dairy Archive

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  An update on Russel’s dirty rivers tour

  
  
  
  Russel is rafting and kayaking down some of our most polluted lowland rivers this summer, as a fun and unusual way to draw attention to the water pollution problems in our own backyard. Click here for detailed reports and photos from each trip. Plus check out media coverage of Russel on the Manawatu, the Hutt, the Taumarere, [...] read more
  March 5, 2010 1:45 pm - 14 Comments
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  The brand vs battery cows

  
  
  
  This is how we present our butter to the world: “Only our cows are free to roam all day long. Anchor – the free range butter company”. And this is cubicle factory dairy production – the battery cow. Or this: Cognitive dissonance anyone? read more
  December 9, 2009 7:56 pm - 62 Comments
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  Herd homes vs cubicles like home vs prison

  
  
  
  Have you ever felt that after a long day inside a building you just have to get out and feel the sun and breathe some air? I guess not being able to do that is one  of the punishments the prison system imposes on offenders. But even they get an hour or so out in [...] read more
  December 9, 2009 3:35 pm - 11 Comments
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  Think our native forests were safe? Think again.

  
  
  
  “Agricultural intensification over the past 10 years has led to the highest rate of native vegetation loss since European colonisation.” Landcare Research Annual Report read more
  November 2, 2009 11:29 am - 18 Comments
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  Love Wild Rivers? Give them your support

  
  
  
  Cool. Today a new campaign has been launched for one of New Zealand’s most iconic features – our Wild Rivers. It’s great to see diverse groups – tree-huggers, deer-stalkers, bird-watchers, knobbly-kneed trampers, sharp-edged climbers, risky rafters, kool-kat kayakers, and angelic anglers – representing “over 100,000 New Zealanders” and united in seeking to protect wild rivers from [...] read more
  October 28, 2009 12:37 pm - 3 Comments
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  Calves starve to death on NZ’s largest dairy farm

  
  
  
  Yep, it’s the Crafar boys again. From interest.co.nz: Poor management and the pressures of massive debts obtained during rapid expansion meant this farm was so poorly managed that none of the staff trained the calves to drink milk, allowing them to die of dehydration in a muddy pen even though their trough was often full. And this is [...] read more
  September 29, 2009 11:26 am - 10 Comments
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  Wild and perverse ETS disincentives

  
  
  
  For the first six months of this year, wilding pine control cost DOC $811,000 in carbon liabilities – a large amount for a department that has already had its budget for this year cut by $13.5 million. That money could have saved some endangered species, increased the area of land under pest control, or – got rid of more wilding pines. read more
  September 22, 2009 1:27 pm - 39 Comments
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  Mohaka needs you!

  
  
  
  The Dompost on Saturday reported that a debate about landuse and water quality is deepening in the Hawkes Bay. The Mohaka River has a Water Conservation Order on it. However its quality is declining. One tributary comes from the volcanic plateau where land has been converted from forests to industrial-sized dairy farms. read more
  September 21, 2009 3:30 pm - 11 Comments
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  “I feel a change coming on”

  
  
  
  Fonterra has more than just its financial restructure head-ache to mull on this weekend. Its dogged support for rainforest-destroying palm kernel feed (PKE) must now be giving them a cracking migraine. read more
  September 19, 2009 9:37 am - 24 Comments
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  World Bank Goes Green?

  
  
  
  Sometimes something really good happens. The World Bank has withdrawn funding for the palm oil sector including the Wilmar company that supplies [PDF] palm kernel to Fonterra. The World Bank is not satisfied that the palm plantations they loaned to in parts of the developing world met acceptable standards for sustainability. Congratulations to the Forest Peoples [...] read more
  September 14, 2009 12:22 pm - 74 Comments