increase font size
THE NEW Zealand Transport Agency is reminding Canterbury rural property owners of their responsibility to adequately fence their properties to contain livestock after a significant rise in reports of wandering stock.
There have been 36 reports of wandering stock since December 24, which the Transport Agency's journey manager Lee Wright says poses a serious safety risk to all road users, not only on the state highway network, but also on local roads.
The highest number of wandering stock reports have been on State Highway 1 in North Canterbury and State Highway 75, in particular from Little River to Akaroa.
"When farm animals are wandering on highways, they present a significant hazard for anyone travelling through the area and there is the potential for serious injury, and even fatal, crashes to happen as a result.
"The Transport Agency is reminding rural property owners that they are liable for any damage caused by their wandering stock and if wandering stock cause a crash and negligence is proven, the livestock owner may be prosecuted."
Wright says property and livestock owners need to be aware they have responsibilities under three pieces of legislation – the Crimes Act 1961, the Animal Law reform Act 1989 and the Impounding Act 1955.
"It is important property and livestock owners are aware of their responsibilities under the acts and take relevant measures to ensure their farm animals remain adequately fenced in."
Motorists are asked to report any wandering stock by phoning 0800 4 HIGHWAYS.
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.
Police in the Waitematā North district are urging landowners to ensure their fences are secure after several complaints about wandering stock.
OPINION: As of last Thursday, five regions – Taranaki, Northland, Waikato, Horizons and Marlborough-Tasman – had been declared medium-scale adverse events.
Two new Awards have been developed for the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) programme that will help some farmers on their journey to farm ownership.
The winner of the 2025 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards enjoys the variety of work farming offers and the ability to improve each season.
A company growing and processing seaweed with known methane-busting properties at a facility in Bluff is expanding internationally but New Zealand cattle farmers won't be getting the product anytime soon.
Through its new partnership with New Zealand Landcare Trust, Fonterra has committed to funding ten $25,000 grants for wetland restoration in communities across the country.
The chair of the Dairy Environmental Leaders (DEL) says the country's dairy farmers are at the forefront of environmental management.
OPINION: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon sometimes can't escape his own corporate instinct for evasion, and in what should have been…
OPINION: Shane 'Matua' Jones, crusader against all things woke, including "woke banks", couldn't have scripted it better when his NZ…
