Council urged to delay rate hikes
A Southland farming leader wants the regional council to delay a proposed regional rates hike, much of which is intended to fund flood protection works.
Routine flights for aerial monitoring of farm dairy effluent discharge consents will not be carried out by Environment Southland during 2016/17.
At yesterday’s regulatory committee meeting, Environment Southland councillors agreed ceasing the flights for the coming season was a positive move given the reduction in significant non-compliance over recent years.
Policy, planning & regulatory services director Vin Smith says the compliance team initiated a review after considering the significant non-compliance numbers, success of aerial monitoring, staffing and changes in plans.
“Cases of significant non-compliance have gone down from 6% to 1.7% over the past three years. It’s a reflection of the sector’s improving performance.”
A report presented at the meeting says ceasing the aerial monitoring flights would likely result in little change to the overall outcome of the monitoring programme because non-compliance identified on the flights had become very low.
One of Fonterra’s global customers, Mars is launching an ambitious sustainable dairy plan to work with dairy farmers and cut emissions by 50%.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive for the past eight years, Sam McIvor is heading for new pastures at Ospri, which runs NZ’s integrated animal disease management and traceability service.
The world's largest wool scouring facility, WoolWorks Awatoto plant in Napier, is back operating at full capacity.
A year on and the problems created by Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle has largely dropped off the radar of media and politicians.
Feeling forgotten and in a fragile space financially and mentally.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.
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