A fifth of the region's dairy farms monitored by Environment Waikato are breaking effluent disposal rules, according to the council. Environment Waikato's figures released to the Waikato Times show 140 of the 700 farms monitored this season, mainly through helicopter flights, were "significantly non-compliant" with the council's effluent management rules. Waikato has more than 4000 dairy farms and the council monitors a chunk of them each season . Rob Dragten, manager of the regional council's compliance and education division, said "significant" non-compliance was around 20 per cent. Infringement notices were issued to about 60 per cent of non-compliant farmers and formal warnings went to about 40 per cent but only the most serious five faced prosecution. Among them were the Crafars, New Zealand's largest family-run farming business, now in receivership, and Piopio dairy farmer Ben Watson. Dairy effluent was one of many factors, including sediments, bacteria and nutrients, affecting waterway health but it was something which was easy to control, Mr Dragten said. Gabriele Kaufler, Environment Waikato's sustainable agriculture co-ordinator, said farmers could do a $90 test which revealed the levels of different chemicals in effluent.
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