increase font size
A farmer-led Canterbury Water Forum will tomorrow challenge environmental preconceptions about farming typified by the front page of today's Dominion Post.
"This farmer-led Water Forum will turn things on their head and takes place at the Ashburton Trust Events Centre," says Ian Mackenzie, Federated Farmers water spokesperson.
"What we're doing with this forum is to put the jigsaw pieces together including real world solutions.
"This forum is not just for farmers but for all advisors including our service providers and financiers. We all need to understand the opportunities and costs, emerging fresh water policies hold
"Nothing highlights that more than water quality and the way it is being interpreted by our regional authorities let alone the media.
"The first session includes key representatives from each main political party. This includes the Nick Smith, former Minister for the Environment and Local Government, because much of the current policy direction has been set by Smith.
"Next we'll look at setting and managing nutrient limits using Environment Canterbury's (ECan) proposed Land and Water Plan. We want people to come away knowing some of the implications for the future of farming in greater Canterbury.
"More specifically what farmers can do inside the farm gate. We also hope the media and politicians will join us at the dairy farm of Ben and Shannon Johnson, to see what actually takes place on-farm.
"Their farm won ECan's Water Efficiency Award and the LIC Dairy Farm Award at the 2012 Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards. They've got a ton of good things to share.
"This is a counterpoint to the front page of Dominion Post effectively tagging all farmers as polluters. The 198 companies or individuals involved over four years are a fraction of the 11,735 dairy herds in New Zealand.
"We have to get the pendulum in balance and this forum is our way to show leadership in terms of policy and practice," Mackenzie saysx.
Rare Canterbury mudfish and tadpole shrimp have been discovered at an environmental restoration site at Bennetts Stream in North Canterbury which is part of a biodiversity initiative being carried out by Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Synlait is hoping that its proposed recapitalisation plan will help retain its spooked farmer supplier base.
The new chair of the Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) board, Sir David Carter, is pleading for public support for this year's Christchurch Show.
The Lincoln University Demonstration Dairy Farm (LUDF) is crediting a raft of improved management practises in achieving a big turnaround in empty rates.
"Why follow when you can lead?" is the motto of Canterbury veggie grower Lance Roper.
OPINION: The shakeup to the science sector with the proposed merger of four ag related crown research institutes (CRIs) into one conglomerate has drawn little public reaction.
Alliance Group has secured greater access for chilled beef exports to China, following approval for two of its processing plants to supply the market.
The countdown is on to be one of the most anticipated events in the sheep and beef industry, the East Coast Farming Expo.
Applications for the 2025 intake of Rabobank's Farm Managers Programme (FMP) and Executive Development Programme (EDP) are now open.
Dean Smith has been in the role of CEO of Summerfruit NZ for about four months, having succeeded Kate Hellstrom at the end of September.
Beef + Lamb NZ wants farmers to complete a survey that will shed light on the financial toll of facial eczema (FE) at the farm level.
OPINION: Ruth Richardson, architect of the 1991 ‘Mother of all Budgets’ and the economic reforms dubbed ‘Ruthanasia’, added her two…
OPINION: Why do vegans and others opposed to eating meat try to convince others that a plant based diet is…
