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Jersey cows - Source: ONE News -
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Environment Canterbury has been flooded with submissions protesting plans for 16 dairy farms in the Mackenzie Country which would see up to 18,000 cows housed inside for much of the year.
The intense public interest, some of it from offshore, has prompted the regional council to create a special section on its internet home page to cope with the number of inquiries, the Otago Daily Times reports.
Publicity about the proposals , which some are labelling "factory farming", has prompted more than 1100 submissions, chief executive Bryan Jenkins says.
He says at times submissions were coming in at the rate of 20 an hour.
Publicity about the proposals on overseas websites had prompted submissions from as far away as France and Great Britain, as well as Australia.
Some of the submissions linked the issue of animal welfare, arising from housing cows in cubicles full-time for eight months of the year, and 12 hours a day for the remaining four months, with environmental factors.
The environmental issues include the large amount of effluent the 16 plants would produce - up to almost 1.8 million litres a day - being disposed of by way of irrigation and laying solids on the land.
Submissions to ECan on the plans by two companies, Five Rivers and Southdown Holdings, close at 5pm on December 18.
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Post new commentBM said on 2010-01-28 @ 22:24 NZDT: Report abusive post
So the Prime Minister is confident New Zealand's clean green image won't be hurt by free stall farming and doubts consumers will be put off buying our dairy products . I previously had hope in your leadership John. Now I see your just another big business lackey. You've definately got this wrong just read all the coments on this subject John to see this. You just lost my vote and I am sure lots of others.
kberry said on 2010-01-27 @ 17:29 NZDT: Report abusive post
Why is NZ in such a hurry to become like America? Anyone who has done any research can see just how far we have become removed from the natural order of things in how we grow and treat our food. Cows are grazers. They eat grass, not corn, in pastures, not sheds. This will only promote deformity and disease. Food will be full of more chemicals, and hormones, and will simply NOT BE GOOD FOOD. Check out the film "FOOD INC." to see the state of feed lots in the USA. Simply disgusting. SAY NO!!!!!!!
jillhh100 said on 2010-01-27 @ 17:20 NZDT: Report abusive post
Having lived overseas eating and drinking dairy products produced by this type of farming I dearly hope we don't head down this route. The products just don't taste as good!! As an environmental engineer I'm confident that solutions can be found for the enviro issues - but the damage the this does to taste and our quality brand in the market, that can't be repaired.
BM said on 2010-01-27 @ 17:07 NZDT: Report abusive post
Kris are you saying the meat will be sold cheaper? I can't imagine this at all. Why would the producers sell cage meat at a cheaper cost than field produced meat? This is all about money making and greed. Even if the meat was sold cheaper the real issue is the inhumane treatment of the animals. This farming method is cruel.
BM said on 2010-01-27 @ 16:50 NZDT: Report abusive post
New Zealand is suposed to be clean and green and humane. Overseas this method of keeping animals is used. However we should take the lead and reject this cruel inhumane method of animal farming. I say keep those applying for consent in the conditions they expect the animals to live in for a year and if after this they still want consent give them it. They won't apply for consent having endured the barbaric conditions of course.