Dry weather classification expands to North Island
The dry weather in some parts of the North Island has received medium-scale adverse event classification from the Government.
Once again, it has been a year of pleasing results from industry, incidents and the dairy sector, the annual compliance monitoring report compiled by Environment Southland has found.
Compliance manager Simon Mapp says Southland's significant non-compliance rate is one of the lowest in the country.
For the third year in a row there has been a reduction in significant non-compliance on effluent discharge consents. The rate of significant non-compliance is now at 4.5%, down from 6% last year.
Southland industries continue to perform well, with NZAS, Meridian Energy and Solid Energy setting a good standard for environmental compliance. Mapp says it was also pleasing to see the improvement made by Takitimu Coal and Pioneer Energy.
Regulatory Services committee chairman Neville Cook says it's really good to see the steady improvements. "It shows that the educative programme is working. If we inform people better, then they'll try and comply with the rules and get the results everyone wants for the environment."
In the coming year the compliance division will be taking an education-first approach to the implementation of the Proposed Regional Air Plan as they support the change in home heating with the goal of improving air quality.
Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
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