We're full!

Southland has full house of dairy farms - report
(Southland Times front-page story)

"Southland cannot handle any more dairy farms.
 A report detailing the state of the environment is due out next month and according to Environment Southland chief executive Ciaran Keogh the region cannot deal with any more effects from intensified farming."

That's a killer opening paragraph right there, reporter Scot MacKay! Perhaps that's why the story's not on-line.

I suspect that once teased out, the story will be that while present practices and the effects of those on the environment make the 'full-house' claim true, changes to those farming ways can allow for the expansion that Fonterra are banking on.
At least that's the message behind the article and Mr Keogh's headline-grabbing claim, in my opinion. He'll have curdled the milk in the coffee of the DairyNZ and Fonterra executives coffee this morning though - the hot-line to his office will be fizzing!
Many Southlanders will be satisfied with the first part of the story, and won't buy the 'we can squeeze more on if we tidy up our act' sub-plot. In fact, they'll likely think we passed the point of fullness long ago. Certainly the wounded Waituna Lagoon broadcasts that message loud and clear. Farmers though, are still adamant that there must be no limit to the number of cows! It's a collision-course situation, in my view, and already there are casualties. The report described in the article by Mr Keogh will be interpreted by many as sure proof that farming is destroying our rivers and lagoons and that while farmers and their agents are beginning to talk the talk, they ain't walking.
"The council has signalled the report is not good news for the region, but will provide a way forward to manage it", reporter Scott reports.
"In terms of runoff from farms we cannot handle any more, in fact in some areas we need to reduce it", Mr Keogh bravely states.
Good man.
We need to hear truth, not platitudes.