Dairy farmers improve response to pollution-control moves

Effluent run-off from dairy farming has a horrendous effect on New Zealand's streams. Picture / Wairarapa Times-Age

Dairy farmers are said to be on track to meet a key nutrient-management target in the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord, despite recent figures suggesting a lacklustre performance.

The 2003 accord between Fonterra, the Government and regional councils set a variety of targets to help prevent farming work polluting waterways in dairying areas.

But a report last week noted slow progress on the target of having 100 per cent of farms with a nutrient-management plan by May 2008.

Nutrient-management plans are aimed at minimising run-off of nitrogen and phosphorous from farming.

The report said the percentage of dairy farms with a plan had climbed from just 17 per cent to 19 per cent. Fish & Game New Zealand criticised a Government statement suggesting significant progress was being made on the accord targets.

However, Fonterra's technical services manager, Shane Lodge, said the report was behind the times, and about 35 per cent of suppliers now had plans in place.

He said Fonterra had recently completed 39 nutrient-management workshops for about 3000 suppliers around the country. Fertiliser industry representatives were to do plans for farmers when they bought fertiliser, and a significant number of farm consultants had put themselves through nutrient-management courses at Massey.

On whether this would be enough to ensure the 100 per cent target was achieved, Lodge said: "We'll get very close if we don't hit it".

Farmers had a financial incentive to adopt plans, he said.

"This actually saves money for farmers if they do it."

The plans took into account all farm inputs and outputs, he said, and were an improvement on measures such as soil, pasture and blood tests used by farmers.

"They haven't had the tool to put it all together in a large holistic picture which takes into account other inputs and outputs of the farm."