SFF joins the slaughter
Meat processor and exporter Silver Fern Farms Ltd has joined fellow South Island-based meat company Alliance Group in reporting a big loss for the past year.
Silver Fern Farms is consulting with staff at its North Island Wairoa mutton processing plant and its South Island Mossburn venison plant on options for closing the two small sites.
Silver Fern Farms chief executive Dean Hamilton says: “with changing livestock flows, there is the opportunity for the company to become more efficient and offer our farmer suppliers improved service by operating fewer plants for longer during a season.”
“Both plants operate in regions where we have other plants which can manage the combined levels of livestock processing in the region.”
Employees at Mossburn are being given options to work at the company’s Waitane, Kennington or Finegand sites. Frasertown employees will have the option of transferring to Takapau or Pacific in the Central Hawke’s Bay. Frasertown employs 67 staff, while Mossburn employs 43 staff.
“We have a great group of people at both sites, a number of whom are already working at these alternative locations and we will be discussing these options with the Union and the consultation committee.” says Hamilton.
Another 16 commercial beef farmers have been selected to take part in the Informing New Zealand Beef (INZB) programme designed to help drive the uptake of genetics in the industry.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Kiwi exporters will be $100 million better off today as the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) comes into force.
Making things simpler, not harder, for deer farmers in farm planning and coping with regulations is Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) industry capability manager John Ladley’s current focus.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) is launching an online business directory called The Country Women’s Collective to promote and support entrepreneurial rural women.
New Zealand actor Sam Neill has joined the Campaign for Wool NZ as an ambassador, lending his name and profile to educate and advocate for New Zealand strong wool.
Living labs that bring together expertise at locations around New Zealand are among potential solutions identified by researchers to help the country move towards a more climate resilient future.