One World One Health Everything is Connected One Life · HOT TOPIC: Recreational and Drinking Water...

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One World One Health One LifeAlison Dewes June 2017

Alison Dewes June 2017

Everything is Connected

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One World: One Health: One LifeProduction systems need to change to optimise wellbeing, - we are challenged today by

declining ecological health, climate change, increasing pressure, economic challenges,

especially on farms.

Economic models have driven farmers more to growth (output) + debt.

The new “think big/more” has not delivered wellbeing that it purported to.

Agriculture needs a paradigm shift towards wellbeing (One World: One Health)

Where intensification and debt is replaced by increasing profit and health.

From chemical and antibiotic debt to more balanced, social and environmental welfare view.

We need safer - healthier food + lower impact with less stressed farmers.

This requires systems thinking: not one solely to increase GDP not counting pollution and public

health costs. As health professionals we have a responsibility to safeguard people, animals and

ecosystems for present and future generations.

Agricultural Growth Agenda is Testing Limits

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• Business Growth Agenda (Ag Exports to lift by 30% by 2025) (KPMG, 2013)

• Double rate of growth to a7% CAGR compared with 3% CAGR past 20 years. (Ridett Institute, 2010)

• Realising the Potential of 960000 Ha of Maori Owned Land(300,000 Ha class 4-6 land intensified to higher performance each year for next 3 years) (Price Waterhouse Coopers, 2013)

• Irrigation Infrastructure Fund (Govt + Crown Investment Schemes to

Accelerate Water Storage + Irrigation: eg: 600,000 ha more Sth. Canterbury,)

Planetary boundaries http://www.stockholmresilience.org

Critical Spill over = NitrogenCritical Loss = Biodiversity

Environmental effects and costs

OUTPUT

Inputs

SWEETZONE

↑Growth = ↑GDP… but not wellbeing, scientific integrity, public health, or cost of clean up

Magnitude

Assumes continued output without environmental effects or resource degradation.

SWEETZONE

Profit (ROC)

Environmental Effects and costs

Production

Productivity

Inputs

Biological systems have natural limits

Magnitude

Farmers pushed to right by processors

FACT: Upper SelwynCENTRAL PLAINS WATER SCHEME

E.g: Groundwater nitrate levels increasing and for example in Selwyn + predictions are for ↑ 25% due to CPW

irrigation scheme coming on line.

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Land Use affects Water and People

Critical Source Areas Nitrogen - Phosphorus–Sediment - Pathogens

Nitrate - through the LandNitrogen Load is still to come THROUGH the land via groundwater

Phosphorus Travels ACROSS the land.

9Pathogens go ACROSS and THROUGH land

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TIME FOR FARM SYSTEM RETHINK: Consumer Perceptions of Welfare, Residues

State of Waikato Soils

Only 34% of Waikato’s Soils meet the SOIL QUALITY GUIDELINES: Overfertilisation, Compaction, Contamination > 160,000 ha of Waikato Dairy land contaminated by Cadmium & half of all intensively farmed area will be by 2030 - CADMIUM - SELF MANAGEMENT SCHEME –( NB - ZINC Dosing of Animals – another important heavy metal) Water)

Sediment spill from conversion areas summer downpour- Ohakuri (40 K N Huka Falls)

Waikato River - normal colour Reporoa

Waikato River(normal) - Cambridge 120K downstream from Reporoa

Waikato River – A story of declining water quality +

continued intensification in upper catchment

HOT TOPIC: Recreational and Drinking Water Sources

How?

STOP BUGS AT SOURCE

KEEP SEDIMENT OUT

STOP NUTRIENTS THAT GROW ALGAE and SUCK OXYGEN

STOP TURBIDITY/KEEP CLARITY

Where our kids have less than 1/100 chance of not getting sick when they swim

SAFE = E Coli < 260 cfu/100 ml

ALERT = E Coli 260-550 cfu/100 ml

Nitrate < 0.44 mg/L

Can you see your TOES? 13

Pathogens →water bodies

• irrigation and intensification on vulnerable

soils, drains, wetlands, rivers, lakes and

eventually coastal food collection

environments create a fully linked system

where the paddock pathogens can find a

pathway the swimming hole, plate.

