Three companies wanting to develop dairy farms in the Omarama
and Ohau areas have suggested alternative farming methods to
an Environment Canterbury (ECan) panel hearing their water
applications.
Southdown Holdings Ltd, Five Rivers Ltd and Williamson
Holdings Ltd want to set up 16 dairy farms with up to 17,850
cows.
They have applied to ECan for water to irrigate the farms and
dilute effluent from cubicles housing the cows.
Earlier this month, the companies said there were other
options if the panel had concerns about granting water for
the dairy farms.
Those companies have now filed additional evidence in amended
farm-management plans outlining those alternatives, while
emphasising dairying remained their preferred option.
The alternatives are cut-and-carry (growing feed and
transporting it), sheep and beef finishing or
mixed-enterprise farming, which includes some dairying.
An irrigated cut-and-carry system, with a small area of
arable crops grown during pasture renewal, would have stock
housed off site and, in general, no grazing except for light
spring grazing during pasture renewal.
Pasture will be cut, conserved and exported to the herd (off
farm) throughout the year.
The irrigated beef and sheep finishing would have an area of
cut-and-carry and a small area of arable cropping undertaken
during pasture renewal.
The mixed-enterprise farm would comprise a dairy herd, a
sheep and beef-finishing enterprise, an area of cut-and-carry
for the production of supplements and a small arable rotation
for the pasture-renewal phase.
The three amended farm management plans had to be filed with
ECan by last Friday and are now available for other parties,
including those opposed to the dairy farms, to consider and
make comment.
The panel will decide on resource consent applications for
water lodged by the three companies, while applications for
dairy effluent storage ponds have been called in by the
Government and will be heard by a board of inquiry.
- david.bruce@odt.co.nz
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