New associate director for DairyNZ
After 20 years of milking cows, Northland farmer Greg Collins is ready to step into the governance side of dairy.
DairyNZ is calling on the Government to respond to an advisory group’s recommendations to improve winter grazing rules.
In December, the Southland Advisory Group recommended the Government make several changes to rules under the Government’s National Environmental Standard for Freshwater. These included amendments to pugging and resowing dates.
“DairyNZ supports the group’s recommendations to the government that aim to ensure winter grazing rules are clear and achievable for farmers, and lead to better environmental outcomes,” says DairyNZ chair, Jim van der Poel.
“The advisory group and the Ministry for the Environment and Ministry for Primary Industries have been working positively together to make the regulations practical and effective, and we are keen to see a decision announced on the outcome.”
Southland dairy farmer and advisory group member Paul Turner says it is important for farmers to have clarity around what they are doing for next season and beyond in terms of wintering practices.
“People are holding back because they are unsure what to do from a regulatory perspective,” he says.
Recent rain has offered respite for some from the ongoing drought.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
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