Prosecution initiated over piggery effluent discharges
Waikato Regional Council is taking Te Aroha piggery farm to court following an investigation into the discharge of effluent into a stream.
The Waikato Regional Council is facing a range of environmental and production pest challenges this year following a busy 12 months controlling unwanted animals and plants.
A report to the integrated catchment management committee meeting has outlined the highlights of the council’s recent pest management operations, which cost $6.2 million in 2014-15.
The highlights include controls on 47ha of alligator weed, a plant that can significantly hurt farm production and create environmental problems. There were also extensive controls of other types of pest plants, including a new eradication programme for lantana.
The report noted excellent results in priority possum control areas thanks to a strong performance by contractors and staff. Successes were also found in the rat and possum pest controls carried out under Project Halo, a project designed to increase the numbers of native birds breeding and living in Hamilton. Elsewhere a continuation of the award-winning koi carp trap and digester trials, involved turning this pest fish into fertiliser.
Committee chair Stuart Husband says pest control work was a core part of the council’s work to support the environment, communities, businesses and farmers.
“We’ve had some good successes in the last year and we want to keep up the momentum we’ve generated,” says Husband.
“Pest animals and plants have the potential to significantly damage our native species and special places, and interfere with our economic well-being, particularly by the threat they pose to farming and cropping, as well as the marine environment.”
A further $1.3 million budgeted for last year will be applied this financial year, while the new budget for this year is $7.4 million.
This year’s funding includes an extra $250,000 to tackle Mediterranean fanworm on the Coromandel, a pest that can cause production problems on marine farms and damage the natural marine environment.
The council says the funding also allows for further controls on wallabies, which are slowly expanding their range from the Bay of Plenty into the Waikato between the Kaimai-Mamaku ranges and the Waikite Valley towards Taupo. Wallabies can damage pasture, crops and native plants.
Other challenges include keeping on top of kauri dieback after it was discovered on the Coromandel and implementing various new rules and policies.
“For its part, the council is committed to energetically staying on top of pest threats and working closely with partner agencies, iwi and the wider community to achieve our goals,” says Husband.
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.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.