increase font size
The review proposes a stronger focus on possum hot spots to achieve TB freedom in both livestock and possums by 2040.
New Zealand is closer to eradicating bovine TB than ever before, but possums remain a threat, says Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
The TB Plan Review outlines the next steps, and farmers are encouraged to have their say. B+LNZ recently hosted a webinar to explain the proposal.
With just 15 infected herds remaining, around 0.01% of the national total, the country is on the verge of livestock freedom from TB. This is down from 1500 affected farms in the mid 1990s. But as long as the disease persists in possums, reinfection remains a real risk. The review proposes a stronger focus on possum hot spots to achieve TB freedom in both livestock and possums by 2040.
"This is a critical moment for the sector," says Will Halliday, senior manager technical policy at Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
"We've made huge progress, but we need to finish the job properly and that means tackling the disease where it still hides. While we are now down to a few cases, we are also conscious that this can have a major impact on farmers in an affected region."
The TB Plan is reviewed every 10 years under the Biosecurity Act. This year, an independent Plan Governance Group including Beef + Lamb New Zealand hosted a well-attended webinar. OSPRI, which delivers the TBfree programme, is also running in-person meetings across the country.
"These sessions are a great opportunity for farmers to ask questions and make informed decisions," says Halliday.
"It's important that everyone understands what's being proposed and how it affects their business."
Beef + Lamb New Zealand is also encouraging farmers to think about the growing impact of forestry. With more farms being sold to forestry, there is concern about increased pest pressure, especially possums, which thrive in unmanaged forest blocks and could carry TB. The question is whether forestry should also contribute to the cost of TB control.
"Large scale forestry brings risk," Halliday says. "We think it's time to ask whether they should be part of the solution too. Farmers shouldn't carry the burden alone."
Farmers fund the TBfree programme through levies, and their input is vital. The consultation runs through October.
To learn more and make a submission, visit www.tbplanreview.co.nz
This is the third in a series of articles from Beef + Lamb New Zealand's Informing New Zealand Beef programme. The seven-year INZB partnership, supported by Beef+Lamb New Zealand and the Ministry for Primary Industries' Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund, aims to boost the sector's profits by $460m.
Farmers are welcoming the Government’s revised science-based biogenic methane targets for 2050.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.
This is the second in a series of articles from Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Informing New Zealand Beef programme.
Reecently Beef + Lamb New Zealand hosted a webinar giving farmers an update on findings from the Sheep Poo study, featuring Dr Cara Brosnahan and vet Ginny Dodunski. This study, which is entering its final year, is a key part of the Eliminating Facial Eczema Impacts (EFEI) programme and is helping build a clearer picture of how FE affects farms nationwide.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
Rural retailer Farmlands has reported a return to profitability, something the co-operative says shows clear progress in the second year of its five-year strategy.
According to a new report, the Safer Rides initiative, which offered farmers heavily discounted crush protection devices (CPDs) for quad bikes, has made a significant impact in raising awareness and action around farm vehicle safety.
OPINION: In the past weeks, much has been said and written about one of New Zealand's greatest prime ministers, James Brendan Bolger, who died just a few months after his 90th birthday.
OPINION: The Greens have taken the high moral ground on the Palestine issue and been leading political agitators in related…
One of the most galling aspects of the tariffs whacked on our farm exports to the US is the fact…
