Newsroom

  Thursday 18 November

1080 operations safe and effective   

The Pest Control Education Trust (PCET) today welcomed the release of ERMA’s annual report which said that the benefits of 1080 use for pest control were being realised and risks minimised.

PCET supports the use of biodegradable 1080, under strict guidelines, as a critical tool in the battle to conserve New Zealand’s native fauna and flora and to fight bovine TB.

PCET Trustee, Professor of Ecology and Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Research) from Victoria University Charles Daugherty said that strict management of 1080 operations is vitally important and that the ERMA report should give the public confidence that the critical role 1080 plays in pest control was being appropriately monitored.

"We have to decide between feeding our treasured native species to introduced pests – or killing the pests so our native species can survive. We have a responsibility to ensure the survival of our native species and that is being done. And it is being done safely," he said.

PCET Trustee and Federated Farmers General Manager Policy and Advocacy Mark Ross said that farmers would also welcome the report.

"1080 is very important in the fight against bovine TB, and I’m sure famers will be pleased to be assured that it is being applied safely and effectively," he said.

Forest & Bird Advocacy Manager and PCET Trustee Kevin Hackwell noted that stringent testing of 113 water samples had once again demonstrated no harmful levels of the pest control toxin.

"New Zealanders who value our natural environment can feel very confident that this important tool in our fight against destructive pests is being safely and responsibly managed," he said.

www.1080facts.co.nz

For more information contact:

Mark Ross

General Manager, Policy and Advocacy Federated Farmers of New Zealand

04 494 9187

027 442 9965

mross@fedfarm.org.nz

Kevin Hackwell

Advocacy Manager

Forest and Bird, New Zealand

04 801 2215

021 227 8420

khackwell@forestandbird.org.nz

Charles Daugherty

Professor of Ecology and Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Research)

Victoria University of Wellington

027 563 5572

charles.daugherty@vuw.ac.nz

Tuesday 1 June 2010

Call for West Coast Council to focus on the facts

The Pest Control Education Trust today called for the Westland District Council to show real leadership on the 1080 issue and make decisions based on the facts - scientific and economic – rather than be swayed by emotive but misinformed arguments. The Trust says it appreciates there are people on the West Coast who are very genuine in their concerns, but believes that accurate information would allay their concerns and help them appreciate the dire consequences banning 1080 would have for the region’s environment and its economy.

The Pest Control Education Trust (PCET) was established by Federated Farmers and Forest & Bird to help educate people about the importance of controlling introduced animal pests that pose a threat to agriculture and conservation in New Zealand.

PCET Trustee and Victoria University Professor of Ecology and Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Research) Charles Daugherty said that the Trust understood issues like pest control would always require making difficult decisions, especially for community leaders. 

“Unfortunately, effective solutions involve tough choices, particularly when we are dealing with a major, human-induced threat to our biodiversity and our economy. We have to choose between feeding native and often rare species to introduced pests – or killing the pests so that the native species can survive,” Professor Daugherty said.

Forest & Bird Conservation Advocate Nicola Vallance said “the organisations that use 1080 are very careful to target pests and ensure minimal impact on native species. Up to 50% of kea nests are wiped where they are unprotected from predators.However since seven kea died in an operation in 2008 the type of bait has been changed and DOChave reported no kea deaths. Now DOCare trialling baits with bird repellent added that should further ensure their safety”.

PCET Trustee and Federated Farmers General Manager, Policy and Advocacy Mark Ross suggested that protesters should look at the facts about 1080 operations and avoid condemning the region to a bleak economic future.

“30 years ago a standard operation used around 30kg of un-dyed carrot bait per hectare. Today a standard operation would use between 1.5kg and 3kg of dyed cereal bait and research is being done to reduce the sowing rate down to just 0.25kg per hectare.

“Ground-based operations are used in about two thirds of the areas where possum control is necessary. However aerial targeting is essential for reaching inaccessible areas, and protecting TB-free areas by creating a buffer zone from infected areas. Aerial application using helicopters is a carefully planned process, targeting and avoiding specific areas and boundaries using GPStechnology.

