Frontline biosecurity 'untouchable'
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has reiterated that 'frontline' biosecurity services within Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) will not be cut under the Government's plan to reduce the public service.
Associate Agriculture Minister Meka Whaitiri says new Government funding will help women pave the way to farming for the future.
She says the Government has committed $473,261 over two years through the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI’s) Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund to “enable and empower women working in the dairy sector”.
“Supporting these women to reach their farming leadership potential will deliver long lasting economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits to New Zealand,” says Whaitiri.
“This programme aims to create more value, develop new practices and support our extremely capable rural women into the future, it will also ensure diversity in the primary sector leadership of Aotearoa NZ which I welcome.”
The funding will support the Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) to leading the Farming for the Future Leader’s Programme, which will pilot a programme of wrap-around services for women.
These services include the development of training content and a central knowledge hub, as well as coaching to support female business group leaders in the dairy sector.
The programme will support DWN members to innovate and implement solutions to problems shared by their farm businesses. They will be able to share their knowledge with their wider communities and with DWN’s 11,000 members.
“The members of the programme will create a positive impact that is far reaching, by providing channels to share solutions and innovations with their businesses, partners, farm teams, neighbours and communities,” Whaitiri says.
She says the Government is committed to working with regional communities to help them reach their economic and social potential.
“These strong social connections and access to tools and support from this programme will help build resilience, both for these women and for their farming businesses,” Whaitiri says.
Rural trader PGG Wrightson has revised its operating earnings guidance, saying trading conditions have deteriorated since the last market update in February.
It's been a bumper season for maize and other supplements in the eastern Bay of Plenty.
Leading farmers from around New Zealand connected to share environmental stories and inspiration and build relationships at the Dairy Environment Leaders (DEL) national forum in Wellington last month.
AgriZeroNZ, a joint venture fast-tracking emissions reduction tools for farmers, is pouring $5 million in a biotech company to develop a low emissions farm pasture with increased productivity gains.
Fonterra is teaming up with wealth app provider Sharesies to make it easier for its farmer shareholders to trade co-op shares among themselves.
Te Awamutu dairy farmers Doug, Penny, Josh and Bayley Storey have planted more than 25,000 native trees on the family farm, adding to a generations-old native forest.