Farm Safety Improves Through 'Incremental Gain', Says Birkett
Improving health and safety is about incremental gain rather than a sudden decision, says Leeston farmer and Federated Farmers health and safety spokesman David Birkett.
OPINION: New national data from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), a leading workplace drug tester, shows methamphetamine (meth) use is growing and making up a disproportionate share of nonnegative workplace drug test results.
The proportion of meth detections has jumped since the start of the year January: 13.7%, February: 18.2% and March: 24.9%
The frontline data tells a confronting story; meth use is more than a big-city issue. The agency says it is seeing higher proportions of meth detections in smaller regions like the Central North, The Lakes and Taranaki.
However, there is no data break down for rural towns. The agency says the issue with getting any more specific with rural data is that it becomes identifiable. Everyone knows who’s testing, who isn’t and what companies they’re using to carry it out.
So, for the farming sector, the days of finding out the level of drug use in their local patch may still be a while away.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, wants environmental information to be treated as critical national infrastructure.
A Morrinsville business celebrating its 30th birthday has shaken up the street scene in the Waikato township.
New Zealand needs to make sure that it continues to focus on its own food security, according to HortNZ board member and blueberry grower Dermott Malley.
Halter has announced the six winners of its 2026 One Year Free competition, marking the biggest year yet for the annual award and the first time the company has expanded the field beyond its usual line-up.
For 50 years, Tasman's Mel Ewers has been helping the apple sector navigate through compliance issues and training.
The New Zealand ploughing team to the world championship in Croatia next month will be banking on borrowed equipment as they seek glory.