Waikato District Council concerned by Federated Farmers response to Livestock Movement Bylaw

The Waikato District Council is concerned that Federated Farmers is offering poor advice to farmers over the Livestock Movement Bylaw which will become effective in the former Franklin District area on 1 July 2012.

The bylaw will be enforceable from 1 July 2012, and farmers can and should apply for permits well ahead of this date to allow time for applications to be processed. Permits, which are issued for up to five years, will then become valid once the bylaw takes effect.

“If farmers heed Federated Farmers advice and wait until ‘at least’ the 1 July implementation date before they apply for a permit, they risk being in breach of the bylaw from 1 July when moving stock,” Deputy Mayor Dynes Fulton said.

In cases where the bylaw is breached, the council will initially work with the farmer to rectify the problem and help them understand the bylaw.

The Waikato District Council Livestock Movement Bylaw 2011 is intended to protect the safety of farmers, stock and rural road users with a simple set of rules governing how stock can be moved on public roads.

The bylaw has been in force across the remainder of the Waikato District since 1 November 2011.

For more information on the bylaw visit http://www.waikatodc.govt.nz/Services/Roading-and-transportation/Livestock-Movement-Bylaw.aspx