October 2023 Edition
30,287 copies distributed monthly – to every rural mailbox in Canterbury and the West Coast for over 25 years
INSIDE
THIS EDITION Lifetime of pigs
p3 Changes coming
p12 Rural Women NZ
Sustainable: Dairy farmers Mark and Devon Slee are reducing their environmental footprint while continuing to run a successful farm business.
Native birds increasing p27 on Canterbury dairy farm
Win for exporters
p44
The number of kingfishers (kotare), fantails (piwakawaka) and other native birds are increasing on Mark and Devon Slee’s Canterbury farm, thanks to extensive planting in recent years.
Kent caddick ] by ] and DairyNZ
The Hinds farmers have planted more than 12,000 native trees and plants across the farm since 2009, including flax, pittosporum, cabbage trees and native grasses. “Wildlife is important to all Kiwis and we want to be part of building biodiversity and continuing to reduce environmental footprint,” Mark said.
“Trees planted throughout the farm also provide shade and shelter for cows.” Mark and Devon have been farming for 33 years and bought Mark’s parents’ farm in 1995. They now own three properties, with couples managing each farm. “Farming has changed a lot over the years. Decades ago, there weren’t a lot of environmental regulations and farming focused more on production and dairy product quality. Now environmental sustainability is equal-
ly important,” Mark said. Mark and Devon strive to achieve goals ahead of targets set by central and local government. In their local area (the Hinds catchment), Environment Canterbury rules require farmers to reduce nitrogen loss from their farms by 15 percent by 2025 (compared to 2009-2013). They must also reduce nitrogen loss by 25 percent by 2030 and 36 percent by 2035.
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