On the Cust

Saving the lagoon

And so the tumult and the shouting die while the people take time to consider. In the meantime, what of Waituna?
  The last report was that the catchment farmers had decided to go it alone, because they "know their land"., while DairyNZ, having found a scapegoat to let the rest of the industry off the hook, has swiftly moved off stage.
  The trouble, of course, is that most of the farmers don't "know the land" in this context. Most are new to intensive dairy farming and many are new to the catchment. Even with the best of intentions , it's hard to see them contributing too much to the health of the lagoon.
  Things have gone too far for that. There is a need for serious science and serious money beyond the reach of the individual farmer, and no sign whatever that the industry intends to supply either if it can help it. By its nature, Waituna was always going to be the bellwether for an intensive dairy system that had so many people worried.
  The industry, fixated by its self anointed title of "best in the world" and bouyed by Government support and monopoly, has only ever been interested in production.
  Downstream consequences have been left to take care of themselves, so if the industry won't take that responsibility, someone else must.
  That someone has to be Environment Southland.
  We have councillors who have grasped the nettle and skilled staff who know science.
  We owe them our support.

JOHN PUREY-CUST
Gore

John Purey-Cust on Waituna

I'm a great admirer of John's. He's been in the business for many years, knows farming, forestry and the lie of the land and he writes beautifully. Today, in the Southland Times, he says:

"Bryce Johnson (September 20) errs when he says that the declining state of the Waituna has only recently been noticed, last February. Alarm was being voiced much earlier than that, by anglers and lagoon neighbours as well as Environment Southland staff. It has also been a regular item on Southland Fish and Game agendas.
  The difference between then and now is simply one of regime; the then ES council took the view that landowners were to be persuaded, not instructed; now the new council, partly but not only persuaded by the state of Waituna, believes in action.
  I applaud that.
  The heart of the problem - and not just in New Zealand - is the increasing dependence on nitrogen fertilizers and the consequent move into what is, in may ways, hydroponics.
  The short-term advantage to the farmer is immediate and obvious. The disadvantage is that everything downstream becomes the system's toilet.
  The lagoon has become the toilet for the Waituna catchment.
  In contrast to most other catchments, where the issue is more complicated, the only polluter at Waituna is agriculture.
  It therefore becomes an ideal place for the development of safe farming systems.
  Do that, dairy industry, and the world will be grateful.
  Carry on as now in an indifferent and sulky silence and we will continue to trail the world. The forecast is of another 400,000 cows in Southland is not then a happy prospect.

JOHN PUREY-CUST
Gore