MPI launches industry-wide project to manage feral deer
An industry-wide project led by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is underway to deal with the rising number of feral pests, in particular, browsing pests such as deer and pigs.
The number of dairy cattle has dropped for the first time since 2005, says Statistics New Zealand.
Latest figures show a total of 6.4 million dairy cattle at the end of June 2015.
"We have 300,000 fewer dairy cattle than in 2014, which is a reversal of the trend of increases in the last 10 years," business indicators senior manager Neil Kelly says.
"Both the national dairy milking herd and the replacement herd have declined. This comes at a time of falling international prices and lower milk solid payouts."
In the same one-year period, sheep, beef, and deer numbers also fell. The number of sheep declined by 300,000, to a total of 29.5 million as at June 2015.
These provisional figures are from the 2015 Agricultural Production Survey, which Statistics NZ conducted in partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Meat processors are hopeful that the additional 15% tariff on lamb exports to the US will also come off.
Fears of a serious early drought in Hawke’s Bay have been allayed – for the moment at least.
There was much theatre in the Beehive before the Government's new Resource Management Act (RMA) reform bills were introduced into Parliament last week.
The government has unveiled yet another move which it claims will unlock the potential of the country’s cities and region.
The government is hailing the news that food and fibre exports are predicted to reach a record $62 billion in the next year.
The final Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction has delivered bad news for dairy farmers.
President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on imports into the US is doing good things for global trade, according…
Seen a giant cheese roll rolling along Southland’s roads?