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The funding announcement came on the fourth anniversary of New Zealand’s attempt to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis.
An $111 million injection for biosecurity in Budget 2022 is a pragmatic acknowledgement of how vital it is to New Zealand’s economy that we stop pest organisms at our borders, says Federated Farmers.
"This extra money shows an appreciation by the government pest incursions can wreak havoc in our primary industries, New Zealand’s powerhouse for export earnings," says Federated Farmers arable chair and plant biosecurity spokesperson Colin Hurst.
"Plenty of Budget rounds go by without any bolstering of funding for biosecurity so we congratulate the government for making this a priority."
The funding announcement came on the fourth anniversary of New Zealand’s attempt to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis.
The $110.9m in the Budget includes $68 million over the coming year to continue momentum on the M. bovis programme.
"We need to keep our foot on the throat of this disease," Hurst says.
"Over the last few years 271 farms have been cleared of M. bovis and we’re down to just one infected property. Federated Farmers thanks both those farmers who have taken a hit on behalf of their colleagues and sector, and also those officials who have worked hard to get the programme right.
"It does underline the huge costs and disruption that can be avoided when we stop these organisms from getting into New Zealand, or when they’re here, stop them from wider spread in our herds and environment.
"Our biosecurity personnel deserve proper resources to do their work well," Hurst says.
. "This will be increasingly important as our borders open up to international passenger travel."
Federated Farmers says almost 2000 farmers have signed a petition launched this month to urge the Government to step in and provide certainty while the badly broken resource consent system is fixed.
Federated Farmers says it is cautiously welcoming signals from the Government that a major shake-up of local government is on its way.
Keep focused on things that can be controlled on farm.
According to Federated Farmers, Environment Southland has mishandled the consent process for Waituna Lagoon, leaving the community with numerous bad outcomes.
Biosecurity New Zealand is intensifying its campaign to locate and eliminate the invasive yellow-legged hornet, following confirmed detections on Auckland's North Shore.
Federated Farmers says almost 2000 farmers have signed a petition launched this month to urge the Government to step in and provide certainty while the badly broken resource consent system is fixed.
Zespri’s counter-seasonal Zespri Global Supply (ZGS) programme is underway with approximately 33 million trays, or 118,800 tonnes, expected this year from orchards throughout France, Italy, Greece, Korea, and Japan.
Animal owners can help protect life-saving antibiotics from resistant bacteria by keeping their animals healthy, says the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
According to analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA), New Zealand red meat exports reached $827 million in October, a 27% increase on the same period last year.
The black and white coat of Holstein- Friesian cows is globally recognised as a symbol of dairy farming and a defining trait of domestic cattle. But until recently, scientists didn’t know which genes were responsible for the Holstein’s spots.
According to the New Zealand Dairy Statistics 2024/25 report, New Zealand dairy farmers are achieving more with fewer cows.
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