Foot-in-mouth
OPINION: The Hound hears from his canine pals in Southland that an individual's derogatory remarks on social media have left them wishing they had kept their mouth firmly closed.
December has been the driest month on record for most of Southland with as little as three per cent of the historical rainfall average falling in some parts.
Environment Southland Scientific Officer Chris Jenkins said in what was typically one of Southland's wetter months, the Council's automated rain gauge network has recorded a range of between just three and 33 per cent of the December averages across the region.
That represents some of the lowest levels on Environment Southland's records.
Jenkins said hardest hit by the lack of rainfall have been coastal and central Southland.
Woodlands received just 4.5mm of rain last month, well below the December average of 102mm taken from records dating back to 1975. Invercargill has had 13mm of rainfall, the lowest since 1940.
The Hokonui hills had 8 mm which is the lowest since records began in 1963.
River levels are dropping but they have not yet reflected the December dry spell because the wet spring season bolstered groundwater levels.
The Oreti, Mataura and Aparima rivers are already below the mean annual low flow and will continue to fall steadily, unless replenished by significant rainfall, Mr Jenkins said.
However river flows are typically at their lowest in February or March as groundwater inputs decrease, he said.
Two butcheries have claimed victory at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards for 2025.
A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.
The Climate Change Commission’s 2025 emissions reduction monitoring report reveals steady progress on the reduction of New Zealand’s climate pollution.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
The Government’s directive for state farmer Landcorp Farming (trading as Pamu) to lifts its performance is yielding results.
The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.
OPINION: Spare a thought for the arable farmer, squeezed on one side by soft global prices and on the other…
OPINION: Labour leader Chris 'Chippy' Hipkins is carrying on the world-class gaslighting of the nation that he and his cohorts…