Wellington(NZ)- Horowhena and Wairarapa farmers, angry
that Wellington Regional Council has delayed plans to
release the rabbit-killing calicivirus (RCD) say they'll
do it themselves.
The Council on Thursday delayed a decision to release
the RCD virus, saying there were still too many legal
uncertainies. But Wairarapa Federated Farmers policy
adviser Joe Taylor said their patience was wearing thin.
"The farming community is going to say, "To hell with
you" and release the virus themselves" if the council
could not do so by February, he told the rural services
committee in Masterton yesterday.
Otaki farmer Jim Simcox said the risks grew the longer
the regional council waited. "If they (the council) can't be given
the go-ahead by then, people will introduce it anyway. They are
not going to let another year go by".
Wairarapa farmer Kevin Beange said he didn't know of any local
farmers who were storing the virus, but it would be easy to get it.
"The lead's been given by farmers in the South Island. The farmers
will wait a certain time and then take action themselves. We're
all of the opinion to wait until the best time, which is February.
They (the council) have until that time to get this legal issue sorted
out. If it isn't, it'll be out of their hands."
In February there would be fewer younger rabbits, which have natural
immunity to RCD.
The council was to ask other North Island regional councils to attend
a meeting in Welllington next week to discuss legal issues about
releasing the virus. Agriculture Minister Lockwood Smith and
Biosecurity Minister Simon Upton will be invited.
Council biosecuity manager Wayne O' Donnell told Thursday's
meeting there were doubts the Biosecurity RCD Amendment Bill,
before Parliament, covered all areas. The virus might also have
to be registered as a pesticide under the Pesticides Act, which
which could take several months.
The RCD virus was smuggled into the South Island from Australia
by farmers. It was first confirmed on farms in Central Otago in
August and has since spread as far north as Marlborough. On
September 23 it use by a farmer on their property was made legal.
The Ministry of Agriculture said the disease had not been confirmed
in the North Island. It is still lookings for the smugglers who sneaked
the virus into New Zealand.
Calicivirus is killing rabbits on the coastal hills south of Dunedin
after mysteriously arriving there in the past week, farmers say.
The virus is rampant throughout Otago and the South Island, but
no one seems to be keeping an accurate record of where it is.
Farmers on the coast hills east of the Taieri Plain report widespread
rabbit deaths over the past week ans say the virus was not introduced
to their farms, but appeared to arrive naturally. This follows the deaths
last week of two pet rabbits in the Dunedin surburb of North East Valley.