Tuesday, 21 May 2019 09:54

MPI’s behaviour on M. bovis beastly

Written by  Nigel Malthus
Mid-Canterbury Federated Farmers dairy chair Chris Ford. Mid-Canterbury Federated Farmers dairy chair Chris Ford.

Farmers affected by Mycoplasma bovis need help and support, but MPI treats them as guilty parties, claims Mid-Canterbury Federated Farmers dairy chair Chris Ford.

“People are truly unaware outside of our region what is actually happening in Ashburton and Mid-Canterbury.”

Ford called it “embarrassing” for MPI that it announced a surge in the eradication programme -- expected to bring a sudden rise in the number of farms under formal suspicion -- when stock was already starting to move for winter. 

He says with about 1100 farms expected to be canvassed in the surge and MPI able to do only 80 to 90 calls a week, the process will take until July by which time there would be one million cow movements.

Ford has declined to be part of a new group, co-ordinated by Ashburton District Mayor Donna Favel, which aims to support Mid-Canterbury farmers caught up in the outbreak.

Although there are other Feds representatives in the group, Ford says he would not sign a confidentiality agreement required by MPI.

“I can’t advocate for my farmers if I’m under confidentiality and privacy.”

Favel says the surge announcement, just before Easter, gave rise to “concern and speculation” over the Easter break. She was surprised that it had not been disclosed during MPI’s roadshow meetings in the previous few weeks. 

Her group includes representatives from MPI, DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust, Vet Ent and the Canterbury District Health Board.

Favel says its aim is to help facilitate discussions between MPI and relevant organisations “to ensure information is consistently shared in a timely and targeted manner with the district’s farming community”.
“M. bovis has inflicted a great deal of stress and uncertainty on our people and we each recognised that something more needed to be done to help support our farmers during this time of need.”

The district is the worst affected in the country, said Favel. Those around the table seek to better understand the district’s preparedness and understand the implications to farmers, service providers, stock and the community.

More like this

Working with farmers to ensure best outcomes

OPINION: Recent media commentary from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns among our rural communities, particularly around Environment Southland’s approach to winter grazing inspections and nitrogen reporting. But let’s be clear, much of what’s been said simply doesn’t reflect reality.

Editorial: Nitrate emergency?

OPINION: Environment Canterbury's (ECan) decision recently to declare a so-called “nitrate emergency” is laughable.

Federated Farmers slam Canterbury nitrate emergency

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.

Featured

'One more push' to eliminate FE

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.

Winston Peters questions Fonterra divestment plan

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has joined the debate around the proposed sale of Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses, demanding answers from the co-operative around its milk supply deal with the buyer, Lactalis.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Quid prod quo?

OPINION: Ageing lefty Chris Trotter reckons that the decision to delay recognition of Palestinian statehood is more than just a fit…

Deadwood

OPINION: A mate of yours truly recently met someone at a BBQ who works at a big consulting firm who spent…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter