Leah Prankerd: A passion for dairying and farmer support
It was love that first led Leah Prankerd to dairying.
With the transition of the Mycoplasma bovis programme to a National Pest Management Plan, the number of biosecurity levies farmers pay will increase to seven.
In its submission on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act, DairyNZ says its levy-paying members invested more than $60 million across the biosecurity system last year, through multiple biosecurity levies across several entities and legislative frameworks to collect this funding.
It points out that this adds unnecessary complexity, administrative cost and a lack of transparency with levy investment in biosecurity for farmers.
"We would like to see a more integrated and sustainably funded biosecurity system for the livestock sector that minimises risks through collective readiness and good biosecurity practices," it says.
"To support this, our farmers need certainty and consistency of the principles that will be applied to risk management, cost-sharing, and decision-making across the biosecurity system."
It also notes that delivery of services within the biosecurity system is fragmented, with inconsistent legislative and system settings to support effective funding and delivery.
"Different programmes often have the same stakeholders involved and this contributes to the frustration experienced by dairy farmers about regulatory burden and lack of transparency of levy investment."
DairyNZ notes that farmers currently fund the biosecurity system through six different levies and with the transition of the Mycoplasma bovis programme to a National Pest Management Plan (NPMP), this increases to seven.
"Dairy farmers may also contribute further funding to the biosecurity system when cattle are designated as beef cattle for slaughter and on the purchase of seed for arable crops."
It recommends that biosecurity levies consolidated into a single levy (or fewer levies) with the creation of a cross-industry organisation that integrates the deliver, and funding, of biosecurity services would be a more efficient way to recover costs and lessen administrative expense for industry and government.
BNZ says it is backing aspiring dairy farmers through an innovative new initiative that helps make the first step to farm ownership or sharemilking a little easier.
LIC chief executive David Chin says meeting the revised methane reduction targets will rely on practical science, smart technology, and genuine collaboration across the sector.
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.
A large slice of the $3.2 billion proposed capital return for Fonterra farmer shareholders could end up with the banks.
Opening a new $3 million methane research barn in Waikato this month, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay called on the dairy sector to “go as fast as you can and prove the concepts”.
New Zealand’s trade with the European Union has jumped $2 billion since a free trade deal entered into force in May last year.

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