Stop the rot!
OPINION: Bayer Crop Science closing its Hastings research site could be the tip of the iceberg.
A US farmer has been awarded US$265m (NZ$411m) in a lawsuit against herbicide providers Bayer and BASF.
According to The Wall Street Journal, a Missouri jury handed $15 million in actual and $250 million in punitive damages to the state’s largest peach grower, Bill Bader.
Bader sued Bayer and BASF after claiming his 1,000-acre orchard had been harmed by the companies’ herbicide that had drifted onto his tress from neighbouring farms in 2015 and 2016.
Bader sued the companies, claiming they encourage farmers to spray their dicamba-based herbicides irresponsibly.
The trial lasted three weeks and is the first case in the United States to make a ruling on the use of dicamba-based herbicides.
US farmers have alleged that dicamba-based herbicides can become vapour in some weather conditions.
They claim the vapour drifting across large distances has caused damage to tens of thousands of acres of cropland.
Bayer says it plans to appeal the verdict, whereas BASF is still to decide its next steps.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.