Young water science talent recognised
Third-year student Cady Burns has won the Waikato Regional Council Prize in Water Science for 2024.
A farming company and an earthworks contractor have been fined $76,500 for unlawfully excavating a north Waikato stream.
Gregan Farms Limited and Steve Barker Limited were fined $31,500 and $45,000 respectively by District Court Judge Melinda Dickey in Hamilton last week.
They were each convicted on a single charge in respect of damaging nearly 1400 metres of a tributary of the Waitakaruru River in February 2021.
The case was taken by environmental regulator, Waikato Regional Council, following a complaint by a member of the public. The subsequent council inspection discovered extensive damage to the stream, including 48 dead eels and significant sediment deposits into the water course.
“This behaviour is very disappointing,” says the council’s regional compliance manager Patrick Lynch.
“The contractor in this case has 40 years’ experience in the earthworks industry. Working around water courses without causing undue damage, and knowing the environmental regulations that apply, should be bread and butter for him.
“Many will see the fish kill in this instance as quite distressing and certainly not what we are aiming for in caring for our waterways,” says Lynch.
“The damage done here will take some time to remediate.”
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
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