Mackenzie factory farm submissions close

Photo Mark Mitchell.

Final submissions have been received for the controversial "factory farming" plan in the Mackenzie Basin.

Environment Canterbury (ECAN) has received 1855 submissions for Williamson Holdings, 1714 for Five Rivers Ltd and 1696 for Southdown Holdings.

ECAN would not comment on the content of the submissions.

Consent applications have been lodged by the three companies to set up 16 new farms in the South Island's Mackenzie Basin.

According to the applications, the farms would house cows in "cubicle stables" 24 hours a day for eight months of the year.

For the remaining four months of the year, the cows would be allowed out of their stables for 12 hours each day.

The "factory farming" plan has been met with widespread condemnation, especially from the Green Party.

Green Party co-leader Russell Norman said "thousands of New Zealanders" had voiced their concerns about the factory farming proposal.

"Factory dairy farming in the Mackenzie Country would hurt our animals, biodiversity, water quality, and international reputation," said Norman. "This is an issue of national significance, and there is widespread public concern."

Norman said concerned members of the public should add their voice by sending an e-card to Environment Minister Nick Smith, asking him to make the "right call" for all New Zealanders.

Federated Farmers has supported the right of farmers in the Mackenzie Basin to submit resource consent applications for factory farming.

Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson said factory farming made sense for the region, as it was a European style of farming being applied to a European "style of climate".

"The Greens can't have it both ways," said Nicolson. "They wish to see pastoral free-range farming controlled, yet oppose applications that are fairly much as controlled as you can get."

Cabinet will consider the factory farming issue when it meets for the first time, following its summer holiday, tomorrow.