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.
With the closure of saleyards under Alert 4, New Zealand’s virtual saleyard bidr says it will be an essential tool for the trading of livestock during lockdown.
MPI and MBIE have acknowledged the benefits of the online platform for the trading of livestock during the process of registering PGG Wrightson (“PGW”) as an essential service.
PGW – bidr is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGW – has agreed with MPI and MBIE to continue to support the accreditation of other livestock agencies during the COVID-19 lock down period to facilitate the essential trading of livestock.
Carrfields Livestock Limited has been accredited to the bidr platform.
Donald Baines, Carrfields’ general manager – livestock says the suspension of saleyard operations requires the industry to think laterally and the online auction platform will be an essential tool for the accredited companies to continue to market livestock to the wider industry.
In order to support farmers with essential livestock trades, stock agents who have been unable to complete bidr’s assessor accreditation process, due to the Level 4 COVID-19 restrictions, will be able to list livestock – with the acknowledgement that “the lot has not been assessed by a bidr accredited assessor.”
Agents will continue to stand behind their listings and represent their vendor in the transaction. When normal livestock trading conditions resume, agents will be required to participate in bidr’s assessor accreditation process.
The New Zealand red meat sector has signed an open letter to parliamentarians from BusinessNZ, urging swift ratification of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Wools of New Zealand is joining calls for New Zealand to urgently ratify a Free Trade Agreement with India.
Fonterra says Richard Allen will succeed Miles Hurrell as its new chief executive.
Cyclone Vaianu is continuing its track south towards the Bay of Plenty, bringing with it destructive winds, heavy rain, and large swells, says Metservice.
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.

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