Make money while the sun is shining
A new effluent management product, flushed down the drain during routine shed washdown, is a game changer, according to the man in charge of its distribution in New Zealand.
WAIKATO REGIONAL Council is ending helicopter flights over farms to monitor effluent management practices.
It is also ending routine visits by inspectors without an appointment.
The council says it is increasing cooperation with the dairy sector; the plan was developed by a special working party which included councillors and industry representatives.
The working party was formed following particular farmer concerns about helicopter use, inspections without appointments and rules around the sealing of effluent storage ponds.
Councillors at their meeting yesterday agreed in principle to seven working party recommendations and asked that staff factored their implementation into upcoming long term plan deliberations.
Staff were also asked to report back on how much implementation of the recommendations would cost and also whether the council would still be able to meet its legal obligations under such a system.
The recommendations were that:
Fonterra representative Charlotte Rutherford says she had found the working party process "very positive and very collaborative".
The meeting heard that the group agreed there was a need to take action against serious offenders. But it also felt that tensions caused by helicopter monitoring and visits without appointments could inhibit farmer uptake of best practice effluent management.
So there was a need to do more to encourage full compliance and adequate effluent management infrastructure by working with industry, as this could offer the greatest environmental benefits.
Working party member Cr Alan Livingston says many farmers were doing much better with effluent management. "Significant changes have already been made, and are being made, with farm effluent systems, and at considerable cost."
He felt "the helicopters have run their course" but he noted some farmers still couldn't comply with rules 365 days a year. He added that if improvements weren't made voluntarily by farmers it was possible they could face tougher rules further down the track.
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