Latest Effluent Expo draws more exhibitors

Anew ‘‘good clean dairying’’ promotion will feature at this month’s Effluent Expo at Mystery Creek, organised by the Waikato Regional Council and sponsored by Dairynz.

The February 28 expo is to give farmers effluent management information so the environment and their profitability are supported.

‘‘Dairy farming can often be labelled with a ‘dirty dairying’ tag,’’ said council agriculture adviser Kate Ody. ‘‘But, in our experience, there are many Waikato farmers doing a great job of protecting the environment already and many others are lifting their game to do better. The huge turn-out at last year’s inaugural expo, attended by about one in 10 of the region’s dairy farmers, is one example of the industry’s efforts to improve effluent management.

‘‘Initially we will focus on having effective effluent storage. At the same time the council will also continue to monitor compliance with its farm effluent management rules and take regulatory action where appropriate.’’

Ms Ody said the council’s good clean dairying promotion was in development but the council planned to announce more details closer to the expo.

The number of exhibitors at this month’s expo sits at more than 40 compared to 25 last year. The expo will run from 9am to 3.30pm. Attendance this year could be boosted as Bay of Plenty Regional Council has let dairy farmers know about it and the Auckland Council has publicised it.

The expo comes at a time when the Waikato Regional Council is looking to do more to protect water quality and water resources in the region from the impacts of intensive agriculture, especially nutrients and bacteria from livestock.

‘‘There will be an opportunity at the expo to see how the effluent pond storage calculator applies to individual farms using Waikato data,’’ said Ms Ody.

‘‘And besides what the exhibitors have to offer, there will be a number of optional seminars and demonstrations to take in, which will be repeated throughout the day.’’

Dairynz sponsored – Design and construction of dairy effluent storage ponds (Theresa Wilson, Dairynz and Rex Corlett, Opus).

Financial implications of system upgrades – paying to perform (Geoff Cotton, National Bank).

Smart water use for effluent management (Gord Stewart and Wayne Berry, Dairynz)

Optimising effluent management using storage (David Houlbrooke, Agresearch).

Consented discharges of treated effluent to waterways – the next steps (Natasha Hayward, Waikato Regional Council).

Making the most of pig effluent and staying compliant (Jaye Hill, NZ Pork and Kate Ody, Waikato Regional Council).

Biogas opportunities from stored pig effluent (Stephan Huebeck, NIWA)

Waikato Regional Council staff will be on hand to answer questions about complying with council rules on effluent management.

Outside the venue visitors will be able to see demonstrations of a range of effluent irrigators.