Otago Regional Council to launch winter flyovers
Otago Regional Council is set to begin its annual winter farm flyovers in the next three weeks.
Otago Regional Council says it has upgraded its online consent mapping tool to be more farmer-friendly.
Otago Regional Council (ORC) has upgraded its online consent mapping site in a move designed to make the service more farmer-friendly.
The map, Consents in Otago, now includes a property-by-address, legal description or consent number search function, satellite imagery similar to Google Maps, plus named waterways, a polygon/draw tool and also a print button, says Alexandra King, ORC team leader consents.
“It’s now much more user friendly for farmers who’re working through the mapping part of their applications, specifically intensive winter grazing plans,” she says.
King says the tool allows farmers to easily identify and measure blocks throughout their farms, and help them in identifying risk areas/sensitive receptors on-farm such as critical source areas, waterways, wetlands or water bores.
The map identifies which catchment the farm is within and can also measure distances, she says.
In general, the map can also provide surface and ground water allocation availability, can locate consented activities and is useful in also identifying neighbouring consents.
There was much theatre in the Beehive before the Government's new Resource Management Act (RMA) reform bills were introduced into Parliament last week.
The government has unveiled yet another move which it claims will unlock the potential of the country’s cities and region.
The government is hailing the news that food and fibre exports are predicted to reach a record $62 billion in the next year.
The final Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction has delivered bad news for dairy farmers.
One person intimately involved in the new legislation to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA) is the outgoing chief executive of the Ministry for the Environment, James Palmer, who's also worked in local government.
Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) says a new report projects strong export growth for New Zealand's horticulture sector highlights the industry's increasing contribution to the national economy.

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