Bikinis in cowshed
OPINION: An animal activist organisation is calling for an investigation into the use of dairy cows in sexuallly explicit content posted on social media and adult entertainment subscription site OnlyFans.
Farmers affected by Mycoplasma bovis and unhappy with compensation payments offered may go to arbitration and appeal, says MPI.
“Claimants can write back to us pointing out why they believe our assessments are incorrect and can provide further evidence of their losses. At the same time they can still bank the compensation payment,” said an MPI spokesman.
“If claimants are still unhappy they have rights under section 162a of the Biosecurity Act to take us to arbitration.”
MPI was responding to questions about Fernside Jersey breeder Peter Hansen, denied compensation for MPI’s blocking his importation of four Jersey cows from Australia.
While Hansen believes he is the only affected farmer so far denied compensation, MPI said this is not so.
“Others [have] claims in dispute. Some claimants are questioning the compensation payment but we are unable to provide further information for privacy reasons.”
By late April MPI had received 95 claims for compensation assessed at $5.8 million, and had paid out $3.22m. None of the claims then received related to the 28 farms whose herds were to be culled.
Meanwhile, the latest update lists 32 infected farms, and 53 properties under Restricted Place Notices.
MPI insists it cannot name affected farms because of the Privacy Act.
“This is the case for all farms under controls, whether it’s because they have a positive M.bovis infection status or because they are under suspicion and undergoing testing.
“Sometimes a property is under restrictions when there’s considered to be even a low risk of disease. These affected farmers have a right to privacy and it is up to them whether or not they want to inform others of the situation.”
Properties under RPNs may not move animals on or off premises without permission from MPI. While properties under notice of direction (NoD) must apply for a permit to move animals off their premises, they are free to move animals on to their property.
MPI said several farms are being tested without having a risk that requires movement restrictions. They are not legally required to take any special measures and may operate as usual.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
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