$14,000 fine for not registering 295 deer
A farmer who failed to register 295 deer into the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme has been fined $13,750.
Waikato Regional Council is taking Te Aroha piggery farm to court following an investigation into the discharge of effluent into a stream.
The prosecution has been taken under the Resource Management Act and comes because of an active investigation by the council into alleged ongoing, uncontrolled and unauthorised discharges to both land and water over the past six months.
It’s alleged the effluent entered the Patuwhao Stream which flows to the Waihou River, resulting in the council urging downstream landowners with surface water takes to exercise caution until the risk passed.
An interim Enforcement Order from the Environment Court, issued by Judge Melinda Dickey on Friday 4 August remains in place. It requires the piggery company to cease discharging a contaminant onto land in circumstances which may result in it entering water.
Regional compliance manager Patrick Lynch says staff have been carrying out regular inspections of the site.
“There has been some improvement,” he says. “The volume and frequency of the discharges has decreased, though there is still work to do and we will continue to monitor activities on the site.”
“It’s important we do not jeopardise the matter before the court, so we will not be able to provide any further detail at this time,” he adds.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
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