increase font size
Pick-up time at the Stratford depot/
A million native plants have been distributed to Taranaki farmers by Taranaki Regional Council.
The distribution is part of the council’s Riparian Management Programme which has 99.7% of the region’s dairy farmers voluntarily commit to fencing and planting their waterways.
As part of the programme, almost a thousand farmers descended on five depots across Taranaki last week for the annual plant pick-up.
At each depot a steady stream of farmers and landowners backed up utes and trailers load up from approximately 40 species of native plants.
“I’m pretty excited and I am looking forward to the next part,” says dairy farmer David Werder, who milks 530 cows across two South Taranaki farms.
Werder gained 2,600 new plants, ready to go in the ground, which will almost complete his riparian plan.
He says the next couple of years will be spent filling in any gaps.
Council land services manager Don Shearman says last week marked an opportunity to reflect on how far the programme had come from its beginnings 25 years ago.
“Back then, we handed out 15,000 plants from a lock-up at the Council – a farmer would turn up and we’d drop our pens and head outside to load them up. Now we have this huge logistical operation, growing a million plants to order.”
Shearman says he is proud that Taranaki’s dairy farmers have achieved good results with the programme.
“The Council works alongside farmers to prepare riparian plans for their properties and we support them with wholesale plants. But in the end they do it because they are committed to improving freshwater quality and biodiversity on their land, leaving it healthier for future generations.”
Shearman reminded farmers to get their orders in for next winter by 1 July 2021 to ensure they get wholesale rates.
Brendan Attrill of Caiseal Trust in Taranaki has been announced as the 2025 National Ambassador for Sustainable Farming and Growing and recipient of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the National Sustainability Showcase at in Wellington this evening.
The grass may be growing again in the drought-stricken coastal area of Taranaki, but the outlook for many farmers there is far from rosy.
Limping towards the end of the season is how Richard Walker describes the situation he's facing due to prolonged drought in coastal areas of Taranaki.
Only this season’s $10/kgMS bumper payout has saved some dairy farms along the Taranaki coast from absolute disaster due to the present drought – dubbed as one of the worst ever for some.
The 'atmospheric river' of rain that swept down the country last week almost completely avoided one of the worst drought-affected regions in the country – coastal Taranaki.
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is consulting on a proposal to ban weedkillers containing chlorthal-dimethyl (DCPA).
August 6 marks Farm Worker Appreciation Day, a moment to recognise the dedication and hard mahi of dairy farm workers across Aotearoa - and DairyNZ is taking the opportunity to celebrate the skilled teams working on its two research farms.
OPINION: The Government has been seeking industry feedback on its proposed amendments to a range of Resource Management Act (RMA) national direction instruments.
A Taupo company says it's the first to bring CO₂-powered water heating technology to New Zealand dairy sheds, helping farmers cut energy costs by up to 85%.
Waikato is home to a diverse range of lakes, and experts say they urgently need better management and restoration.
Federated Farmers is renewing its call for Greenpeace to be stripped of its charitable status immediately, following the activist group's latest publicity stunt.
OPINION: Sydney has a $12 million milk disposal problem.
OPINION: Canterbury milk processor Synlait's recovery seems to have hit another snag.
