Waikato farms first to face up to Fonterra's dirty dairy inspectors

Fonterra is to launch a $1 million campaign against dirty dairying, beginning in the Waikato, after nearly 60 per cent of farms inspected by Environment Waikato broke effluent management rules.

Fonterra said it would add effluent infrastructure inspections to its annual dairy shed inspections in the Waikato's 4000 plus dairy farms, once staff were trained this month, and would introduce the scheme across the remaining 6500 shareholders next season.

The Waikato was chosen for the pilot scheme, managing director of Fonterra Trade and Operations Gary Romano said, because Environment Waikato monitored only 15 per cent of the dairy farms in the region.

The latest Dairying and Clean Streams Accord report showed 59 per cent of dairy farms were not compliant with effluent management rules, up from 52 per cent the previous drought season.

The report confirmed figures published in January which reported the council had monitored about 700 of the region's dairy farms and found about 140 were significantly non-compliant.

Rob Dragten, Environment Waikato's compliance manager, defined "significantly non-compliant" as where effluent is entering waterways or there was a high risk of it entering waterways.

Only six of the most serious cases were prosecuted by Environment Waikato last season.

The report benchmarked the Waikato against a national average of 15 per cent non-compliance, up three per cent on the previous year. Northland delivered the worst results, with 61 per cent non-compliance, and Taranaki the best, with only 4 per cent non-compliance.

Mr Dragten said last season's results were expected to be worse than the previous drought season. There was less runoff in a drought because of the dry conditions.

"Certainly it's not good enough."

Clearly those farmers at the worst end of the scale needed to lift their game.

Tim Deane, Fonterra's general manager of milk supply, said he expected the Waikato inspections to start by the end of the month.

"We are going to look at infrastructure. The pond, is it the right size? The topography of the farm. The soil type. If we think there are some concerns we will send out a sustainable dairy systems consultant who will explain what is needed to be done to get things sorted."

Under Fonterra's Effluent Improvement Scheme, introduced after last year's report, farmers issued an effluent infringement notice face a $1500 deduction from their milk cheque and a $3000 for a successful prosecution.

Deductions start next season with Fonterra offering refunds to pinged farmers once they have fixed problems.

Waikato Federated Farmers president Stew Wadey, who had not read the report, expected Fonterra's scheme to halve non-compliance within 18 months.

"Fonterra is spending my money and I would expect, as a shareholder, a result," Mr Wadey said.

"I would expect them to at least halve it in 18 months."

Environment Waikato deputy chairman John Fisher, who was investigated and fined by his own council after the effluent pond overflowed on his Cambridge farm last year, welcomed Fonterra's scheme.

"Fonterra is on the farm every year for the farm dairy shed inspection and the effluent inspection is an add-on. It's a really good initiative," he said.

Mr Dragten and Mr Fisher said, despite the number, the worst cases were not as bad as they used to be.

- © Fairfax NZ News