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.
Biosecurity New Zealand has placed import restrictions on tomato seed imports from Australia after the detection of tomato brown rugose fruit virus at two South Australian growing properties.
"We've stepped up our biosecurity requirements in response to the recent finds in South Australia," says Biosecurity New Zealand deputy director general Stuart Anderson.
"Imported seeds for sowing from Australia will now require testing for the virus prior to arrival in New Zealand, which is a requirement that is already in place for other countries where the virus is present. We have also temporarily suspended tomato imports from all Australian states except Queensland, where there is no evidence of the disease or links to the affected properties in South Australia." Anderson noted that all our imported tomatoes from Australia currently come from Queensland and not South Australia.
"We're in close contact with our counterparts in Australia about what they've found and the measures they are taking, and we'll continue to monitor the situation closely.
"We're committed to ensuring New Zealand growers are protected and that's why we've taken these steps already."
The virus, which was first noted in the Middle East, has never been found in New Zealand, and affects tomatoes, capsicums and chillies, causing yellowing and deformity in the host plants, but has no impact on human health.
"There is nothing to suggest the virus is here at present, but as always we ask growers to check their biosecurity practices and be vigilant and contact us on our pests and diseases hotline (0800 80 99 66) if they notice problems with their tomatoes," Anderson says.
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.
The ACT Party says media reports that global dairy giant Nestle has withdrawn from the Dairy Methane Action Alliance shows why New Zealand needs to rethink its approach to climate.
If there was a silver lining in the tragedy that was Cyclone Gabrielle, for New Zealand Young Grower of the Year, Grace Fulford, it was the tremendous sense of community and seeing first-hand what good leadership looks like.
New research could help farmers prepare for a future where summer rainfall is increasingly unpredictable and where drought risk is rising, no matter what.
The first calves of a new crossbred dairy-beef offering are now on the ground at a Pamu (Landcorp) farm near Taupo.
Spinach is NZ's favourite leafy green, according to the Department of Statistics.
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