NZ nears Mycoplasma bovis eradication milestone
A major milestone on New Zealand's unique journey to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis could come before the end of this year.
MPI is taking the fight against velvetleaf to individuals in the provinces with a series of farmer support meetings starting in the South Island next week.
Velvetleaf is an invasive pastoral and cropping weed that has been found on 252 farms around the country. The majority of affected properties are in Canterbury, Otago and Southland. Its presence here has been linked to the importation of contaminated fodder beet seed.
The ministry has been working with primary sector industry bodies and regional councils to investigate the situation, find and destroy outbreaks, and develop plans to manage the weed in future.
Response incident controller David Yard says managing velvetleaf is possible if everyone involved stays on top of it – every year.
"We recognise that this is very disappointing for those farmers who have this pest weed on their properties. But we are also keen that farmers understand that relatively simple measures such as good machinery hygiene, management of stock and crop planting, and removing any velvetleaf plants that appear will all help control the situation.
"It is vital that farmers and rural contractors have this knowledge and for this reason, we've organised meetings in the key affected areas to provide full information about velvetleaf and its management."
There are two components to the meetings in each location. In the mornings – from 10am – midday – there will be an open public session and during the afternoons affected farmers will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with technical experts to develop a personalised management plan for their property.
The full schedule of meetings is on the MPI website at: http://mpi.govt.nz/protection-and-response/responding/alerts/velvetleaf/
The first three meetings are in Canterbury as follows:
Tuesday, July 19 - Waipara Hall, Cnr Johnston St and Ferguson Ave, Waipara, Amberley
Wednesday, July 20 - Pleasant Point Town Hall - Halstead Road, Pleasant Point, Timaru
Thursday, July 21 - Tinwald War Memorial Hall, Cnr Graham and McMurdo Streets, Tinwald, Ashburton
All meetings start at 10am.
For more information about velvetleaf see the MPI website: http://mpi.govt.nz/protection-and-response/responding/alerts/velvetleaf/
A major milestone on New Zealand's unique journey to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis could come before the end of this year.
We're working through it, and we'll get to it.
The debate around New Zealand's future in the Paris Agreement is heating up.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.
Following heavy rain which caused flooding in parts of Nelson-Tasman and sewerage overflows in Marlborough, the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO Scheme) is urging homeowners and tenants to be cautious when cleaning up and to take the right steps to support claims.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
OPINION: Ther'es a reason politicians rank even lower than John Campbell in the most trusted profession surveys.
OPINION: ACT MP Mark Cameron isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but he certainly calls it how he sees it, holding…