Latest news with #JasonHerrick
NZ Herald
14-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Drone controversy highlights duck impact on crops and water quality
Whatever the legalities of the misunderstanding that occurred at the opening of the duck-hunting season, there is continuing confusion about desires, wants and needs. Society needs, wants and desires … food, health and environmental quality. Mallard ducks, the most common duck in New Zealand, are connected to all three. Southland farmers have shown examples of ducks destroying significant areas of crops. Southland's Federated Farmers president Jason Herrick's description, ' the skies are black and the paddocks are black with ducks,' is reminiscent of locusts and farm devastation. Crops destroyed by pests are a sunk cost to the farmer (soil preparation and seed, for instance) and a cost in terms of replacement feed for animals (sourcing and buying the feed itself and the transport and feeding-out time and costs). This increases the cost of anything produced by the animal – the meat, milk or wool. Will the consumer pay the extra? Or might the people saving ducks be prepared to cover the costs of duck depredation at the farm level? Health is sometimes overlooked in the impact of ducks on water quality. Ducks contain a remarkable number of bacteria. Researchers in Germany reported in 2009 that mallard ducks are an important reservoir for zoonotic E. coli strains. They were found to be 'a substantial non-point source, especially of strains capable of causing extraintestinal diseases'. In 2011, researchers at ESR (NZ Crown Research Institute) reported that ducks produce the highest loadings of E. coli and enterococci per bird; Canada geese produce the highest loadings of Campylobacter spp. per bird. Further work by ESR (a report to ECan in 2015) compared duck production of E. coli with that from dairy cows. Each duck was calculated to produce 1.17x 10 to the 10 E. coli a day, in comparison with each cow producing 2.01 times 10 to the 9 – an order of magnitude lower. In contrast, lambs produced 4.53 times 10 to the 11. Many zeros are involved in these numbers, but the basic order of production per live bird or animal a day was lambs, sheep, ducks, dairy cows, black swans, gulls, and Canada geese. This explains the findings from the Southland Client Report Template,, again provided by experts from ESR, that waterfowl are the main contributors to faecal contamination of waterways during base flow, but that in periods of heavy rain, ruminant sources increase. In some areas, human effluent from overflowing septic tanks and sewerage systems has also been recorded. People are always advised not to swim during and immediately after heavy rain because of debris and high-speed currents, as well as the likelihood of microbial contamination. Fencing to keep animals from direct access to riparian areas of rivers has reduced the impact of dairy cows and cattle, but in flooding, overland flow can create contamination. Contamination from birds is always present. The third consideration is environmental quality. The origin of the New Zealand mallard population was the importation of game farm mallards from England between 1870 and 1930, and two later imports of birds and eggs from a game farm in Connecticut, USA. Mallards are not native. The Acclimatisation Societies (now Fish & Game) released over 30,000 mallards throughout New Zealand before 1974. The mallards were then (and are now) the most common waterfowl in the country and had hybridised with the native grey duck. Grey ducks are now 'nationally vulnerable': they have been competitively excluded by mallards. The drone flyers might well have as their defence that their aim was to prevent animal cruelty. That is also the aim of the hunter and their dogs – a clean shot and retrieval. There is pride taken in both. Like many introduced species, mallard ducks have no natural predators in New Zealand; no foxes, bears, or large cats, for instance, and though ferrets are active in some countries, New Zealand is trying to control them because of other issues, such as native birds. Alternatives are poison or increased food prices. They are out of control, and the duck equivalent of kryptonite has not been identified. The spy-drone was not faster than a speeding bullet, as in the 1940s Superman radio show (Superman was also deemed to be more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.…). The question remains about its purpose. Ducks are fun to feed (though councils request that one doesn't) and ducklings are delightful, but they are associated with negative factors in food, health and environment – and the cost of the negatives is not being factored into any equation. The animal welfare issues of too many ducks vying for a limited feed source (starvation and disease) have also not been considered.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cole Stanley Q&A: Amarillo mayor outlines city projects he wants to see through
