Aftermath of cyclone lingers in schools
A new report has revealed the full impact of Cyclone Gabrielle on Hawke’s Bay’s principals and teachers.
A leading exponent of once-a-day milking says it’s important that New Zealand attracts intelligent, keen young people to the dairy industry.
Dairy farmer Leo Vollebregt, of Wairarapa, last week hosted on his farm 35 secondary school teachers from the Wellington region, including careers, science, commerce, maths and English teachers.
This was the fifth such annual trip, organised by DairyNZ’s Susan Stokes and Rural News Group journalist Peter Burke, plus sponsors. They take city teachers into the country and show them farming career opportunities for young people.
As well as visiting the dairy farm, the teachers were taken to a Landcorp sheep and beef farm and an orchard.
Speakers on the day were mostly young graduates from Massey and Lincoln universities and Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre.
Vollebregt says careers advisors are the key means of getting young people interested in farming.
“City people must get on a farm to understand the important opportunities there. You can’t do this by just sitting back in your office in an urban environment.”
Supporting this opinion is Wellington High School science teacher and careers advisor Tony Cains, who described the day as awesome.
Cairns says he now understands that farming requires not just agriculture and horticulture, but science, maths, communications and English.
Farming is a complex business, he now realises.
“Teachers like me didn’t understand the breadth of opportunities and range of careers; we now realise that we should be sending our top students, as well as kids who simply want to work the land, to make careers in the agri sector.”
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
World Veterinary Day falls on Saturday 27 April.
The Director General of MPI, Ray Smith says it's important for his department to celebrate the success of a whole range of groups and people around the country.
A small company which mobilised veterinarians around the country to deal with Mycoplasma bovis was one of the winners in this year's Biosecurity Awards, held at Parliament.
One of the country's top Māori sheep and beef farms is facing a five-year battle to get back to where it was before Cyclone Gabrielle struck just over 14 months ago.
OPINION: Talking about plant-based food: “Chicken-free chicken” start-up Sunfed has had its valuation slashed to zero by major investor Blackbird…
OPINION: Synlait's financial woes won’t be going away anytime soon.