increase font size
Alligator weed
The Waikato Regional Council is urging farmers help stop the spread of dangerous weeds in the Waikato region.
At this time of year stock feed is harvested and sold for use during winter. However, such feed can contain weeds that can be spread along with the feed.
Waikato Regional Council’s pest plants team leader Wendy Mead says farmers can do their bit to help prevent weed spread by asking local feed sellers to guarantee feed such as hay and silage are weed free.
Farmers should also be alert to the risk of weed spread when buying feed from neighbouring regions.
“Some serious crop weeds of very limited distribution in the Waikato, such as Noogoora bur, are known to be more common in some neighbouring regions,” says Mead.
“Don’t be shy asking suppliers about any past weed problems with their feed and if feed can be inspected prior to purchase.
“If feed comes from overseas, only buy from reputable dealers and again ask for a guarantee that it is weed free.
“Keep records of where feed comes from and where it is fed out in case any weeds develop later.”
Mead says the council is happy to provide advice on what to look for during feed inspections and how to deal with any issues or problems that arose.
Farmers can call 0800 BIOSEC (246732) to contact the pest plants team.
Key pest plants that are at risk of spreading through stock feed are Noorgoora Burr, alligator weed, and velvetleaf.
Berry supplier The Fresh Berry Company has rolled out a locally developed forecasting platform that will allow its growers to precisely plan planting and harvest times, to ensure fruit hits store shelves when consumers most want it.
Third-year student Cady Burns has won the Waikato Regional Council Prize in Water Science for 2024.
OPINION: Harvest begins, and almost immediately we start to get media enquiries about how the vintage is going and whether it is going to be a good year for New Zealand wine.
Waikato Regional Council is taking Te Aroha piggery farm to court following an investigation into the discharge of effluent into a stream.
Fieldays 2025 opens this week with organisers saying the theme, 'Your Place', highlights the impact the event has on agriculture both in the Southern Hemisphere and across the globe.
Sam Carter, assistant manager for T&G's Pakowhai Sector, has been named the Hawke's Bay 2025 Young Grower of the Year.
The CEO of Apples and Pears NZ, Karen Morrish, says the strategic focus of her organisation is to improve grower returns.
A significant breakthrough in understanding facial eczema (FE) in livestock brings New Zealand closer to reducing the disease’s devastating impact on farmers, animals, and rural communities.
Farmer co-operative LIC has closed its satellite-backed pasture measurement platform – Space.
OPINION: The case of four Canterbury high country stations facing costly and complex consent hearing processes highlights the dilemma facing the farming sector as the country transitions into a replacement for the Resource Management Act (RMA).
OPINION: The Greens aren’t serious people when it comes to the economy, so let’s not spend too much on their…
OPINION: PM Chris Luxon is getting pinged lately for rolling out the old 'we're still a new government' line when…
