Irish Minister Visits NZ Farm Showcasing Calf Tech
Irish Minister of State of Agriculture, Noel Grealish was in New Zealand recently for an official visit.
Time is running out for farmers to have their say on funding two important primary sector programmes.
The New Zealand Meat Board is proposing to continue funding the Informing New Zealand Beef (INZB) genetics programme with a contribution of up to $700,000 and providing up to $1 million towards a new facial eczema research project.
NZMB chair Kate Acland says sheep and beef farmers were sent a joint NZMB and Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) mail-out last month, with information on the NZMB online annual meeting on March 15 and the proposals.
Farmers can provide feedback on funding the programmes by completing a form enclosed in the mail-out or by visiting the feedback page on the NZMB website. They can also register for the Annual Meeting by visiting the registration page.
Acland says she strongly encourages farmers to share their views by the closing date on 13 March.
“It’s important we’re funding projects that are relevant to farmer needs, so we’d really value feedback on the two proposed projects,” she says.
“These funds have two purposes. Firstly, as a contingency fund for the industry to restore international market confidence following a catastrophic event such as a Foot and Mouth outbreak, and secondly, as a fund for industry good projects.”
By the end of this year, the Meat Board is expected to be managing ten export quotas with an approximate export value of just under $3 billion.
While Cyclone Vaianu remains off the East Coast of New Zealand, the Waikato Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group says impacts have been felt overnight.
A Local State of Emergency has been declared for the Waikato for a period of seven days as the region prepares for Cyclone Vaianu to hit the area.
Farmers will get an opportunity to hear about the latest developments in sheep genetics at the Sheep Breeder Forum this May.
Specialist horticulture and viticulture weather forecasters Metris says the incoming Cyclone Vaianu is likely to impact growers across the country.
A group of old Otago uni mates with a love of South Island back-country have gone the lengths of Waiau Toa Clarence from source to sea. Tim Fulton, who joined the group in the final fun to the river mouth, tells their story.
Operating with a completely different format from conventional tractors and combine harvesters, the NEXAT prime mover combines all steps of crop production in one modular carrier vehicle, from tillage, through seeding to harvesting.

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