Dairy Compliance Awards Recognises High Achievement

Hawke’s Bay’s dairy farmers who are consistently achieving full compliance with their resource consents were recognised at the Dairy Compliance Awards 2017 event last week (Thursday 7 December). 

HBRC Chief Executive James Palmer said the scheme is getting good participation, and the people involved are continuing to perform at a high level of compliance.

“The scheme is important for both dairy farmers and the regional council.  HBRC wants to help farmers to succeed and the Regional Council is pleased with the environmental performance they are achieving.”

Thirty farms have maintained full compliance for at least five consecutive years, and some more, to achieve or maintain a Gold award status. Another 19 farms are well on their way towards Gold award status.

The informal awards event is hosted annually by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, and this year Regional Councillor Debbie Hewitt (Central HB) and CEO James Palmer presented the certificates of achievement.   

The awards are supported by sponsors Ravensdown, Farmlands and Fonterra.   Fonterra and Farmlands present gift vouchers to the Gold level farmers.

Jason Boyle, Fonterra Central Region manager, thanked the Regional Council and the sponsors for supporting the scheme. “It’s the only scheme of its kind in the territories where I work, and a great way to encourage farmers to do their best.”

Abbey Deroles from Farmlands said the company was pleased to be a sponsor for such a positive scheme. 

Hendrik Venter from Ravensdown said “It’s a privilege for Ravensdown to be associated with dairy farmers who are doing the right thing.”  Ravensdown presents a ARL Environmental Impact test suite to each Gold recipient.

The award scheme developed from a goal set by the Dairy Industry Liaison Group when it was established by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council in 2008 – their goal is 100% full compliance with resource consent conditions across the industry.  Hawke’s Bay has a total of 80 dairy farms that are monitored annually by the regional council. 

“Full compliance is a big ask,” says HBRC CE James Palmer.  “It requires farmers to meet all requirements of their consents, from the dairy shed and out on the farm, down to processing the necessary paperwork in the office.  Any farm not achieving compliance in any one year is reset to year zero.”

The Gold award represents five consecutive years of full compliance. There has been a steady increase in farms qualifying for the Gold level - from 16 farms in the first year to 30 this year. Another 5 farms have achieved the Silver level (4 years’ compliance) and 13 farms the Bronze (3 years). 

With the aim of 100% compliance , the industry sees improvements every year, from 71% compliance across the board in the first year, to 89% this year.  To achieve 100% compliance, farms must achieve full compliance with their consents at all inspections; water take consents are included as well as the farm dairy effluent discharge consent. 

The Dairy Compliance Awards 2017 recipients are:

Anacott Farms Limited Partnership

Barry P M & A C Ellingham

Brylee Farm Limited

Cameron Dairies Limited Boyle Rd

Cesped Lands Limited & Riordan J J & V P

Chrystal C J J

Cooper Del Este Limited

Epic Agriculture Limited -Springfield

Flat Hill Trust

Franklin P C

Galloway Enterprises Limited

Great Glen Farm Limited

Hedley J H & J

Incline Farm Limited

Ingleton Farms Limited

Knauf I J & S M

Longrow Dairies Limited -Cloverlea

Lyon Family Trust

Lyons Family Partnership

Maungatutu Station Ltd

Newman Family Trust

Perthshire Farms Land Company Limited

Pine Estate Limited

Plantation Road Dairies Limited

Seven Oaks Partnership

Spring Valley Holdings Ltd

Te Repo Farms Limited

Tuki Tuki Awa Limited

Waikare Dairy Company Limited

Watts & Son Limited

13 December 2017

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