Science and technology take centre stage at 2025 National Fieldays
Showcasing the huge range of new technologies and science that is now available was one of the highlights at last week's National Fieldays.
Ministry for Primary Industries border staff were shocked last week by a passenger arriving in Auckland with two crates of fresh mango – which carry a high risk of hosting Queensland fruit fly.
The fruit fly is one of the biggest risks to our horticultural industry.
The woman passenger from Brisbane declared the fruit, so did not receive any penalty. She thought it was okay to bring mangos into New Zealand after talking with the airline, says operational support coordinator Steve Gay.
"It is common to see a passenger carry one or two fruit items, but two whole crates is really over the top," says Gay.
Gay says the mangos posed a high biosecurity risk to New Zealand. "They're a favourite fruit for Queensland Fruit Fly – a pest that would have a devastating impact on New Zealand horticulture if it became established here.
"The good thing is the woman declared the goods, which shows our biosecurity messages are getting through to international passengers. We'll be talking further with the airline to see if there is any confusion about our biosecurity rules."
The crates contained 28 mangos. They have since been destroyed.
The country's second largest milk processor hopes to produce its first commercial butter within two months.
There's no doubt that vehicle manufacturers at Fieldays saw a steady stream of rural folk treading the boards.
Fonterra's co-op model and what it does for New Zealand has lured one of its bright stars back on board.
Farmer lobby Federated Farmers is reporting a growth in membership, for the first time in decades.
New Zealand's Ruminant Biotech says that while it has big goals, the scale of the problem it seeks to solve requires it.
The upheaval in the Middle East may have eased the fall in global dairy prices last week.