Dairy conversions surge but no return to the heady days
Environment Canterbury has confirmed a surge in interest in new dairy conversions, with four effluent discharge permits for conversions granted since the start of the year.
Environment Canterbury has announced that it will adopt its Long-Term Plan 2021-31.
The plan sets the course for the Council’s work in the region – the essential priorities, statutory obligations, and transformational opportunities.
“The human impact on the environment is at the forefront of local and global thinking – it is the issue of the age,” says Environment Canterbury chair Jenny Hughey.
She says the Long-Term Plan acknowledges work needs to be don in the region and there will be big challenges down the line.
“But it also gives us the opportunity to be transformational – something the community has been asking of us.”
Hughey says the plan is a commitment to the Canterbury community to improve environmental outcomes across the region.
“From improving water quality and enhancing biodiversity, to managing natural hazards and climate change adaptation, the Long-Term Plan is our vision for stopping the decline in our environment and actively improving things for future generations.”
Hughey says the plan was developed in partnership with Ngāi Tahu, and with guidance from submissions made by people across the region during the consultation period.
Key initiatives include the implementation of the Government’s Essential Freshwater Package, accelerating the protection and regeneration of the natural environment including community-based initiatives designed to enable landowners and groups to protect and regenerate ecological catchments.
The Plan will see Environment Canterbury develop a climate change action plan, continue to design, build and maintain flood protection, land drainage and erosion control infrastructure.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
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.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
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.
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