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Mothers Against Dairy (MAD) protesters took their message to Matakana on Sunday, November 10, to protest dairy farming, which the group says is cruel to animals and detrimental to the environment.
The protest was part of a nationwide day of action by MAD timed to coincided with Fonterra’s Open Gates day, where members of the public are invited visit local dairy farms to get a glimpse of how they operate.
Protesters in Matakana would not speak to Mahurangi Matters, but did pass on a flyer outlining their concerns.
Concerns included:
• The separation of calves from their mothers shortly after birth, which MAD says is distressing to both animals.
• Painful forced impregnation of cows.
• High greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farming.
• Dairy farming causing degradation of land and waterways.
But DairyNZ strategy leader Dr Jenny Jago says most farmers apply excellent animal welfare practices because they care for and value their cows.
She says separation of cows and calves ensures the calf gets an adequate amount of colostrum milk, which reduces the risk of infection and provides energy.
She adds New Zealand dairy farmers are the most emissions efficient in the world.
“Under the current emissions accounting framework, 48 per cent of New Zealand’s emissions come from agriculture, of this dairy accounts for 22.5 per cent,” she says
Fonterra spokesperson Philippa Norman says protestors did not detract from the Open Gates event.
“Thousands of people spent a fun day on a farm and the event was a success,” she says.
