30,287 copies distributed monthly – to every rural mailbox in Canterbury and the West Coast for over 25 years
October 2025 Edition
INSIDE
THIS EDITION Pest strategy push
p7 New solar farm
p21 Farmers blindsided
p32 VR for ATVs
p46
Support: Greenpeace supporters showed their support for a motion to declare a nitrate emergency in canterbury at an environment canterbury council meeting in christchurch.
Council declares nitrate emergency
Canterbury’s regional council Environment Canterbury has passed a motion declaring the district is in a state of nitrate emergency due to the worsening issue of nitrates in drinking water.
] by Kent caddick The decision, which was made in the final council meeting prior to the local body elections has been labelled as “a direct attack on farmers” by some in the farming community as well as being politically motivated scaremongering. Councillor Vicky Southworth, who isn’t standing for re-election, said she moved the motion to signal to the incoming council how
urgent action is needed to be taken to address the issue which has worsened over the last 10 years. ECan’s recent annual groundwater survey found both E. coli and nitrate concentrations were increasing. Water samples were taken from 349 wells across the region, including both private domestic and irrigation supply wells, and community water supply wells. Of the 301 wells with enough data to
analyse trends over the past decade, 62% showed rising levels of nitrate concentrations. The survey showed that nitrate-nitrogen concentrations varied across the region, with higher concentrations found in areas around and downstream of intensive farming and around 10% of wells were found to have nitrate-nitrogen levels above the Maximum Acceptable Value (MAV) for drinking water, which is 11.3 milligrams per litre.
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Congratulations to all our winners at the Bayleys National Awards 2025 National Rural Salesperson | Ben Turner National Administrator of the Year | Tess Rennie National Team of the Year | Team Ben Turner TOP OF OFFICE Mark Pringle | North Canterbury / Mike Preston | Mid Canterbury Andrew Taylor | Selwyn / Hamish Lane | South Canterbury
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