Editorial: Support, don't stifle farmers
OPINION: Ministry for Primary Industries' situation outlook for primary industries report (SOPI) makes impressive reading.
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.
Independent Waikato milk processor Tatua has set another new record for conventional farmgate milk price paid to New Zealand farmers.
OPINION: Environment Canterbury's (ECan) decision recently to declare a so-called “nitrate emergency” is laughable.
An early adopter of a 10-in-7 variable milking regime, the Lincoln University Demonstration Dairy Farm (LUDF) is tweaking the system this season in search of further boosting farm performance and profitability.
The dairy sector is in a relatively stable position, with strong milk price payout forecasts continuing to offset ongoing high farm costs, according to DairyNZ.
A shameless political stunt is how Federated Farmers is describing the Canterbury Regional Council decision to declare “a nitrate emergency” on the back of its latest annual groundwater quality survey.
Fonterra has delivered a fifth straight year of record organic milk price for farmer suppliers.
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