The industry association representing more than 90 percent of New Zealand’s crop protection and animal health industries has a new name. Animal and Plant Health New Zealand was previously called Agcarm and recently joined forces with the Animal Remedy and Plant Protectant Association. The association represents a one-billion-dollar industry with a value of $20 billion […]
Environment
Preparing for new dam safety requirements
Contribution from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Until recently, Aotearoa New Zealand was one of the few countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) which did not have a consistent regulatory dam safety framework. In May 2022, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) announced the new Building (Dam […]
Feds slams miserly EU meat and dairy quotas
The trade deal with the EU is a slap in the face for New Zealand farmers, Federated Farmers says. “That the Europeans’ protectionist mindset on livestock products remains entrenched is sadly not a surprise but the very small quotas agreed are considerably worse than we expected,” Feds President and trade spokesperson Andrew Hoggard said. New […]
Forestry bill fails to achieve fairness
New rules fall short of delivering a level playing field when overseas investors buy our farmland for forestry, Federated Farmers says. It’s a “step in the right direction” to scrap the much-criticised special forestry test, Feds Gisborne-Wairoa President Toby Williams said. Instead, overseas investors purchasing farmed land for conversion to forestry would be required to […]
Perceptions of farming more positive than often portrayed
NGOs – and sometimes it seems the government too – like to beat up on farmers over the agricultural sector’s environmental credentials. But survey results from an independent research company shows the general public believes farming does quite well on environmental compliance in comparison to some other industries, and compared to the rest of the […]
Ki uta ki tai: NIWA’s role in mountains-to-sea estuarine management
NIWA is underway with work on better understanding communities’ aspirations for protecting estuaries, and the factors that weigh on estuarine health. Estuaries are coastal waterbodies where freshwater mixes with seawater. Many estuaries in Aotearoa New Zealand have been impacted by pollutants and contaminants entering via freshwater. Regional councils are developing coastal environmental plans to comply with […]
Don’t kid yourself that going meat free helps the planet
I think everyone gets their back up a bit when they see or hear ill-informed and incorrect comments thrown around. This is why I am sick of hearing and seeing throw-away statements from people (who often should know better) about the supposed benefits to the globe of meat-free days, or a meat-free diet. This time, […]
Wilding conifer weedkiller approved
Media release – Environmental Protection Authority A weedkiller to target wilding conifers has been approved for use in New Zealand, with controls. Method 240 SL is a herbicide used to control wilding conifers and other woody plants on non-crop farmland, conservation land and recreational parks. It contains the active ingredient aminocyclopyrachlor, which is new to […]
Strict GM controls hamper adoption of clover break-through
by Simon Edwards New Zealand’s current regulations on genetically modified organisms are denying farmers another potential game-changer for reducing methane belched from our livestock. For more than 70 years, plant breeders using conventional breeding techniques have aspired – without success – to develop white clover that has good amounts of condensed tannins (CTs) in its […]
Calls for GM debate, regulation reform, grow louder
by Simon Edwards It baffles John Caradus that there are nearly 100 foods produced using gene technology that can be sold in New Zealand if suitably labelled but it’s not possible for New Zealand farmers to use GM technologies in food production. “You’ve got to say that the logic just doesn’t stack up,” the Grasslanz […]