OSPRI writes off $17m over botched traceability system
Animal disease management agency OSPRI has written off nearly $17 million after a botched attempt to launch a new integrated animal disease management and traceability system.
DairyNZ chairman Jim van der Poel says science and farmer innovation will once again find solutions to challenges facing the dairy sector.
Addressing the DairyNZ Farmers Forum in Cambridge, he says the dairy sector is facing different challenges today than what it faced three decades ago.
“Some are a result of our success,” he says.
“The research we did in the 80’s and 90’s helped dairy to outcompete other land uses and we saw dairy expand, especially in the South Island.”
The dairy sector grew by 100% between 1985 and 2015. This meant dairying became more intense and covered a larger area.
Van der Poel says this increased our environmental footprint and the number of high-quality people needed to run those operations.
“And once again science and farmer innovation will be a key factor in finding solutions.”
He says DairyNZ is currently in the decade of research into methane reduction, nitrogen leaching and changing the job on farm through modern farming practices and technology.
Van der Poel says in his view, dairying has a great future.
“We are globally recognised for the quality of what we produce.
“The commitment to funding the science we need to do to resolve today’s issues together with our innovation and resilience will help us get there.”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will be fronting farmers at three large public meetings organised by Federated Farmers over the coming weeks.
Federated Farmers and a major Australian-owned bank are at loggerheads over emissions reduction targets set for New Zealand farmer clients.
More locally grown tomatoes are coming to stores this month and you can thank New Zealand greenhouses for that.
Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.
It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee, that has ensured that Christchurch will have a show this year, says CAPA general committee president Bryce Murray.
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