Red meat sector battles on
It's a bloody tough year for sheep farmers, but the worst may be over, and the future looks optimistic.
Meat companies have now put in place a set of protocols that will allow stock to be killed and processed during the COVID-19 lockdown.
These also meet the guidelines laid down by the Government in respect of the safety of workers at meat processing plants.
Meat Industry Association chief executive Tim Ritchie told Rural News that his organisation and MPI – along with others – have been working on developing the guidelines for several days.
Ritchie says the unions have been kept in the loop and meat companies have worked collaboratively to develop these new protocols.
However, he warns farmers that processing stock will take much longer – given the need to meet the new requirements around space between workers and so on.
Ritchie says this may affect sheep chains more because of distancing requirements. He says it could delay the process by up to 30% or more in some cases.
Delays will likely vary between plants. He says the meat companies have also agreed that if there are any problems at a certain plants, others will take up the slack.
Ritchie says staff at meat plants have also been briefed about how to deal with the situation and given advice on how to stay safe during the present crisis.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the relationship between New Zealand and the US will remain strong and enduring irrespective of changing administrations.
More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.
The a2 Milk Company (a2MC) says securing more China label registrations and developing its own nutritional manufacturing capability are high on its agenda.
Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.
As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.
Livestock can be bred for lower methane emissions while also improving productivity at a rate greater than what the industry is currently achieving, research has shown.
OPINION: NIWA has long weathered complaints about alleged stifling of competition in forecasting, and more recently, claims of lack of…
OPINION: Adding to calls to get banks to 'back off', NZ Agri Brokers director Andrew Laming has revealed that the…