• zoonotic pathogen examples spill

over to the environment from

ruminants are not reliably detected

using the E Coli proxy are Protozoa,

Yersinia, STEC, Mycobacterium(MAP),

clostridial species and leptospirosis.

Faecal outputs of cattle…vs humans in New ZealandTotal output of 25kg per cow per day

9 million cattle in NZ 230,000 tonnes untreated faecal material per day…

• Humans 800 tonnes per day

• But treated before discharge

• 9 million cattle is equivalent to 126 million people

• Without a toilet and sewage system.

Source Dr Brent Gilpin ESR Ltd and Dr Nigel French

Pathogens travel THROUGH VULNERABLE SOILS – Peats, Coarse Soils, and Gravels…(preferential flow paths)as well as OVERLAND.

30% of shallow wells show↑ N and pathogen trends within a decade of development

Ashburton water unsafe (N + highest rates of some zoonotic diseases)

70% of dairying is on coarse shallow soils in Canterbury – unvalidated for N loss.(model) 17

70% of of region is at risk or over-allocated nutrients and water- now CLAWBACK is required

CANTERBURY: Overshot the Limits

PERMITTED ACTIVITY RULES: …. no trap for the crap

NES requires protection of source water upstream of abstraction sites Photo: Vinegar Hill Manawatu (Catalyst Group Sep 2016)18

Source: Hoofprint: Alliance: Sept 2014

NITROUS OXIDE – Big part of emission profile in our N based, ryegrass dominated systems,

WILL “GRASS FED” BE THE REAL DEAL IN 2025?

SOLUTIONS FOR NEW CHALLENGES

• Greenhouse gas emissions N & methane • The nitrogen bomb • Peak phosphorus • Declining soil health and versatility• Antibiotic resistance • Animal health and welfare • Human health pathogens & disease • Freshwater limits • Freshwater pollution rivers, lakes and groundwater's • Pollution of estuaries and oceans

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TRANSITION NOW OR EVERYTHING WILL SUFFER

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SOLUTION 1. STOP THE DENIAL

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“In 2025, I wonder if NZ could be the farmers market of the global village?

SOLUTION 2: NZ NEEDS A CLEAR VISION FOR PASTORAL AGRICULTURE

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SOLUTION 3. STOP CONVERTING MORE LAND + INTENSIFYING: CAT CAPPING & CLAWBACK(Wellington)Is it time forCOW CAPPING AND CLAWBACK?

• Stop converting vulnerable soils• Stop subsidising and incentivising new

conversions on leaky, slippy soils

• Stocking rate on farms – underpins need for• ↑ N, ↑ Summer / Winter Cropping• ↑Bought in Feeds, ↑Offsite Grazing on

vulnerable soils

Yield: Total (t) / ha

Yield:Gross Energy (GJ) / ha

Yield:Protein (kg) / ha

GHG emission (kg CO2 Eq.) / tonne of product

LCA Energy Input (GJ) / tonne of product

Water use (if produced from irrigation) (litres) / kg of product

NZ Dairy 1.3 35 600 10,000 20 5,000

NZ Arable (wheat)

7.5 120 800 700 2.5 250

Wheat example:

- 4 times as much gross energy per ha

- nearly twice as much protein/ha

- 14 times less GHG/tonne product

- 20 times less water if using irrigation

- Reduced load of Zoonotic Pathogens

SOLUTION 5:Fewer animals + encourage more plants?

