{"id":11903,"date":"2014-07-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-07-27T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.farmersweekly.co.nz\/dairy-culture-changes\/"},"modified":"2014-07-28T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2014-07-27T12:00:00","slug":"dairy-culture-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.farmersweekly.co.nz\/news\/dairy-culture-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"Dairy culture changes"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> < 1<\/span> minute<\/span><\/span>

There were 21 prosecutions in the past year, 34 the previous year, 25 in 2011-12, and 49 in 2009-10.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile 21 prosecutions is 21 too many, we need to remember that there are some 12,000 dairy herds in New Zealand.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn pure percentage terms it is 0.00175% of all herds,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt affirms our view that there is a genuine change of culture in farming.<\/p>\n

\u201cA decade ago the main topic would be stocking rates but today it is dominated by environmental factors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019ve got weather-beaten dairy farmers in their late 50s comparing notes on riparian plantings and ground sensors you know there\u2019s a cultural change afoot.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 2012-13 season went against a falling trend.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven the 2012-13 season corresponded with the worst drought in 70 years that could be a factor. What is beyond doubt is a substantial improvement on the 49 in 2009\/10.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also need to be realistic that these numbers will oscillate and some years will be better than others but the overall trend is positive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abatement notices were 43% lower and infringements 49% lower than in 2008-09.<\/p>\n

\u201cGenerally speaking, regional councils have started to understand farmer psyche and are improving their dialogue with farmers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are also seeing the courts taking a much tougher line with the average fine growing substantially as each season passes.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter some years of tension we are seeing councils communicating better with farmers and this has made a substantial difference to compliance,\u201d Rolleston said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A reduction in the number of dairy farmers prosecuted for environmental rules breaches shows a genuine change in industry culture, Federated Farmers president Dr William Rolleston says.\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t