Farm visit starts Monday at Waituna

This community project to solve  environmental problems with the Waituna wetlands is another example of how farmers are concerned with these issues and are doing something about it.

Science will be needed to help and provide solutions in an area where often emotive comments cloud the real issues.

In a provocative farwell speech Lauchlan MacKenzie the Federations departing dairy spokesperson gave 3 examples how science has proved that agriculture is often blamed unfairly for enviromental degredation.

He states that trout is an invasive introduced species that have denigrated our waterways, that increased levels of nitrogen and phosphate in rivers can often enhance the water quality, and farming has improved the water quality of many rivers. He backs these statements up by scientific evidence as he seeks to dispel many of the enviromental myths that agriculture should be blamed for all of the degredation.

Teams of three specialists covering effluent systems set-up and management, farm systems expertise and environmental resource management are being made up of staff from DairyNZ, Fonterra and Environment Southland and will visit dairy farms in the Waituna catchment.They will work alongside 40 farmers who have volunteered for an environmental farm assessment of their current practices across a range of farm activities that may be contributing to nutrient or sediment losses to the lagoon reports Dairy NZ.

The work is part of an effort by the wider agricultural sector to protect the state of the Waituna Lagoon. It is being co-ordinated by Federated Farmers, who are also contacting all sheep and beef farmers to gauge their support needs on behalf of Beef + Lamb NZ.  
“Back at the end of May we said we would go through a process of formulating a community plan of action to address the Waituna Lagoon issues. We have been putting together a farmer action plan with Waituna farmers based on the science we know already. “Feedback from farmers was they wanted to know what they could be doing on farm, and that they could be confident that it would have a positive impact on the issue. These advisory visits will support them in their decision-making.”

Sean Newland, Fonterra’s Manager, Sustainable Dairying Policy is a member of the farm visits team along with Fonterra sustainable dairying advisors. He says local farmers, regardless of whether they are dairy, beef or lamb, recognise that land use activity in the catchment will be contributing to some degree to the issue.“The lagoon is an important place for the Southland community and Fonterra and our farmers want to do their part to help protect it for future generations.  As a first step, doing what we can immediately on farm makes sense. While this in itself may not solve all the problems with the lagoon, Fonterra and its farmers will continue to work with the local community.”  

Farm visits in March looked specifically at practices for wintering stock in the catchment and provided farmers with advice on good practice. Environment Southland’s Director of Environmental Management, Warren Tuckey, says Council staff flew over the catchment on Wednesday and found full compliance with rules around wintering practices.“From a farmer’s perspective learning more about the science and following it as it develops helps us know that what we do makes a difference. The science will unearth more about the lagoon, until then we’re using this visit process to get on and do the things we can around environmental management.”