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This old mutt has long been suspicious of a group of water zealots in South Canterbury known as the Opihi Catchment Environmental Protection Society (OCEPS).
The group has for years been making unsubstantiated allegations of pollution in the Opuha dam from organochlorine chemicals. Despite numerous tests and clearances by local authorities ECan and Timaru District Council for banned pesticides DDT and dieldrin, the group is never satisfied and keeps insisting there are residues in the water. Recently it was discovered that a small area of sediment containing white granules was discovered in the river which tested to have very high levels of DDT and arsenic.
It was “incredibly confronting” for Taupo farmers to be told in about 2000 that their farms were polluting the lake and they would probably have to go, says Mike Barton, of Glen Emmreth Farm at Lake Taupo.
Farmers should have their say on what the priorities should be for environmental reporting.
Being a dairy farmer and an environmentalist, I have been perplexed by the banter and politicking over the regional council's One Plan implementation.
Agreement has been reached on reducing by 20% the amount of nitrogen leaching into Lake Taupo through the ground.
A DISTRICT court judge is warning farmers polluting waterways can expect higher fines in future to provide greater deterrence as cases "continue to come before the courts".
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
Balclutha farmer Renae Martin remembers the moment she fell in love with cows.
Academic freedom is a privilege and it's put at risk when people abuse it.
All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.
Claims that some Southland farmers were invoiced up to $4000 for winter grazing compliance checks despite not breaching rules are being rejected by Environment Southland.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.
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