Editorial: Support, don't stifle farmers
OPINION: Ministry for Primary Industries' situation outlook for primary industries report (SOPI) makes impressive reading.
Strengthening New Zealand's ability to manage an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) will require close collaboration with the primary industries, farmers and rural communities, says the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
The ministry and representatives from key animal industry bodies have just spent a day exercising how the first 12 hours of an FMD outbreak would play out.
"New Zealand's economic prosperity is highly dependent on our current FMD-free status and our ability to manage an outbreak of FMD, should it ever arrive here, says deputy director general, compliance and response, Andrew Coleman.
"We organised last Thursday's Exercise Capricorn workshop to familiarise industry with MPI's initial response procedures, to explore the use of the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) and FarmsOnLine applications, and to identify opportunities to enhance communication.
"The connecting threads throughout the day were partnership and communication."
The scenario was based on a possible FMD outbreak on both a dairy and a beef property and break out sessions worked through the issues surrounding taking urgent measures (for example controls on movements of stock), trade implications and communications.
Ben O'Brien, general manager – market access, Beef + Lamb New Zealand says Exercise Capricorn was a very good opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the systems in place to manage a disease outbreak and how the initial stages of such an emergency would play out.
Two butcheries have claimed victory at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards for 2025.
A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.
The Climate Change Commission’s 2025 emissions reduction monitoring report reveals steady progress on the reduction of New Zealand’s climate pollution.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
The Government’s directive for state farmer Landcorp Farming (trading as Pamu) to lifts its performance is yielding results.
The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.
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