Undercurrents Ep. #9: Is big agriculture holding New Zealand hostage?

Watch the latest episode of Undercurrents on how farming has shaped the country, why its political influence endures, and the battle over New Zealand’s economic and environmental future.

To borrow the words of countless politicians, farming is the "backbone" of the New Zealand economy. What's good for farming is good for New Zealand. 

But is this actually true? Well, not really. 

Over the past twenty years, farming’s contribution to economic activity has fallen sharply, with agricultural production increasing by just 5 percent while overall economic activity has increased by 48 percent. Nowadays, farming makes up less than 5% of New Zealand's gross domestic product. 

And yet the impact of intensive agriculture on our environment and health is huge. More than half the country’s river network is now unsafe for swimming, while the contamination of drinking water is a growing problem. And that's to say nothing about climate change. 

Despite this, all attempts to hold the sector accountable for its environmental damage seem to run aground, faced with angry farmers, monied lobbyists, and politicians peddling outdated farming myths.

In this episode of Undercurrents, we're asking whether big agriculture is holding New Zealand hostage – in conversation with freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy and economist Dr Geoff Bertram.

How did intensive dairying come to dominate our countryside? Why do so many farmers feel trapped by the current system? And what opportunities are we missing by failing to use our land differently?

Watch the full conversation below and subscribe to Public Interest for more discussions making sense of politics and power in Aotearoa.

Episode produced by Micah Geiringer. Editing by Gilbert Patten-Elliott.