Wairoa Mayor: Road upgrades between Napier and Wairoa will boost safety and accessibility
The road between Napier and Wairoa is on the mend.
The Government has agreed to a temporary law change that will enable rural Hawke's Bay and Tairāwhiti landowners dealing with cyclone and flood debris to burn mixed waste so they can replant and return their land to productivity.
The plan is for the law to come into effect no later than June 27 and continue until mid-December.
Environment Minister David Parker says some farmers and horticulturalists, especially in Hawke's Bay, are under huge stress dealing with the fallout from the severe weather. He says many have huge piles of waste, including materials like treated timber and plastics that are not allowed to be burned.
"Therefore, we propose reclassifying the burning of mixed waste piles from a prohibited to a permitted activity, subject to standards overseen by councils. People will still need to comply with Fire and Emergency New Zealand requirements."
Parker says the debris puts growers at risk of missing the June/July growing season, creating further threats to livelihoods already put at risk by severe weather damage.
The Hawke's Bay Regional Council says it welcomes the Government's move and will work closely with farmers and growers to ensure they understand the conditions that apply with the temporary law change.
The CEO of Apples and Pears NZ, Karen Morrish, says the strategic focus of her organisation is to improve grower returns.
A significant breakthrough in understanding facial eczema (FE) in livestock brings New Zealand closer to reducing the disease’s devastating impact on farmers, animals, and rural communities.
Farmer co-operative LIC has closed its satellite-backed pasture measurement platform – Space.
OPINION: The case of four Canterbury high country stations facing costly and complex consent hearing processes highlights the dilemma facing the farming sector as the country transitions into a replacement for the Resource Management Act (RMA).
The 2024-25 season apple harvest has “well and truly exceeded expectations”, says Apples and Pears NZ chief executive Karen Morrish.
Through collaborative efforts with exhibitors, visitors, and industry partners, Fieldays says it is reaffirming its commitment to environmental responsibility with new initiatives for 2025.
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