Monday, 15 April 2019 08:21

Farmers back blitz

Written by 
A Waikato Regional Council officer taking a sample of ponded effluent. A Waikato Regional Council officer taking a sample of ponded effluent.

The dairy industry is supporting councils in their efforts to get all farmers to meet their effluent obligations.

DairyNZ and Waikato Dairy Leaders Group chair Jim van der Poel says everyone is disappointed that a few individuals continue to let the sector down by not complying with effluent management rules.

“There is no excuse for repeated [preventable] offences,” says van der Poel.

He was responding to news that a Cambridge farming company and one of its directors were each convicted of eight charges under the Resource Management Act in early March in Hamilton District Court and fined a total of $131,840.  

This is the largest total fine imposed for illegal dairy effluent discharges into the environment in the Waikato region since the RMA came into force in 1991.

The company, Pollock Farms (2011) Ltd, runs a dairy farm on Victoria Road near Cambridge. One of its directors, Dawson Craig Pollock, was prosecuted for similar breaches of the RMA in 1993 and 2001.

Van der Poel says the total fine in this prosecution is significant and sends a strong message to farmers. 

“We support the Waikato Regional Council and other regional councils in monitoring and prosecuting farmers for serious infringements of the rules.

“From our point of view, any breach is one too many. Managing effluent is a necessary part of running an efficient dairy system. 

“The sector needs those farmers who aren’t doing the right thing with their effluent management to step up, take responsibility and make the necessary changes.” 

DairyNZ supports farmers in making such changes: resources are available to help all dairy farmers -- a Dairy Effluent Storage Calculator, A Farmer’s Guide to Building a New Effluent Storage Pond and access to accredited effluent system designers.  

“Most dairy farmers are doing their utmost to… protect the environment and the waterways that run on and near their farms every day,” says van der Poel. 

“Significant non-compliance for dairy effluent discharges nationally in 2016-17 was 5.2%, the lowest on record, but we realise there is still a way to go.” 

The dairy sector is helping farmers to operate more sustainably, overseeing huge improvements during the last decade, including fencing off 99.4% of significant waterways. 

The sector strategy document Dairy Tomorrow says, firstly, ‘We will protect and nurture the environment for future generations’ “and we intend to get all our farmers on track to achieving that goal,” says van der Poel. 

“Our vision is clear: we want healthy waterways, and we will help farmers achieve it, just as the vast majority of farmers are committed to doing their bit.” 

More like this

DairyNZ plantain trials cut nitrate leaching by 26%

DairyNZ says its plantain programme continues to deliver promising results, with new data confirming that modest levels of plantain in pastures reduce nitrogen leaching, offering farmers a practical, science-backed tool to meet environmental goals.

Featured

Australia develops first local mRNA FMD vaccine

Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.

NZ household food waste falls again

Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.

Editorial: No joking matter

OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.

National

All eyes on NZ milk supply

All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.

Machinery & Products

Leader balers arrive in NZ

Officially launched at the National Fieldays event in June, the Leader in-line conventional PRO 1900 balers are imported and distributed…

JDLink Boost for NZ farms

Connectivity is widely recognised as one of the biggest challenges facing farmers, but it is now being overcome through the…

New generation Defender HD11

The all-new 2026 Can-Am Defender HD11 looks likely to raise the bar in the highly competitive side-by-side category.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Full cabinet

OPINION: Legislation being drafted to bring back the controversial trade of live animal exports by sea is getting stuck in the…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter