Waikato Plan Change 1 litigation nears conclusion after 12 years
Following twelve years of litigation, a conclusion could be in sight of Waikato’s controversial Plan Change 1 (PC1).
More Waikato farmers are taking their eye off the ball when it comes to effluent management, says Waikato Regional Council.
It says monitoring of effluent management has had mixed findings.
Following the recent easing of Covid restrictions in the Waikato, the council’s rural compliance team has resumed its proactive monitoring of effluent management systems across the region’s 4000 dairy farms.
“Weather conditions have been pretty good for irrigating, and we would have expected to see effluent being used effectively as a fertiliser and not having a negative impact on the environment,” said rural compliance team leader Stu Stone.
“But we’ve found one in 10 of the farms visited either has not got adequate infrastructure in place, or their management practices have slipped.
“It is unfortunate that we are placed in a position of having to formally investigate the worst of these cases, and there is a real possibility that some of them may result in prosecution,” Stone said.
It is encouraging farmers to connect with the wider industry to get good guidance on dairy effluent infrastructure.
Accredited designers listed by DairyNZ are the appropriate people to get guidance from.
“They will design an effluent infrastructure system that is fit for purpose for that particular farm,” says Stone.
He reminded farmers that even with a good level of infrastructure there still needed to be investment made in staff training and all farm staff needed to be vigilant on a day-to-day basis to avoid mishaps.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
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