DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ wrap up M. bovis compensation support after $161M in claims
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor says farmers have spoken up about the slowness of the response to the disease Mycoplasma bovis.
O’Connor says he visited affected farmers at Winton earlier this month; he had visited affected South Canterbury properties before Christmas.
“Farmers have shared their concerns about the [slowness] of the response, started under the National Government in July, and how we can contain the spread of the disease,” O’Connor says.
“I have great sympathy for farmers caught in the outbreak, who face tough decisions to protect their livelihoods.
“There is a willingness out there to do whatever it takes to eradicate M. bovis. This remains our focus.’’
He reiterated that M. bovis is not a food safety risk; it affects animal welfare and production.
Last week he also announced a new testing and tracing regime with the aim of providing a clearer indication of the spread of M. bovis and potential action for eradication by the end of February.
Ministry for Primary Industries officials met last week to confirm three lines of work:
- a national M. bovis milk surveillance programme: MPI will test three samples of milk from every dairy farm starting on February 1. Results are expected in February and March.
- tracing animals moved from properties under Restricted Place notices: investigators have followed up almost 1000 contacts for possible links to infected properties; 39 are under Restricted Place notices as testing continues and 17 properties are confirmed infected. Tracing and confirming animal movements from the infected properties takes several days for each property and involves using records from NAIT, Animal Status Declarations, trucking dockets and interviews with farmers.
- genome sequencing: the tool used to work out whether the strain of M. bovis is the same on all infected farms. It takes several months as it involves growing the bacterium from samples.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
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