Editor's note: This is the third of several Q&As involving Amarillo city candidates ahead of the upcoming May 3 election, with early voting starting April 22. The first three have focused on those running for Amarillo mayor — Jason Herrick, incumbent Cole Stanley and Misty Collier. Look for more of these questionnaires to run in future editions of the Globe-News. Cole Stanley, Amarillo's current mayor, is running for re-election after a first term focused on upgrading the city's infrastructure, bolstering public safety, and stewarding local finances. In the following Q&A — edited for clarity and brevity — he details his vision for Amarillo's continued growth and explains why he believes he's best positioned to see existing projects through to completion. Q: Amarillo's streets, water system, and utilities need ongoing attention. Which projects top your priority list in the next term? A: From my first month in office, we've zeroed in on the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). Flooding damage revealed longstanding issues that should've been addressed decades ago, so we teamed up with the Army Corps of Engineers and Congressman Ronnie Jackson. We've secured $38 million for design work, which should wrap up within a year. After that, we'll build a new or upgraded facility over two to three years. That remains priority one. Q: How do you plan to further support police and fire services, especially following the recent pay raises for first responders? A: The pay hike worked better than we imagined. Morale surged, and our latest academy class drew about 200 applicants — up from only a few dozen in previous years. That could lead to 25 to 30 new graduates, versus the usual 7 or 8, putting us near full staffing for the first time in about a decade. Another raise — maybe $5,000 per badge — could solidify our competitive edge in Texas. Q: How do you plan to attract new businesses while supporting existing ones, especially in underserved areas? A: Skilled labor drives economic decisions these days, so AmTech's training programs are critical. Companies see our strong transportation links and available land, but the real hook is a ready workforce. On housing, we can't just push development outside city limits. By working with developers through a Municipal Utility District (MUD) — which finances and manages utilities like water, sewer, and drainage — we help offset infrastructure costs while keeping new neighborhoods under our future city boundaries, ensuring sustainable tax growth. Q: Given Amarillo's reliance on the Ogallala Aquifer, how would you secure the city's water supply? A: We have to plan for neighborhoods south of the city that depend on wells and septic systems. Those wells will eventually run dry. We're partnering with Randall County to buy additional water rights before that happens. With a cooperative approach, we can expand infrastructure to serve these areas without depleting the aquifer or risking that Amarillo's water will be redirected elsewhere. Q: Many residents still worry about government transparency. How will you maintain openness within City Hall? A: We make sure every council discussion happens in public. Our meetings are streamed live, and I take part in regular interviews, town halls, and Q&A sessions. We also highlight what's working, what isn't, and how we plan to fix any shortcomings. That openness has defined my term, and I'll keep it going if re-elected. Q: The Civic Center bond issue was a hot topic in past elections. Where do you stand on expansions or renovations? A: My focus is first on essentials — like the WWTP, roads, and public safety staffing. Once those are addressed, then we can consider Civic Center improvements. Let's optimize what we have, maybe working with a third-party promoter to bring in bigger events and operate profitably. We don't need a $550 million overhaul to keep Amarillo entertained and the venue thriving. Q: How do you balance affordable housing demands with city growth, ensuring infrastructure can keep up? A: We shouldn't be pushing new developments outside city boundaries, because that loses potential taxpayers. The MUD policy allows developers to eventually recoup infrastructure costs but keeps those homes within our future limits. That means more efficient use of water and sewer, plus more revenue to help keep housing prices in check. Q: With fiscal responsibility a top priority, how do you plan to fund core services without raising taxes? A: We need to expand our tax base — another reason MUDs matter. We also track every dollar in the budget. We've identified tens of millions in excess reserves, and once we update our financial policy (hopefully by June), we'll reallocate those funds to capital improvements and infrastructure. This ensures taxpayers see tangible benefits from their contributions. Q: What do you envision for Amarillo over the next two years, and how will you measure success? A: We've always valued faith, family, and freedom here. My goal is to keep taxes low so people can chart their own futures. Success means fully staffed public safety departments, well-maintained roads, and an economy propelled by local expertise, not heavy-handed governance. Q: Why seek re-election, and what do you hope to accomplish in your next term? A: We're nearing completion on key projects — like the WWTP overhaul — and I want to see them through. In another term, I plan to fully staff the police force, upgrade roads, refine the MUD framework, strengthen the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation's strategy, and lock in better financial policies. Ultimately, I want to deliver a solid return on the community's investment. Cole Stanley has served as Amarillo's mayor since 2023. A former local business owner, he advocates for transparent governance, careful budgeting, and a pro-growth agenda. If re-elected, Stanley says he'll continue emphasizing essential city services, all while honoring Amarillo's long-standing traditions of independence and self-reliance. This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo mayor candidate Cole Stanley Q&A: Finishing projects, plans
