NZ Catchment Groups Thrive with ‘Source to Sea’ Approach
The most successful catchment groups in NZ are those that have 'a source to sea' approach.
Massey University vet Peter Wilson has been doubly honoured recently: he was awarded the Deer Farmers Association’s Premier Industry Award, and life membership of the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
Professor Wilson, from Massey ‘s Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, specialises in deer nutrition, reproduction, welfare, disease and epidemiology, health and herd profiling of farmed deer and, more recently, mixed species farming.
He received the industry award for his outstanding contribution to the deer sector for 40 years. In its citation, the Deer Farmers Association described him as a prolific researcher and author and a man engaged with industry and the community.
“Peter Wilson stands tall in the history of the development and evolution of the farmed NZ deer industry, clearly in the advancement of deer health programmes, but equally in a whole farm system view based on productivity improvement and systems analysis.”
Wilson also has a long history with the NZVA. He set up its deer branch 30 years ago and chaired it for 20 years.
The association has at least 2000 members and just seven current life members including Wilson. It says he has “done an exemplary job of leading the deer branch with vision, flair and wisdom”.
Wilson says he is humbled to receive the honours.
“It has been an exciting and challenging industry to be part of, but most satisfying is the privilege of working with outstanding colleagues, students and industry people who have contributed so much to my career, so this award recognises their contribution as much as mine.”
DairyNZ Chair Tracy Brown has seen a lot of change since she first started out in the dairy sector, with around one-third of dairy farmers now women.
Castle Ridge Station has been named the Regional Supreme Winner at the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The South Island Dairy Event has announced Jessica Findlay as the recipient of the BrightSIDE Scholarship Programme, recognising her commitment to furthering her education and future career in the New Zealand dairy industry.
New Zealand and Chile have signed a new arrangement designed to boost agricultural cooperation and drive sector success.
New DairyNZ research will help farmers mitigate the impacts of heat stress on herds in high-risk regions of the country.
Budou are being picked now in Bridge Pā, the most intense and exciting time of the year for the Greencollar team – and the harvest of the finest eating grapes is weeks earlier than expected.

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