RWNZ chief executive to step down
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) chief executive Gabrielle O’Brien will step down at the end of June.
The dairy industry must lift its game if it wants to play a role in revitalising New Zealand’s bruised economy, says Northland farmer and founder of HerdHomes animal shelter Tom Pow.
Pow says farms must produce more milk from less imported fertiliser, increase on-farm profits and continue to work on animal welfare and the environment.
He says following the COVID-19 disruption, the economy needs a restart and the country will be looking to regional New Zealand.
Pow says local businesses like his offer farmers the opportunity to lift production per hectare and farm with less environmental risk.
“Herdhomes shelters are designed for grazing cows and farms; not housing cows,” he says.
“There is a great amount of underperformance of NZ dairy cows and good land across all regions.”
HerdHomes has built over 400 cow shelters on NZ farms.
Pow says with less damage to soils, greater care and wise usage of farm manure, plus allowing cows access to the HerdHomes shelters when the cows choose, the result is higher snowballing productivity.
“Home grown feed, hay, grass silage and in other regional different options fed with no wastage when topping up the cows’ diet also leads to greater production.”
He says farmers choosing to support local businesses will boost rural employment.
A HerdHomes shelter housing 200 cows normally take eight to 10 weeks to build by a team of four workers; skilled contractors and roof installers are also used.
Pow says farmers using HerdHomes report 25% more MS production per farm.
The life expectancy of a Herdhomes shelter, being a mainly concrete construction, is over 40 years.
Pow says his business has had a positive impact on NZ dairy farming for the past 20 years and is ready to help farmers boost efficiency.
“Once again farming will need to lift NZ out of a financial pickle: this is one way how NZ dairy farming can help with the economy.”
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.