Covid's urban/rural divide
According to a new study from the University of Otago, there was a visible rural/urban divide in Covid-19 vaccination rates.
Pig farmers want the Government to allow independent butchers to resume trading immediately and help avoid an animal welfare crisis on farms.
All independent butchers across the country have been classified as non-essential businesses and been forced to close as part of COVID-19 Level 4 lockdown.
NZ Pork chief executive David Baines says the Government’s decision to exclude independent butchers from the essential business list will cause an animal welfare crisis in the New Zealand pork sector.
It says the pork sector will end up not having a place to house up to 5,000 surplus pigs on farm every week.
“By not being able to sell fresh carcass pigs to the independent butchers and other segments, we will be faced with a significant animal welfare issue,” says Baines.
“It’s very simple. There is no capacity to hold surplus pigs on farm. Commercial farms typically supply pigs to market on a weekly basis and do not carry spare holding capacity. Overcrowding of pigs in pens would quickly constitute a significant welfare issue under the animal welfare code.
“Wholesalers do not have the capacity to process and freeze the surplus volumes. Freezing carcasses is also not a complete option to the surplus volume, due to the limited blast freezer and storage capacity.”
NZ Pork has been in talks with Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) about the situation.
Baines says it has been advised that O’Connor is seriously considering the issue.
“MPI clearly understands the urgency and importance of the issue, but we need a decision from the Government now.”
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.
Listed Canterbury milk processor Synlait’s shares have been placed in a trading halt.
OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.
A step-by-step guide helping farmers through the process of creating a Freshwater Farm Plan (FWFP) has been launched by FarmIQ.