27 Nov 2018

Fish & Game urges no more cows on Canterbury Plains

From Morning Report, 8:55 am on 27 November 2018

Fish & Game NZ is calling for no more cows to be allowed on the Canterbury Plains, and for the use of nitrate fertiliser to be reduced.

The group has tested 114 drinking water samples across the area and found more than half had nitrate levels above the trigger level for increased risk of bowel cancer.

Federated Farmers says it's a beat-up, but Fish & Game's Martin Taylor tells Gyles Beckford they've used scientifically legitimate equipment freshwater ecologist Mike Joy.

"It's not right that somebody can contaminate our drinking water and get away with it."