Fish & Game calls for action on intensive winter feeding
The agricultural industry is being challenged to clean up its act and enforce much higher standards for the environmentally damaging practice of intensive winter feeding.
There is increasing public concern about the practice after photos and film revealed dairy cattle being kept belly deep in mud and rivers being dirtied by sediment runoff from intensive winter feeding paddocks.
Fish & Game says the agricultural industry needs to take a tougher line and what is happening at the moment is completely unacceptable. They are calling on Federated Farmers to commit itself to clean up a practice which is hurting the reputation of many of their members who are doing the right thing and looking after the environment.
Martin Taylor says opposition to both feedlots and intensive winter grazing is now widespread from right across the community.
“Over the last week, we have seen a huge groundswell of opinion against these practices from environmental groups, Fish & Game, vets and good farmers,” he says.
“If winter grazing cannot be done in an environmentally sensitive and sustainable way, then it has to be stopped and an alternative found.