McRae Wins Southern South Island B+LNZ Director Vote
Matt McRae, a farmer from Mokoreta in Southland who runs a sheep, beef and dairy support business alongside a sheep stud, has been elected to the Beef +Lamb NZ Board as a farmer director.
A Ministry of Primary Industries operation in Auckland has led to the prosecution of several meats sellers after raw meat samples were found to contain non-compliant substances.
The charges were laid after a 2013 MPI operation, which found raw meat containing sulphites/sulphur dioxide at several business in the greater Auckland areas.
In total, 15 meat wholesalers/retailers and three company directors were charged and appeared before the Manukau and Auckland District Courts in late 2014 and early 2015.
According to Beef + Lamb none of those prosecuted are part of any major supermarket or high profile butchery chains.
In addition to fines, Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive officer, Rod Slater says there are serious implications for those found to be non-compliant.
“Make no mistake; there is no room for this type of operator in New Zealand. We take these offences extremely seriously and support MPI’s actions.
“In the main, we find New Zealand retailers and wholesalers are extremely proud of the standards which they are upholding. This behaviour is definitely not the norm and I think you’ll find the rest of the industry will be left extremely disappointed,” says Slater.
With the forage maize harvest started in Northland and the Waikato, the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) is telling growers of later crops, or those further south, to start checking their maize crop maturity about three weeks prior to when they think they will start silage harvesting.
Irrigation NZ is warning that the government's Resource Management Act (RMA) reform risks falling short of its objectives unless water use for food production and water storage infrastructure are clearly recognised in the goals at the top of the new system.
More than five million trays, or 18,000 tonnes, of Zespri’s RubyRed Kiwifruit will soon be available for consumers across 16 markets this season.
The Government has announced its support for 18 community-based initiatives through its Rural Wellbeing Fund.
New data shows that pork remains one of the more affordable meat options for New Zealand households at a time when grocery costs continue to put pressure on budgets.
The South Island Dairy Event's BrightSIDE has named Jessica Kilday as the recipient of the BrightSIDE Scholarship, recognising her commitment to furthering her education and future career in the New Zealand dairy industry.

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