Powerlines energise conversions
The raising of six heavy power cables across the Waikato River last week was a milestone in lines company Unison’s work to energise 30 new dairy farms in the Taupo region.
Federated Farmers is opposing the Western Bay of Plenty District Council's moves to create buffer zones of up to 32m either side of electricity transmission lines.
"Federated Farmers strongly opposes the creation of these Electricity Transmission Buffer Zones, because they are solely designed to protect transmission line companies' interests and circumnavigate individual easement agreements with landowners," Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty provincial president John Scrimgeour says.
"Transpower says it wants these buffer zones to ensure safety and supply continuity. However, Federated Farmers feels the width of the zones is excessive, as is the level of proposed regulation around them.
"We believe the resulting raft of new rules for earthworks, buildings and subdivision within those zones would hamper landowners' ability to farm, without meeting Transpower's original goals.
"Transpower seems to be trying to restrict landowners' activities through the District Plan, to avoid having to negotiate easement agreements with individual land owners. This is an attempt to exploit a RMA loophole which says no compensation needs to be paid when landowners are affected by rules in a District Plan.
"What this will mean for Western Bay of Plenty farmers is more costly consent processes if they wish to construct basic farm infrastructure such as deer fences and water tanks within the Transmission Buffer Zone.
"Likewise, the subdivision rule would also capture subdivision of a farm into two farms, although the house sites may be many kilometres away from the line itself.
"The council must recognise that much of the land under and alongside transmission lines is productive rural land. Using the land to transmit electricity should not limit landowners' ability to also use it for primary production," Scrimgeour says.
Farmers appear to be backing the Government's recent Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms announcement.
For the first time, all the big names in agricultural drone technology are being brought together under one marquee at the National Fieldays.
Fonterra has announced an improved third quarter performance – with a profit after tax of $1.15 billion, up $119 million on the same period last year.
The Fieldays Innovation Awards competition has attracted a diverse and impressive array of innovations from across the primary industries, highlighting the growing importance of technology shaping the future of farming.
Coming to the fore following the carnage of Cyclone Gabrielle, Starlink became well known for providing internet access even in NZ's most inaccessible places.
From this winter farmers will have a greater choice of feed types and blend options than ever before, thanks to Farmlands' purchase of animal nutrition company SealesWinslow.