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THEY'RE CREEPY, they're crawly, and they're on display in the Environment Southland marquee at Southern Field Days.
Following on from biocontrol success in several areas, a raft of biocontrol agents including Dung beetles, Broom galls mites, Green thistle beetles; Gorse soft shoot moths and Ragwort plume moths are making an appearance in the council's tent this year.
Senior biosecurity officer Randall Milne says it's an opportunity to educate the public about biosecurity and biocontrol agents.
"Biocontrol is about introducing a pest's natural enemy to help minimise the impact of that pest over time. It is important people know what we are trying to achieve with biocontrol across the region."
Some recent breakthroughs include the discovery of broom plants dying at a broom gall mite release site in Manapouri, and the confirmed establishment of the Ragwort plume moth at sites on a Tuturau property.
Randall says information about the Clover root weevil is on display, as Environment Southland needs Southlanders' help to map their spread across the region.
"This pest has a major impact on clover production and therefore significantly affects the feed quality of pastures. It's important that people know about clover root weevil and what the damage looks like so they can manage their pastures to minimise the harm it causes."
Environment Southland has been an active and long-time proponent of the use of biocontrol agents to help combat pest plants and was among the first regional council's to back the introduction of Dung beetles, with recent releases onto Southland properties.
It is estimated that animal dung covers 700,000ha of pastoral land in New Zealand. Dung beetles use the faeces of animals for food and reproduction, eventually breaking it down into a sawdust-like material. The process not only gets rid of the dung, it also improves soil health and pasture productivity, reduces water and nutrient runoff, and has been shown to reduce parasitic infection in livestock.
Randall says he hopes his creepy crawlies would prove popular with the field day crowds, and was looking forward to showing off the benefits biocontrol agents provide to the region.
Southern Field Days are on at Waimumu. They run for three days until tomorrow, February 14. The Environment Southland marquee is on site 286, in Violet Lane.
OPINION: Recent media commentary from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns among our rural communities, particularly around Environment Southland’s approach to winter grazing inspections and nitrogen reporting. But let’s be clear, much of what’s been said simply doesn’t reflect reality.
Claims that some Southland farmers were invoiced up to $4000 for winter grazing compliance checks despite not breaching rules are being rejected by Environment Southland.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes a recent court decision which granted a stay on rules in the Southland Water and Land Plan until legislative changes can be made by government.
Environment Southland says it has now ring-fenced $375,000 for new funding initiatives, aimed at enhancing water quality.
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Opening a new $3 million methane research barn in Waikato this month, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay called on the dairy sector to “go as fast as you can and prove the concepts”.
According to ASB, Fonterra's plan to sell it's Anchor and Mainlands brands could inject $4.5 billion in additional spending into the economy.
New Zealand’s trade with the European Union has jumped $2 billion since a free trade deal entered into force in May last year.
The climate of uncertainty and market fragmentation that currently characterises the global economy suggests that many of the European agricultural machinery manufacturers will be looking for new markets.
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