Landfarming found to make sandy, coastal farmland ten times better for dairying
Petroleum Exploration and Production Association CEO, David Robinson welcomed the independent report commissioned by the Taranaki Regional Council outlining the significant benefits of landfarming in the Taranaki region.
聽Taranaki Regional Council commissioned agKnowledge Ltd to determine whether landfarms were 鈥渇it for purpose鈥�, for pastoral farming and in particular dairying.
The report looks into soil fertility, heavy metal and barium concentrates and petrochemical residues in the soil at three landfarming sites in Taranaki region.
鈥淩ehabilitated land farming is a highly regulated activity with operators required to comply with recognised environmental standards and guidelines right throughout the process. Regular scientific testing shows the practice is environmentally safe, having no effects on livestock or milk supply that occupy the land鈥�, PEPANZ CEO David Robinson said.
聽鈥淭he Taranaki Regional Council has monitored this practice for years and have processes, guidelines and rigorous testing regimes in place every step of the way.
聽鈥淭his independent report not only proves that this practice is safe 鈥� it shows the real benefits landfarming has on costal and sandy farmland. The report goes as far as saying that re-contoured sand dunes, after the inclusion of the drilling wastes and with the addition of appropriate fertilisers and water (irrigation) is capable of producing high quality clover-based pastures and increasing the value of the land from about $3-4000/ha to $30-40,000/ha.
聽鈥淭he Dairy industry and the Oil and Gas industry make a huge contribution to the local Taranaki economy.
聽鈥淭ogether we provide jobs, sponsorship of local organisations and financial stability to the region.
聽鈥淭his report shows that any propaganda opposing landfarming suggesting that it is unsafe is just that 鈥� propaganda,鈥� David Robinson said.