Farmers count cost for moving livestock

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Sun, 24 Jul 2011 6:25p.m.

Waikato wants to make all livestock farmers to get a permit to move livestock on roads

Waikato wants to make all livestock farmers to get a permit to move livestock on roads

By Adam Hollingworth

Livestock farmers in the former Franklin district wanted to join Waikato rather than the Auckland supercity.

They thought the Waikato District would be friendlier towards them.

But now many are regretting joining Waikato as they count the cost of complying with proposed new rules about moving livestock on roads.

The Costar family has been moving dairy cattle across this quiet Onewhero loop road for 50 years.

The neighbours do not mind – there are only 33 traffic movements a day.

But soon they will have to pay to move their cows under the road and tunnels cost $100,000 each.

Rosemarie Costar says she doubts she will be a dairy farmer in five years time if this move does go through.

“It’ just too much money and it's for no benefit.”

The Costars say the new bylaw indicates they will have to build three, although the council disputes that.

 Waikato wants to make all livestock farmers to get a permit to move livestock on roads. Officially it is about road safety, protecting the road surface and moving into line with the rest of the district.

But the Costars say it is bureaucracy gone mad.

“Sitting at a desk isn't always the best way to see what farmers do.”

Beef and sheep farmers will also have to get permits. One farmer in Glen Murray believes the cost of the first year's compliance, including upgrading gateways and creating a traffic plan, to be $25,000-$35,000.

Farmers accuse the council of going too far since there has only been two livestock-moving related accidents across Waikato in ten years. None in Franklin. But the council argues it is about health.

Acting Waikato mayor Dynes Fulton says “it's the health of our roads, I suppose, is one of the things”.

“It's the health of our industry, but you know effluent and all that sort of stuff on roads

is not acceptable and there is always a large amount of effluent on stock crossings.”

The council says there is still room for compromise before a decision in a fortnight. However there was no progress between its staff and Federated Farmers at a stormy meeting on Friday.

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Comments

30 Jul 2011 08:42a.m.

Digger wrote:

Maybe if ALL farmers that shift stock on roads don't adhere to the council requirements and just carry on regardless and don't pay any fees or fines the councils will get the message.I thought in the road code "that all stock have right of way on the roads and motorists have to giveway to animals" under human control.

29 Jul 2011 09:30a.m.

alien wrote:

digging a tunnel is not madness and most large scale farms in south canterbury who go over roads already do this. guess north islanders are just behind the times and like to moan.

27 Jul 2011 02:30p.m.

Shirley wrote:

How ridiculous. We are a farming nation. I just read somewhere that dairy farming is the industry that will pull NZ thru this recession. Why are we agrevating the farmers and who will benfit from putting tunnels under the road. Seems like a pretty stupid way to spend $300000. What are the council thinking?

25 Jul 2011 10:24a.m.

Ricsta wrote:

Once again New Zealand councils ride rough-shod over the people that pay their salaries. It so happens that it is farmers this time, but anybody could be next. What is needed is for the community to band together and inform the council that they will be thrown out of office at the next election. They do this in other countries with most satisfactory results. In New Zealand, the councils do this sort of thing in the first year of the term and hope people will forget by the next election. Stand for council and institute "recall" (you may need to google that) into law to bring the councils under control.

25 Jul 2011 02:19a.m.

TWE wrote:

Roll out a tarp or something over the road so that it doesn't get crapped on? Digging a tunnel underneath is madness.

24 Jul 2011 08:00p.m.

farmer gurl south wrote:

Wouldn't it cost less to invent a disposable biodegradable nappy to clip on to the butts of all animals.. that will break down on the farms...and keep the roads poop free.. or a bag??? made from a renuable source taken off the farm.. Reduce, recycle and reuse..then every one happy..cheaper than paying out for underground tunnels.. :) (I want commissions too thanks)

24 Jul 2011 07:03p.m.

Paul wrote:

I'm a city dweller but agree with the farmers, Stock have always crossed roads and its the cheapest way to get from one side to the other. I can understand if it was on SH1 or a busy road but have some common sense council, oh I forgot there isn't any common sense in the council. My bad.

24 Jul 2011 07:00p.m.

Wolfman wrote:

Once again Kindergarten Politicians put their snouts into the troughs. This has nothing to do about the roads , it's all about money. When are these air heads ever going to learn, push the people too far and they will push back.