By Leigh Catley Within weeks of starting his new role as Federated Farmers’ chief executive three years ago Terry Copeland knew he was going to have a serious strategic development challenge on his hands. Terry came to Feds from the top job at New Zealand Young Farmers, so he understood the forces that weigh on […]
SpotLight
DSM’s methane-reducing feed additive approved in Brazil and Chile
Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in nutrition, health and sustainable living, has received full regulatory approval from the Brazilian and Chilean authorities to commercialize Bovaer®, its novel methane-reducing feed additive for ruminants. These first market authorizations, covering beef, dairy, sheep and goats, mark a significant milestone for DSM. Intense collaboration among scientists and […]
Safety first for on-farm photo competition
This time last year New Zealand lost five people in on-farm workplace accidents. We can’t let that happen again this year. Federated Farmers and our strategic partner Yamaha have teamed up to put together a photo competition to remind farmers, growers and their families how important it is to take care at work, in winter, […]
Beekeepers’ message to Kiwis this September: Love bees? Plant trees (when you can)!
Beekeepers are calling on bee-lovers across New Zealand to take what actions they can to improve the health and resilience of Kiwi bee populations this September for Bee Aware Month. Apiculture New Zealand, the national body representing beekeepers and honey producers, is asking Kiwis to Feed the Bees by planting bee-friendly trees and plants this […]
Feds: Pragmatism finally prevails on winter grazing
Farmers will breathe a considerable sigh of relief over news the government has accepted most of the Southland Advisory Group’s winter grazing recommendations, and will now consult on proposed revised rules. “Everyone wants strong protection for our waterways but from the day they came out Feds had said a number of aspects of the Essential […]
Don’t fence me in
By Rebecca Flannery, Sometimes we here at Federated Farmers need to just get out and visit rural communities to learn and understand more about them and get a picture of where exactly we fit in terms of what they need, as opposed to what we think they may need … So recently we got ourselves […]
Machine learning aids insights into cows’ sleep
Just like humans, our dairy cows need their sleep; but AgResearch scientists have had to get innovative with new technologies to better understand the quality of shut-eye the animals are getting. Research into the sleep of cows is seen by researchers as one way of assessing their welfare, which is important to farmers and to […]
At last – a paper that recognises climate and nutrition, with GWP* thrown in too
By Andrew Hoggard, Federated Farmers President and climate change spokesperson Very recently a scientific paper was put out looking at the greenhouse gas and nutritional impacts of replacing meat in the average diet. The paper Lifetime Climate Impacts of Diet Transitions, with input from a number of very well respected scientists across a range of fields, found that the emissions […]
Husky health, dogsled tours and frostbite checking central to vet student’s win
Working 12+ hour shifts outdoors in bitter Northern winter temperatures of minus 45 degrees, would send most school leavers shuddering under their duvets, but not Agcarm’s most recent scholarship winner, Gemma Neve. The Massey University student, originally from Australia’s iconic Bondi beach, not only embraced the challenge of working with huskies in Finland but thrived […]
Wool bale stencil exhibition to make a great impression at Highwic
Media release by John O’Hare – Heritage New Zealand An exhibition telling the story of an old Kiwi shearing shed practice, which produced some of the country’s earliest export brands that represented New Zealand internationally, will open at Highwic on June 16. Secret Lives of Stencils is an exhibition that celebrates the life and 150-year […]