Why our future depends on taking biosecurity seriously
OPINION: When it comes to biosecurity, we often hear about the end of a response, but it’s the beginning that helps determine our success.
Two new dog teams start today at Christchurch airport – doubling the biosecurity detector dog capacity at the airport, says the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
Stephen James graduated from his training as a quarantine inspector and a dog handler at a ceremony in Auckland on Friday, along with 46 other new biosecurity frontline staff. Today is his first day on the job as a warranted inspector.
He will work with Vinnie, an experienced beagle, to sniff out exotic pests and diseases that pose biosecurity risk to New Zealand.
Stephen will be joined by handler Jemma Grant and detector dog Rogue.
Jemma, a quarantine inspector for more than four years, graduated as a dog handler at Friday's ceremony. It will be the first day on the job for 6-year-old Rogue.
The two teams will work at the local port as well as the airport.
"The new staff we have just deployed across the country will bring MPI's biosecurity frontline up to full strength and will help the ministry meet the demands of the busy summer peak season," says border clearance services manager Steve Gilbert.
He says detector dog teams are very useful for detecting biosecurity risks when used with other checks.
"No tool is sufficient to manage biosecurity by itself. Dogs are good at picking up seeds and plants that can be hard to detect by x-ray. They also screen people faster than x-ray, and their visual presence is a significant factor," he says.
Academic freedom is a privilege and it's put at risk when people abuse it.
All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.
Claims that some Southland farmers were invoiced up to $4000 for winter grazing compliance checks despite not breaching rules are being rejected by Environment Southland.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.
From 1 October, new livestock movement restrictions will be introduced in parts of Central Otago dealing with infected possums spreading bovine TB to livestock.
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.