US helps offset weak Chinese market
Red meat exports topped $932 million during February, with demand from the US helping to offset the weak Chinese market.
Major New Zealand meat and dairy exporters say they are taking cybersecurity seriously.
While no major New Zealand meat or dairy processor has reported cybersecurity breaches, the recent crippling attack on the world's largest meat processor JBS shows that companies need to be prepared.
Meat Industry Association chief executive Sirma Karapeeva says that while she can't comment specifically on the JBS situation, NZ's red meat industry takes the security of its systems extremely seriously.
"New Zealand's processing and exporting companies continue to invest in this area to ensure we are adequately prepared," Karapeeva told Rural News.
Fonterra chief information security officer Thomas Willig told Rural News that cybersecurity has become a common challenge for business globally.
"We have a cybersecurity strategy in place to minimise the likelihood of ransomware incidents, improve resiliency and mitigate negative impacts in the event of an attack."
Two weeks ago, JBS was forced to shutdown all its US beef plants, stalling output from facilities that supply almost a quarter of American supplies.
Dairy Companies of New Zealand (DCANZ) chief executive Kimberly Crewther says the increase in cyber crime is concerning for all businesses with the attacks on the Waikato District Health Board and JBS being just two examples.
She says dairy companies work individually with cyber security providers and DCANZ is not privy to the specifics of this engagement or individual company executives.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Two major red meat sector projects are getting up to a combined $1.7 million in funding from the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
Angus Barr and Tara Dwyer of The Wandle, Lone Star Farms in Strath Taieri have been named the Regional Supreme Winners at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Dunedin.
OPINION: The distress that the politicians and bureaucrats are causing to the people of Wairoa and the wider Tairāwhiti is unforgivable.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.
OPINION: Your canine crusader is not surprised by the recent news that New Zealand plant-based ‘fake meat’ business is in…