increase font size
Primary Industries Minister David Carter has praised the primary industry chief executives' animal welfare forum for its contribution to livestock welfare.
Carter attended the biannual meeting of the forum last night and endorsed the group's 2012 work plan.
"New Zealand's major livestock production industries are taking a responsible approach to animal welfare standards through encouraging voluntary compliance and proactive initiatives," Carter says.
A key project of the forum for 2012 involves working with farmers, meat processors, transport operators, private veterinarians and MAF to ensure all transported animals are fit for transport.
The group is also focusing on the on-farm welfare and transportation of bobby calves prior to slaughter.
"While the Government plays a key role in setting animal welfare standards, we rely on the livestock production industries to help ensure these standards are met," Carter says.
"I am pleased with the progress of the forum in encouraging our livestock producers to maintain a good reputation for animal welfare."
Lincoln University Dairy Farm will be tweaking some management practices after an animal welfare complaint laid in mid-August, despite the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) investigation into the complaint finding no cause for action.
Animal rights protest group PETA is calling for Agriculture Minister Todd McClay to introduce legislation which would make it mandatory to have live-streaming web cameras in all New Zealand shearing shed.
The New Zealand Merino Company (NZM) says it will investigate claims of animal cruelty made by animal rights group PETA.
Shipments of live animals by sea should be possible in the second half of next year, according to Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard.
Farmer co-operative Ruralco has slumped to its second straight financial loss.
Last month's Agritechnica event led to a wide group of manufacturers celebrating successes when the 2026 Tractor of the Year Competition winners, selected by a panel of European journalists, were announced in Hanover Germany.
According to the latest Federated Farmers banking survey, farmers are more satisfied with their bank and less under pressure, however, the sector is well short of confidence levels seen last decade.
Farmer confidence has taken a slight dip according to the final Rabobank rural confidence survey for the year.
Former Agriculture Minister and Otaki farmer Nathan Guy has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy (SATE).
Alliance Group has commissioned a new heat pump system at its Mataura processing plant in Southland.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.
