80% compliance record a cause for celebration

The solid progress made on compliance was celebrated at the recent Dairy Compliance Award, which recognise farmers who consistently achieve full compliance with their resource consents.

2020 marks the eight year of the awards, which cover water takes, farm dairy effluent and air discharge consents.

At the event, it was revealed that 38 of 75 farms had been fully compliant for five years. Another 14 farms have been fully compliant since the beginning of the scheme in 2008-9.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council policy and regulation group manager Katrina Brunton congratulated each of the awarded dairy farms.

“We acknowledge the dairy sector’s important contribution to our economy in what has been a difficult year with the challenge of Covid-19 and lockdown,” she said.

“The scheme is important, and we are committed to work in partnership with the sector, and work through challenges together and continue to celebrate progress,” she said.

 Hawke’s Bay dairy farmer Elliot Cooper says he and other farmers acknowledge the work of the regional council and staff to help farmers.

“It’s definitely a partnership between us and the Council,” Cooper said, “We don’t go it alone.”

“It’s not an easy job for the Council, with so much regulation coming down the pipeline, and we appreciate what they do.”

The Dairy Awards are supported by sponsors Ravensdown, Farmlands, Fonterra, and Stoney Creek.