Taxpayers Subsidising Forest Corporates Chasing Mythical Possums

Taxpayers are subsidising possum control for foreign-owned forestry companies says a farmers organisation opposed to 1080 and other poisons.
West Coast Hari Hari dairy farmer , spokes women for “Farmers Against Ten Eighty” (FATE) Mary Molloy said TbfreeNZ-Ospri (formerly Animal Health Board) were carrying out publicly funded “pest” control in West Otago plantation forests owned by multi-national corporates Rayonier, Ernslaw One and Wenita,
“In reality these pest control measures are being funded by the New Zealand taxpayer, ratepayer and from compulsory farmer levies.
Despite the criticism, Tbfree/Ospri manager Brent Rohloff insisted that the operation will go ahead. However Mary Molloy said the operations had little or no justification as there was no indication possum numbers had increased.
West Otago residents’ criticism was growing and 60 concerned Lawrence township and surrounding area residents filled a hall in the town, to get answers from TbFreeNZ-Ospri. In addition, a strong push has grown to get the aerial drop stopped and water supplies protected. A petition has gathered 200 names from the sparsely populated area.
Mary Molloy was critical of TbFreeNZ-Ospri’s stubborness to proceed with the drop despite growing opposition.
“Nothing is likely to change according to Mr Rohloff who went on to say that he didn’t know if any possums had Tb and it was over two decades since there was Tb on farmland.,” she said.
Mary Molloy said Mr Rohloff claimed that 1080 landing in waterways was biodegradeable and safe.
“But that flies in the face of good science, namely that 1080 is very stable in water and is colourless, odourless, tasteless and very difficult to test for and with no known antidote.”
She said residents and many farmers were concerned for the safety of children and also pets including dogs which were very susceptible to 1080 poisoning. Doubts had arisen over food safety.
She cited one farmer who was not opposed to the 1080 aerial drop and wants 1080 around and on his farmland .
“I sincerely hope that Food Safety is able to ensure his exports are safe,” said Mary Molloy. “The local butcher was gutted to hear that she had to be certain where deer and pigs were coming from before processing could take place.”
Mary Molloy said there were alternatives to indiscriminately dropping toxic 1080-laced pellets such as ground hunting. Two possum trappers had offered to recover possums from the Glendu-Mt Allan and Berwick forest areas charging $0 to $10 per hectare. In addition, another person representing a helicopter fur recovery operation also offered her firm could do the operation for free.
“Incredibly, these generous safe offers were told ground control wasn’t in the budget and in any case, ground control was too dangerous,” said Mary Molloy. “Too dangerous compared to a poison banned in many countries? It defies credibility.”
Mr Rohloff stated that Vector Control Services a stand-alone company of the West Coast Regional Council, were managing the West Otago aerial operation and Mt Hutt helicopters would fly the drops.
“Rohloff believed the drop would go ahead despite the wide range of concerns, few of which Mr. Rohloff and his colleagues had answers for,” added Mary Molloy.
“It concerns Farmers Against Ten Eighty that so little is known by those who are charged with poisoning, that no possum surveys to establish need have occurred, we believe no Tb then no Tbfree.,” she said. “And after all, why should these forest companies be subsidised by the public?”

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