AWA: Academic Writing at Auckland
Title: Fenced out: Northland farmers committed to stock exclusion
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Copyright: Brianna Milner
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Description: Task: To create a media release for the Northern Advocate highlighting your GEOG 315 research findings.
• 300-400 words (including title). Word count
excludes your contact information, date etc.
• One photo (if so desired).
• One quote (if so desired).
Assessing the message NOT the research findings.
Warning: This paper cannot be copied and used in your own assignment; this is plagiarism. Copied sections will be identified by Turnitin and penalties will apply. Please refer to the University's Academic Integrity resource and policies on Academic Integrity and Copyright.
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Writing features
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Fenced out: Northland farmers committed to stock exclusion
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Dairy and beef farmers are no strangers to public claims of environmental harm caused by livestock in waterways. Northland farmers however have shown that keeping stock out of waterways is at the front and centre of their farm management systems. In research conducted in Whangarei by The University of Auckland students, farmers said that they were aware of the need to keep stock out of waterways. Those interviewed had all fenced off major waterways on their properties, saying that it made sense not only from a productivity point of view, but also in terms of looking after the resources they had been given. Within the farming community it is believed that farmers do know the importance of stock exclusion from waterways and that constraining factors tended to be time and money. Despite this, the farmers were confident it is a practice most are putting into play and commented on industry pressures put in place through the Dairy Industries accords. Representatives from both Dairy NZ and the Northland Regional Council are confident that most permanently flowing waterways in Northland have been fenced off. Water quality issues within the region are said to be improving. At an industry level, the Clean Streams Accord and Sustainable Dairy Water Accord have been successful in improving the environmental performance of the dairy industry. The Northland Regional Council also said that their Farm Water Quality Improvement Plans and access to the Environment Fund have proved successful in encouraging farmers to fence. Dairy NZ reiterated that both the accord and Regional Council plans are voluntary, and were proud of farmers’ response to tackling the issue of stock exclusion through waterway fencing. The Northland Regional Council are in the process of updating the Regional Plan, which should come into force in 2020. The new plan will control access of livestock to waterways and require farmers to fence permanently flowing waterways in lowland areas. By 2020 all waterways on dairy farms should be fenced, with beef farms by 2025-2030. While the new plan does not prohibit livestock access, it will enforce the exclusion of livestock. Public submissions for the Regional Plan are welcome and close at the end of this month. ____________________ END_________________________
Subsidiary Information
Contact Details: Brianna Milner c\o Dr. David Hayward School of Environment University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland
Word count: 370 |
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