SOLUTION 6: FOCUS ON “WIN-WIN” SCIENCE + PLANNING” ECOSYSTEMS - ONE HEALTH –RESILIENCE + PROFIT

Evidence from farming leaderswho know less is more

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SOLUTION 7: START DOING WHAT WE CANCanterbury Farm Greenhouse gas profile:

Win – Win for Rivers and Climate

Lower protein in diets Lower intensity of system Less Nitrogen FertiliserReduce Winter CroppingMixed system- cereals Fewer Better Fed Animals

Could give a 30 -40% drop

SOLUTION 8: NATIONAL FRESHWATER LIMITS SHOULD BE ECOSYSTEM HEALTH Not toxic N & Pathogen enriched

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NEW FRESHWATER BOTTOM LINES MEAN

Allowing the N level to be redefined – Toxicity rather than health.

Re -defining Surveillance Regime + E Coli Level, and definition of Swimmability.

SOLUTION 9:Industry Self Management must be Transparent and Effective

• Fertiliser Reps doing nutrient management for Fonterra but not suitable for use as compliance overseer file.

• Regional Plans(Waikato, Rotorua, Canterbury) Allocating Resources based on Grandparenting N loss using Model,

• Water Accord isn’t enough

• Overseer is good for collection of farm system data but….

Overseer is a N model with assumptions

It doesn’t deal with pathogens, sediment loss risk and is only a rough guide for P.

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SOLUTION 10: Control Zoonoses/Pathogens at Source• On farm

• Prevent transmission between animals • Vaccination (e.g. leptospirosis)• Hygiene barriers/biosecurity• Reduce stocking density focus on WELLBEING

• Prevent contamination of surface water• Manure/slurry management (incl.

ponds, wetlands)• Fencing, bridges and culverts• Riparian planting

• Off farm

• Protect Catchments with Robust Policy

• Good Measuring and Monitoring

• Improve • Water treatment• Recreational water guidelines

SOLUTION 11: Tighten up on Loose Practices –ENFORCE RULES OVERSEER(N Model) assumes NO soil damage, NO surface runoff, NO contaminants to receiving water bodies

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SOLUTION 12: FACILITATE MINDSET CHANGE + LEADERSHIP: SUB CATCHMENT APPROACHES TO ACHIEVE A NATIONAL VISION AND STRATEGY

FARMING INSIDE ECOSYSTEM HEALTH LIMITS:

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Empower farmers with data to understand what asset protection means –vs health impacts old mindsets of production, growth and debt.

35Solution 13 – Empower Community Care, Creativity + Courage

COURAGE

Solution 14 Independent One Health Policy Advisory For Policy Development.

Including Medical/Veterinary, Ecological, Social Scientists

3775% of all new emerging infectious diseases will be zoonotic in origin

STOP DENIAL

+ DEVELOP A NATIONAL VISION FOR PASTORAL AGRICULTURESupport Independent and Transparent Science + NPS Freshwater with HEALTH NOT TOXICITY

Industry Accords must be Transparent and work towards Vision.

Irrigation must be ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICALLY viable + USE REAL ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS/ + models to support.

Control Losses at Source, and ENFORCE RULES around RISKY business.

PRESERVE LAND USE FLEXIBILITY: sound allocation systems (not grandparenting)

START the BOLD CONVERSATION NOW

38ONE HEALTH SOLUTION

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THINKING THAT GOT US HERE –WONT BE THE THINKING THAT GETS US THERE

40SOLUTION 5: Regional plans will need to allocate for Land Use + Climate Change

END

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Landcorp positions for future 20/10/2016

The meeting could have been seen as heresy but to Landcorpboss Steve Carden it was logical to meet with Impossible Foods, one of several cashladen overseas corporations developing a plantderived alternative protein to meat and dairy. Such disruptive technology was undoubtedly a threat to farmers, processors and the New Zealand economy but Carden said viewed rationally it was also an opportunity for animal protein to be positioned as high value products and for growers to supply crops to those companies.

The meeting also reflected how Carden has positioned Landcorp in the 18 months he has been at the helm.

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Economic models do not cost the public health burden: Theres a darn good reason to protect Ecosystem Health