Environment Canterbury has released the Canterbury Dairy Report for the 2009-2010 season which adds detail to the preliminary figures released in July.

The preliminary figures showed 59 percent of dairy farms were fully compliant with their dairyshed effluent discharge conditions, up from 43 percent in the previous season. Significant non-compliance fell to 8 percent from 19 percent in the previous season. The number of dairy farms monitored in Canterbury continues to rise, up 6.3 percent to 905 in the 2009-10 season from 851 farms in the previous season.

“We are now looking forward to building on the good results from the 2009-10 season,” said Kim Drummond, Environment Canterbury director regulation.

“The Canterbury Dairy Report highlights the growing number of initiatives that Environment Canterbury and industry partners are involved in to improve dairyshed effluent disposal practices.

“Importantly, it also highlights that the focus on improvement extends beyond compliance with consent conditions.”

One key joint initiative is the Canterbury Dairy Effluent Group, which involves Environment Canterbury, Fonterra, NZ Dairies and Synlait, and industry groups Federated Farmers, DairyNZ and the South Island Dairying Development Centre.

“The Canterbury Dairy Effluent Group is working to improve awareness among dairy farmers and farm workers of the issues around dairy effluent disposal.

“This Group has agreed on clear and consistent messages and has an industry-wide approach which aims to develop practical solutions to improve compliance rates among dairy farmers.

“It is very pleasing to see an improvement in the compliance figures, reflecting the work done in collaboration with industry partners and other stakeholders,” said Kim Drummond.
 
Other initiatives include the national audit of compliance monitoring which involves Environment Canterbury and other regional councils; the Farm Enviro Walk (a self assessment checklist); the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord; as well as work by dairy companies Fonterra and Synlait to provide support and advice to dairy farmers.

The Canterbury Dairy Report provides for the first time information on compliance rates in Canterbury districts. No conclusions have been drawn about the difference in compliance rates between districts, however, but the reasons are likely to include differing soil types, depth to groundwater, rainfall, terrain, farm management practices and consenting requirements.  The average size of farms and the years in operation also varies between districts. 

Ashburton and Selwyn – which together have more than half of Canterbury’s dairy farms – had full compliance rates below the overall average of 59 percent. Ashburton’s rate was 51.2 percent full compliance (from 258 farms monitored) and in Selwyn it was 57.1 percent (from 184 farms monitored).

Hurunui – with 62 consented farms monitored – recorded 71.0 percent full compliance and Waimakariri – with 82 consented farms monitored – recorded 74.4 percent full compliance.

Timaru – with 110 consented farms monitored – recorded 60.0 percent full compliance and Waimate – with 99 consented farms monitored – recorded 55.6 percent full compliance.

The results for Kaikoura and Waitaki are based on very small numbers of consented farms and may not be directly comparable to other districts.

For more information: Kim Drummond, Environment Canterbury Director Regulation, 03 372-7232 or 027 497-8366

Full report:
http://ecan.govt.nz/publications/Pages/dairy-effluent.aspx