and return all of our waterways to a swimmable state.

Organic agriculture has an important role to play in protecting our waterways. One of the biggest drivers of freshwater contamination is the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser on conventional farms. Beginning in 1990, New Zealand’s use of these fertilisers increased seven-fold. Not only is synthetic nitrogen fertiliser bad for our climate; the use of these fertilisers leads directly to nitrate pollution running into our rivers, lakes and aquifers.

Because organic farmers don’t use synthetic nitrogen, organic farms are dramatically safer for our waterways. A Massey University study comparing side by side organic and conventional dairy farms found that the conventional dairy farm leached more than twice as much nitrate as the organic farm.

Organic dairy farms also offer higher returns to farmers, meaning fewer cows are needed on each farm. Raising fewer, higher-value cows is a win-win for our environment and our economy.

There are a wide variety of measures that we can take as a society to protect and clean up our freshwater. These steps include making herds a more sustainable size, limiting irrigation, riparian planting and fencing to keep livestock out of streams. But no matter how you look at it, getting farmers off of synthetic nitrogen and converting to organic farming is a vital piece of our freshwater puzzle.