Well here goes again. I typed up 1200 odd words previously only to wipe it . How i did it has me a bit stumped. The auto saver was supposed to be working as it is now. But gone. The drought is over, thank god for that but we are short of grass. Facial Xma has reared it’s ugly head , losing a couple of ewes and 2 flash rams, Finn, which I thought were super tolerant to this. Never mind.
Been another busy month on the farm and community wise. This included the Kaitieke Easter sports, and the Dog trials, back to back and through this our daughter ,son in law and grandson were out from Brisbane. Great to see them and the little man really really is a neat little chap. Calls me poppy. Now i get called alot of names ,but never poppy.
Last thursday I was supposed to speak to my submission to the District Council ann plan. I decided that it would be more productive if i stayed home and got on with farm work instead, espeacially as i for got my wifes birthday and she wants fire wood in the shed now!!! . My submission included amongst other topics Manuka Honey. Council has signalled that it wishes to encourage the honey industry and is seeking feed back via the speacial consultative proceedure. It is all very hush hush and hidden away on the webb site and there is no fan fare around it. Whilst I respect land owners right to manage their properties as they wish, I am concerned about council promoting the industry and encouraging land use change. Manuka honey is very season dependent, get a bad one and production drops, including the fact that as the shrub matures the activity status declines, including the amount produced. Manuka is the 1st stage of reversion to tree,d indigenous vegetation and happens quite fast. I also expressed concern that this could be a method of achieving the out comes sought by those driving land use change through Regional Council. I used the Bio-diversity hearing evidence as a case in point. We were presented with staff evidence which included a policy development report titled Past and Current Indigenous Vegetation Cover and the justification for the Protection of Terrestrial Biodiversity within the Manawatu-Wanganui Region. This report identifies manuka as potential future forest needed to achieve 30% of the region back in forest cover by 2050. Why?.Read next months post
In the evening I went to Federated Farmers provincial meeting. Our Regional Council rep was present. He gave a good report on council bussiness. In fact he really caught my attention with a report in which it appears that council has got all lovey dovy with the need for economic growth across the region. Of course agriculture is expected to lead the way. he explained that the District Councils have told Horizons that it is its job to drive the project. I do not blame them really as Regional Council assumed the District Councils roles and functions for the purposes of the Regional Plan. But he went on to explain that the Agri-research scientist who spent the last 20 odd yrs trying to prove that farming was unsustainable, Dr Alec McKay, is now employed researching pasture plants, forage crops and on farm irrigation systems all to increase agri cultrural production. But wait there is more. It seens the reason why Regional Council wants to increase the science rate line in our rates demand is prove the theory that carbon in the soil and parent rock absorbs far more excess Nitrogen than thought, later released to the plant . The out come sought is that it proves that the nutrient budgeting tool “Overseer” is too erroneous to be used to measure out puts, something it was not designed for being up to 50% inaccurate.. It is hoped that instead of the above tool identifying a number of say 20 kgs N leached, in fact that number may only be 2 kgs N leached in which case a new effluent pond may be all that is needed. Get my drift. He then went on to explain councils thoughts on the Sustainable Land Use Intitative. Govt wants to cut it funding for this project. Council is thinking of dumping it or upping the rate line to complete the plans already in the pipe line. I opposed this project every ann plan to no avail. I leave council and this gigantic flip flop appears. What on eath is going on. Well of course as you who follow the farming media will realise, Govt has run into a brick wall with its efforts to boost economic growth within NZ. it is only realistically going to come from agriculture, and that Govt needs irrigation up and down the east coast of both Islands to achieve that. Of course it is going to mean alot more diary cows but what is more important. These Land Use Classifications (LUC,s) and their associated Nitrogen leaching values had that initative stymied.
At the end of his report the chair said with a smile on her face. So Bruce you are enjoying your time in Regional Council .Of course came the reply. And who wouldn,t.
There we have it. I think back to Millions of $ of rate payer funds spent by the Regional Council fighting their precious One Plan and the unethical and down right unlawful nonscence they got up to only to arrive at this. Heads must surely roll.
The people, or should i say the McGillicuddy Party and their Greeny/political mates may have suffered a huge kick in the proverbial but do not think for one moment they are down and out. Their mates in high places and esp (my view) ,the ministries of the Auditer General, Conservation and Justice will make sure that they do not.
Bio diversity will be the next big battle. There will be blood on the floor before this is all over.(literally) .I know that the Bio diversity provisions will cause grt consternation amonst investors in carbon. The carbon market is not about climate change , but the finacial empowerment of indigenous peoples. Now isn,t that nice way of putting it. Just read the Bio-diversity provisions of the One Plan.
Think On.