PW Burton The link between 750,000 tonnes of urea a year being applied to New Zealand soils and excess nitrate-N in streams, lakes, and groundwater is difficult to refute. In fact, of the many people that I’ve discussed the issue with, no-one denies that it exists. As...
PW Burton It was interesting to receive a phone call from a retired economist recently. He rang to say that the point made in my latest article that farmers were not to blame for the practises resulting in environmental degradation, instead fault lay with the advice...
PW Burton Two reports just released reviewing New Zealand’s environmental performance, (OECD and GLOBE NZ) have both called for a substantial reduction in animal livestock numbers. Prime Minister Bill English has stated that the Government has no intention of...
PW Burton When everyone in the farming industry is either hurting, or at least feeling like it might be their turn soon, it’s easy to let rip and at the moment the dairy industry resembles a barn door and therefore an easy target. What’s important to remember is that...
PW Burton Rachel Stewart’s recent column on the Advertising Standards Authority decision, on the Greenpeace TV advertisements, should be taken seriously by famers, because the Authority is simply reflecting what the majority of people believe. It’s an argument that...
PW Burton A popular belief at present is that a concerted push to reduce the environmental pressure of intensive pastoral farming will mean less pasture grown, resulting in decreasing total farm production, smaller factories and associated infra-structure, fewer...
PW Burton The official report states sheep are the likely source of the campylobacter contamination of the Havelock North water supply. For those that believe dairy cows are the source of all contaminants in our groundwater it just doesn’t matter, they will continue...
PW Burton Fundamental changes in soil fertility practice are already underway, and people are finding their way into one of three camps. There are those that understand common usage doesn’t necessarily make any practice the best option and are embracing new...
PW Burton The official advice has been to arrange calving in July, in order to maximise milk harvest before the end of December. This points up a lack of faith in summer pasture production. Yet by discounting the value of summer growth, the potential available from...
PW Burton “Where’s your replicated peer reviewed research?” It’s been the question asked endlessly in recent years of those operating on the fringes of the conventional fertiliser industry. It’s essential to appreciate that there are no long term trials on any of the...
