Waikato dairy effluent breaches lead to $108,000 in fines
Two farmers and two farming companies were recently convicted and fined a total of $108,000 for environmental offending.
At least 50 exhibitors are due at the March 17 event near Hamilton and organisers hope attendance will top last year's figure of 650.
The expo, organised by Waikato Regional Council and sponsored by DairyNZ, is designed as a one-stop shop for farmers looking to upgrade their effluent systems or catch up on the latest advice. It is the only effluent-specific event in New Zealand.
"Good systems help protect waterways, but they also help farmers maximise profits by making efficient use of the nutrients available," says expo organiser Electra Kalaugher.
"The expo is a great chance to make sure you're up on the latest developments and advice from industry and plan improvements, even if you can't afford to spend up large this year."
About half the expo's visitors last year were farm owners who are responsible for major investment decisions regarding effluent systems.
"We've had a great response to the expo from farmers, industry organisations and private sector suppliers over the years.
"So it's a pleasure to be celebrating the expo's fifth birthday in 2015. It shows the ongoing commitment we all have to doing a better job on the effluent front, both to protect the environment and improve farm profitability," says Kalaugher.
The Mystery Creek exhibition hall and outdoor area will host companies displaying specialist machinery and equipment, infrastructure, and design and consultation services focused on effluent management. There will also be a range of seminars within the exhibition hall with more time for questions and discussion this year.
Indoors there will be seminars on effluent storage options and nutrients by DairyNZ, a seminar from Waikato Regional Council on effluent system monitoring, and a more interactive discussion session with Fonterra and DairyNZ on system upgrades in tight times.
A small outdoor grandstand will allow people to watch demonstrations of irrigation systems during outdoor seminars from AgVice. Along with the usual inside cafe area, a food area will also be available outside this year with picnic tables, Fritz Wiener hotdogs, and a coffee cart.
Besides sponsorship from DairyNZ, Kalaugher says Federated Farmers and milk companies are supporting the expo.
Most attendees last year were from Waikato, although some farmers came from as far away as Northland, Taranaki, and Wairarapa. This year the Bay of Plenty and Taranaki regional councils will be promoting the expo as a place for farmers in their areas to learn about developments in effluent management.
For more information, check out the Expo website at http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz
