Young water science talent recognised
Third-year student Cady Burns has won the Waikato Regional Council Prize in Water Science for 2024.
An independent review has found Waikato Regional Council’s evidence gathering processes “appropriate, robust, lawful and up to date”.
It also says the council uses best practice when making enforcement decisions when investigations are finished.
In May this year the council started a review of how it investigated farmers’ non-compliance with the Resource Management Act and how it dealt with these malefactors. This was prompted by criticisms of the council’s enforcement actions.
The findings of the review panel, headed by Wellington solicitor Tom Gilbert and including farmers, iwi, regulators, transport and energy people, were last month presented to the council by Gilbert.
He told councilors that 1400-1500 potential or actual breaches of rules were dealt with each year. Formal enforcement action in response to these cases was “very low” as a percentage of the total. This represented a “conservative” approach, he said.
The size of fines handed down by the courts showed that judges were taking council initiated cases seriously.
“The council does enforcement really well,” Gilbert said. “It might not always be popular but that’s obviously not the point.”
Gilbert says the council’s investigative processes are nationally ‘leading edge’, comparing favourably with some other regulators. “The public should have confidence the right matters… are being prosecuted,” he says.
Fonterra has cemented its position as the country’s number one cheesemaker by picking up nine NZ Champion of Cheese trophies this year.
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.