M.I.A.
OPINION: The previous government spent too much during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite warnings from officials, according to a briefing released by the Treasury.
Butchers can now process pork, but only for supply to supermarkets and other retailers.
However, the Government says butchers will remain closed to retail customers because the risk of spreading covid-19 is too great.
PorkNZ had last week urged the Government to allow butchers to be allowed to process pigs and help prevent an animal welfare issue on farms.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says butchers are an essential part of the supply chain in NZ for pork.
At present, there is not enough capacity to hold surplus pigs on farms or pig carcasses in processing facilities, which could create an animal welfare issue, he says.
“We need them to operating to ensure that pigs can continue to be processed and are not backing up on farms leading to animal welfare issues.
”The pork industry is domestically focused with limited export to the Pacific Islands so there aren’t as many avenues to offload product into other markets.
“The pork industry raised this issue with Government and Cabinet agreed that there were strong enough grounds for a change to be made to address specific concerns in relation to animal welfare.”
O’Connor says the Government looked at allowing butchers to open for retail customers
“We carefully weighed the risk of allowing butchers to open their shops for retail customers, but the risk of spreading COVID-19 is too great so that will not be allowed”, O’Connor said.
“The aim in Alert Level 4 is to minimise retail outlets being open in order to minimise risk to public health. This decision maintains that aim while also ensuring there are no unintended adverse impacts on animals.”
O’Connor says butchers who choose to operate will need to follow health guidelines for distancing in the workplace to ensure staff safety and prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Meat co-operative, Alliance has met with a group of farmer shareholders, who oppose the sale of a controlling stake in the co-op to Irish company Dawn Meats.
Rollovers of quad bikes or ATVs towing calf milk trailers have typically prompted a Safety Alert from Safer Farms, the industry-led organisation dedicated to fostering a safer farming culture across New Zealand.
The Government has announced it has invested $8 million in lower methane dairy genetics research.
A group of Kiwi farmers are urging Alliance farmer-shareholders to vote against a deal that would see the red meat co-operative sell approximately $270 million in shares to Ireland's Dawn Meats.
In a few hundred words it's impossible to adequately describe the outstanding contribution that James Brendan Bolger made to New Zealand since he first entered politics in 1972.
Dawn Meats is set to increase its proposed investment in Alliance Group by up to $25 million following stronger than forecast year-end results by Alliance.
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