OSPRI writes off $17m over botched traceability system
Animal disease management agency OSPRI has written off nearly $17 million after a botched attempt to launch a new integrated animal disease management and traceability system.
THE new chairman of DairyNZ, Michael Spaans says farmers are facing challenges on several fronts.
"This is a challenging time for dairy farmers with the low milk price, the ongoing pressures of compliance and the constant community scrutiny of dairy farming," says Spaans.
"We are lifting our game but accelerating the pace of change in our industry has to be managed with the wellbeing of everyone in mind, including farmers and rural communities.
"DairyNZ is funded by farmers for farmers and all of the work we do is aimed at helping them succeed in their quest to farm competitively and responsibly," says Spaans.
Spaans was elected chairman of the industry good organisation at a special meeting of the board on Saturday.
He will serve an annual term as chair, leading an eight-member board, made up of five farmer-elected and three independent directors.
Spaans replaces long-serving chairman and former Cabinet minister John Luxton who retired from the DairyNZ board last month after 12 years of service on dairy industry bodies.
A dairy farmer from Te Aroha in the Waikato, Spaans is also a director of Fonterra.
He also has farming interests in Canterbury, Chile and the US; he also sits on the board of ASB Bank and is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors.
Spaans said there was interest in the role.
"That was a positive sign and we took the time to run a robust process to elect a chair."
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will be fronting farmers at three large public meetings organised by Federated Farmers over the coming weeks.
Federated Farmers and a major Australian-owned bank are at loggerheads over emissions reduction targets set for New Zealand farmer clients.
More locally grown tomatoes are coming to stores this month and you can thank New Zealand greenhouses for that.
Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.
It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee, that has ensured that Christchurch will have a show this year, says CAPA general committee president Bryce Murray.
OPINION: Hats off to our pipfruit sector.
OPINION: The country's dairy farmers will now also have a hand in providing free lunch for schools.
OPINION: The abrupt departure of Synlait chief executive Grant Watson could be a sign that Chinese company Bright Dairy, the…