Otago field days focus on farm effluent management

Otago field days focus on farm effluent management

Thursday February 19, 2015

DairyNZ ENVIROREADY field days starting next week will bring farmers up to speed with good practice effluent management, and provide tools and information to help them meet Otago Regional Council environmental regulations.

DairyNZ water quality specialist Shirley Hayward says the events are about helping farmers feel confident in their knowledge of how they can meet council regulations.

"With the more stringent effluent and discharge rules now in place, this will help everyone understand what they need to do to ensure they comply. There is something for everyone, staff, managers and owners alike as there is a practical hands-on component as well as discussion around infrastructure decisions and investment," says Shirley.

Managing farm effluent well helps farmers to get the maximum production benefit from the nutrients in effluent while minimising environmental impacts and risks associated with non-compliance, she says. Topics include infrastructure design, construction, application rates and depth, and equipment set-up and maintenance.

There will also be an update on the water quality monitoring project being carried out by DairyNZ in the region.

"The purpose of the project is to develop farmer-friendly guidelines for monitoring water quality and interpreting the results ahead of planned changes to the Otago Regional Council discharge rules in 2020," says Shirley.

The field days will be held at the following farms:

Clinton - Tuesday 24 February
Peter Dobbie
218 Old Lake Road

Kelso - Wednesday 25 February
Georgie & Adam McCall
Paradise Flat Road

Oamaru - Thursday 5 March
Grant & Ele Ludemann
635 Burnside Road
Windsor

Clarendon, Outram - Friday 6 March.
Glenn & Lynne Johnston
30 Phosphate Road
Clarendon

ends

© Scoop Media