“The reality is that we’re talking about the region with the highest rate of TB infection of cattle and deer herds in New Zealand. Depriving the West Coast of a critical tool in protecting its $700 million agricultural sector would be recklessly irresponsible and could have potentially catastrophic consequences for the local economy.

“The Pest Control Education Trust has sent all the West Coast District Councillors a link to www.1080facts.co.nz– a fully referenced, science-based, educational website.  The scientific and economic facts are clear and we sincerely hope the Council will use them as a basis for its decisions for the region”, Mr Ross said.

For more information contact:

Mark Ross           

General Manager, Policy and Advocacy

Federated Farmers of New Zealand

04 494 9187

027 442 9965

mross@fedfarm.org.nz

Nicola Vallance

Conservation Advocate

Forestand Bird, New Zealand

03 372 9549

021 558 607

n.vallance@forestandbird.org.nz

Thursday 8 April 2010

 Federated Farmers and Forest & Bird Join Forces to Establish Pest Control Education Initiative 

Federated Farmers and Forest & Bird  have today established a joint initiative to help educate the public about the importance of controlling introduced mammalian pests in New Zealand. The initiative, which is supported by a wide range of conservation and farming organisations and is organised by the Pest Control Education Trust, is focusing initially on public education about the use of 1080 in New Zealandand its important role in the country’s overall pest control strategy.

The Trust’s first initiative, the website www.1080facts.co.nz, went live today.

The website includes a plain language explanation of the key facts about 1080, fully referenced to scientific and technical papers, with downloadable studies and reports including the full ERMA decision that supported the continuing use of 1080 in New Zealand. The website also features articles, links, case studies, a photo gallery, a video gallery and a device for the public to register their support for the project.

Kevin Hackwell, Advocacy Manager, Forest & Bird, said the project brought together organisations from the agriculture and conservation sectors that understand the importance of 1080 use in New Zealand.

“This project is supported by a unique group of organisations that share a common goal: to help educate the public about controlling introduced mammalian pests. While we recognise and strongly endorse the need to maintain strict controls and protocols around the use of 1080, in particular in aerial applications, the reality is that it is a vital tool in our battle to preserve and protect native flora and fauna by controlling introduced pests.  We are very grateful for the support of all organisations involved and we look forward to more coming forward.”

Supporters of the project include Federated Farmers of New Zealand, Forest & Bird New Zealand, the Animal Health Board, the Department of Conservation, Dairy NZ, Solid Energy, the Isaac Wildlife Foundation, Meat & Wool New Zealand, PGG Wrightson, Deer Industry New Zealand, and Bush and Beyond.

Federated Farmers’ Vice President Donald Aubrey said he was delighted with the response to the initiative and the wide range of organisations that had come forward to support it.

“Farmers are well aware of the critical role 1080 plays in our battle to protect agriculture from bovine tuberculosis. But there’s a great deal of misinformation and misunderstanding out there surrounding the use of 1080.  While many organisations have put in a lot of individual effort, for conservation and agricultural purposes, a combined public information initiative that highlights both critical aspects is exactly what’s needed. We are proud to line up together to provide this valuable educational resource.”

The Pest Control Education Trust plans to follow the website launch with the publication of a printed fact sheet. The trustees of the Pest Control Education Trust are Mark Ross, General Manager, Policy and Advocacy, Federated Farmers, Kevin Hackwell, and Professor Charles Daugherty, Professor of Ecology and Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Research), Victoria University of Wellington.

For more information contact:

Donald Aubrey

Spokesperson, Game and Pest Animal Management

Federated Farmers of New Zealand

03 696 3747

027 623 7157

daubrey@fedfarm.org.nz

Kevin Hackwell  

Advocacy Manager

Forest and Bird, New Zealand

04 801 2215

021 227 8420

k.hackwell@forestandbird.org.nz

Mark Ross           

General Manager, Policy and Advocacy

Federated Farmers of New Zealand

04 494 9187

027 442 9965

mross@fedfarm.org.nz