Scholarship programme to grow support for farmers and growers
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is expanding a scholarship programme for tertiary students as part of its efforts to boost on-the-ground support for farmers and growers.
According to John Roche, MPI, the saviour for Chatham Island farmers this season has been the weather.
He says grass growth has been good and the stock are in excellent condition. But another problem looms in the background - feral cattle.
Roche says in many parts of the rugged islands roam wilds or feral cattle - animals that have likely escaped in the past, but which are now breaking down fences and eating feed that should be consumed by farmed animals.
To that end, MPI is working with farmers who have a problem with feral cattle to get rid of them; just recently a helicopter was used to track down and shoot these 'predators'.
Roche says the helicopter is the only way to deal with the problem given the rugged nature of the countryside. He says a programme will likely take another couple of months.
As time ticks by for a solution to getting lots of animals off to the mainland, there is the worry in the background of an animal welfare issue. Roche says this is not the case yet, but says he's working with his compliance team and the farmers themselves to avoid a problem.
Fertiliser co-op Ravensdown is trimming down to a more efficient operating model, says chief executive Garry Diack.
A complaint filed by a founder and minority shareholder threatens to derail Synlait’s special shareholders meeting scheduled for September 18.
While New Zealand dominates some areas of international agricultural trade, we're still only a small player, warns New Zealand's special agricultural trade envoy Hamish Marr.
Federated Farmers arable chair David Birkett said he was hugely impressed by the calibre and commitment of this year's winners of the Arable Awards in seven categories.
Marton's Simon Nitschke has scooped the pool winning both Maize Farmer of the Year and Arable Farmer of the Year at the recent 2024 Arable Awards in Christchurch.
PGG Wrightson chief executive Stephen Guerin says the agriculture sector remains in a tough spot.