WIN: Government winds down Big Irrigation funding

There are too many cows in New Zealand. But the Government was planning to spend at least half a billion dollars to build massive irrigation schemes which would have driven more intensive dairy conversions and more industrial agriculture.  

This was the biggest public subsidy to industrial agriculture in New Zealand.  

Greenpeace spent two years campaigning to shut down this irrigation fund with many other groups, scientists, health professionals, local communities and indigenous groups.

Together, we crowdfunded TV ads, sent thousands of letters and emails, put up billboards, taken direct action and spent hours inside irrigation pipes and dams, lobbied politicians, used peaceful protest and more. We shone a bright light on pollution caused by industrial dairy, and exposed how corporate dairy has failed NZ’s farmers. With scientists and health professionals we highlighted the health risks of intensive dairying and polluted waterways. And we have helped show that regenerative farming is a better way to farm.

And finally the Government closed down the irrigation fund. That means less intensive dairy expansion,  less agricultural emissions and less pollution in our rivers.

You can check out our campaign  timeline here.