Thomas Hocking knows first-hand how small adjustments to harvesting equipment can have a big impact on fruit quality and orchard returns. The 20-year-old former Cambridge High School student has worked in commercial blueberry harvesting and,…
Thomas Hocking knows first-hand how small adjustments to harvesting equipment can have a big impact on fruit quality and orchard returns. The 20-year-old former Cambridge High School student has worked in commercial blueberry harvesting and,…
Behind Fonterra’s new Wai Mahea water treatment plant lies a story of environmental innovation, cultural partnership and a shared commitment to the Waikato River. For carver Bodie Taylor, the significance of Wai Mahea extends well…
While it is great to see councils around the Waikato sharing their views with the public on local government reform, one important opportunity hasn’t been aired. It is quite possible to both meet the Government’s…
For more than a decade, Waikato farmers have lived with the uncertainty of Plan Change 1. Mary Anne Gill was at Mystery Creek to hear what two senior ministers had to say about its future. Few farmers…
Two of Waipā farming’s longest-serving environmental advocates say the government should pause Plan Change 1 rather than put farmers through a compliance process that could soon be overtaken by resource management reforms. Read more See:…
The importance of preserving the landscape, and the social and cultural character it supports, is more urgent in the face of changing climate patterns. Read more
Mike Siermans leads one of the country’s most influential farming organisations. Monique Balvert-O’Connor speaks to the Tauranga-based Federated Farmers chief executive. As a teenager Mike Siermans thought he might become a pilot. Instead, he has…
Fonterra’s Hautapu site says its new $85 million wastewater treatment plant is already improving environmental performance, while also strengthening links with the local community. Speaking at the site’s annual community night, environmental manager Jude van…
Behind the scenes at Fonterra’s Hautapu site, a less visible operation is helping reduce waste and return nutrients to land. Dairy Fert, part of the co-operative, manages byproducts generated during manufacturing and redistributes them to…
Since February, when the government made their thoughts on local government known, reform has been a central focus for myself and the Waikato Regional Council. In my earlier Good Local column, I mentioned that the…
