Download The regulation of inhibitors used in agriculture

Many New Zealand farmers are looking for ways to reduce their nutrient losses and greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill and the Essential Freshwater proposals have increased interest in the potential for inhibitors to help achieve these goals. However, use of inhibitors can pose risks to trade, food safety and animal and plant health. Currently New Zealand does not regulate inhibitors in a way that manages all of these risks. Farmers and wider industry want to make sure there are no negative impacts from ‘trying to do the right thing’ in response to regulatory signals, and would also like assurance that products on the
market that claim to be inhibitors are effective.