increase font size
Beef + Lamb NZ chair Kate Acland
Sheep and beef farmers have voted to approve Beef + Lamb New Zealand signing an operational agreement between the agricultural sector and the Government on foot and mouth disease readiness and response.
Over 96% of farmers voted in support.
Voting, which was conducted online and was open to all farmers on B+LNZ's electoral roll, closed on Friday 16 May. It was a weighted vote, although the weighted result was very similar to the one-farmer-one-vote result (at 95.05%).
The final percentage (turnout) was 14.67%, being 2,039 votes received from 13,899 farmers.
Chair Kate Acland says she's pleased B+LNZ can now sign the agreement.
"The board felt that signing the agreement was the best option for our farmers, but we needed farmer input and approval.
"Keeping foot and mouth disease out of New Zealand should still be our number one priority but it's important that we're as prepared as possible in the unlikely event it does arrive. It's especially important that sheep and beef farmers have a voice in decision-making about how any response effort would be funded and the money spent.
"It's like to thank all those farmers who used their voice on this important issue."
B+LNZ will sign the agreement at an upcoming event.
Healthy, well-grown calves are the building blocks of any future dairy herd. Giving them the best start to life is crucial, and the primary strategy to reduce the burden of disease caused by rotavirus infection is vaccination.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand is reminding farmers with lucerne stands to graze them hard over the next few weeks in preparation for a winter weed control programme.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) has unveiled a new tool to help sheep farmers better understand the genetics in their flock and make more informed decisions.
The fundamentals of the beef and lamb sector are sound, despite some challenges on the horizon, says Beef+Lamb NZ chair Kate Acland.
Animal welfare improvements as well as reduced costs for dairy farmers are at the heart of a new move which could help cut back on the waste of unused vet drugs.
The bumpy road you travel on teachs you a lot, believes Don Watson. And that’s the message he and wife Kirsten, supreme winners of the Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Awards, aim to pass on to their three sons.
New Zealand’s food and fibre sector is on track to deliver record export earnings, with export revenue forecast to reach $64.3 billion in the year ending 30 June 2026.
New Zealand's kiwifruit industry has welcomed Government co-investment in a new five-year programme designed to help growers produce higher yields of premium fruit, with less water, fewer nutrients and reduced environmental impact.
DairyNZ's 20th annual survey results released last week shows that dairy remains New Zealand’s economic powerhouse.
Fieldays officially opened yesterday at Mystery Creek, with thousands of visitors headed through the gates to be among the first to experience the agricultural event.
ACC says that this week's Fieldays is a great chance for farmers to pause and reflect on their processes and ensure that their life is in balance.
