increase font size
The public is driving environmental policy making, says Massey professor Chris Anderson.
Public attitudes are very strong on environmental issues such as clean water and that is driving policy according to the Director of the Farmed Landscapes Research Centre (FLRC) at Massey University.
Professor Chris Anderson told Dairy News at the 33rd FLRC annual workshop in Palmerston North last week, that clearly the public wants clean water.
He says calls for action on this and other environmental issues are coming from a broad cross section of society and they are being motivated to do so based on the situation in NZ but also other climate related events overseas – such as the Australian bush fires.
But he says not everyone in society understands the issues.
“We deal a lot with schools and even there you have got some people there who are really environmentally strong and focused, but some that haven’t got there yet and haven’t made that change. It is the same when we talk to public bodies - there is a difference of opinion there as well,” he says.
Anderson says the science to deal with such issues has always been there and that a lot of good science has been done over a long period.
He says the FLRC has been heavily involved in this work and says the great thing is that they have been given the independence to do the science without any interference from other organisations or groups.
He says while some countries such as Ireland have similar environmental issues, their regulatory system is more complex because it not only has to take account of local issues, but has to do this within the wider European Union rules.
Many farmers have invested in solar energy for dairy sheds or houses, but little hard data exists on the viability of solar panels in open paddocks or the loss of drymatter this may cause. Massey University scientist Dr Sam Wilson is conducting research to get more information about this. Rural News reporter Peter Burke went to investigate.
There's been unprecedented demand from secondary school students across the country to study agricultural related subjects.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.
A new publication has been launched that offers a comprehensive and up-to-date resource on commercially available grazing pasture species in New Zealand.
Massey University is returning to the Fieldays with a future-focused, solution-driven theme, showcasing research that delivers practical advancements in agricultural efficiency, sustainability and longevity.
Like many manufacturers around the world, European agricultural machinery and tractor manufacturers are currently operating in a difficult market environment. But they are heading to the world’s largest agricultural machinery event in Hanover next month with a degree of cautious optimism.
Established in 2021, the John Deere Technician of the Year Awards champion the important contribution parts and service technicians make to the Australian and New Zealand agriculture, construction and forestry industries.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.
New Zealand is closer to eradicating bovine TB than ever before, but possums remain a threat, says Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.
The ACT Party says media reports that global dairy giant Nestle has withdrawn from the Dairy Methane Action Alliance shows why New Zealand needs to rethink its approach to climate.
OPINION: Dairy industry players are also falling by the wayside as the economic downturn bites around the country.
OPINION: Methane Science Accord, a farmer-led organisation advocating for zero tax on ruminant methane, will be quietly celebrating its first…
