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Source: ONE News -
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An increased number of dairy farms discharging effluent into
waterways has prompted Fonterra to roll out a major initiative to
check every farm once a year.
The Dairying and Clean Streams Accord has found some progress has been made toward achieving targets but the report shows only 60% of farms complied with effluent discharge resource consents.
Fonterra says significant non-compliance with local council's rules for how much waste goes into waterways is up on the previous year and the project aims to halve the numbers of dairy farms breaking the rules within 18 months.
Large fines and a big investment in research have already been initiated by the government and industry in an attempt to decrease waste.
Fonterra says the programme will initially be piloted in the Waikato from March this year, with national rollout from the start of the 2010/2011 financial year in August.
Under the new programme, Fonterra will check every farm's dairy effluent infrastructure every year as part of the annual Farm Dairy Assessment. Systems found to be at risk of non-compliance will be referred to a Sustainable Dairying Specialist.
They will work with affected farmers to develop action plans and where there is critical non-compliance, immediate action will be required.
The Dairying and Clean Streams Accord is an agreement signed in May 2003 between the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry for the Environment, Fonterra and Local Government New Zealand (on behalf of regional councils) aimed at achieving clean healthy water in dairying areas.
