Avian flu poses top biosecurity threat to NZ, says Hoggard
Avian flu getting into New Zealand's poultry industry is the biosecurity threat that is most worrying for Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.
While many MPs have been busy taking holidays in maybe exotic places, for Andrew Hoggard it's back to his old job as a dairy farmer during the so-called 'summer break'.
He says he's been using the time to fill in for his staff as they take their holidays, but some of his plans have been thwarted by the rain which has been something of a constant in the Manawatu.
He says he planned to reinstate some fences that got taken down when he had new staff accommodation built on the property. But he says doing carpentry with power tools in the wet was not a goer and his plans were running behind schedule.
But the transition from Feds to Parliament has allowed Hoggard to indulge in politics for a little longer.
He admits that life without some involvement in politics would have driven him 'stir crazy' and forced him to watch TV news and scream at the television.
Parliament is described by some as a 'zoo' and Hoggard has his own unique way of winding down after a week in it.
"I call it tractor therapy - recreational cultivation - something that involves me going around and around in circles on the tractor. After spending all week listening to the screaming and squealing from across the aisle in Parliament, it's good to listen to the diesel engine just purring away," he says.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
OPINION: Otago farmer and NZ First MP Mark Patterson is humble about the role that he’s played in mandating government agencies to use wool wherever possible in new and refurbished buildings.
For Wonky Box co-founder Angus Simms, the decision to open the service to those in rural areas is a personal one.
The golden age of orcharding in West Auckland was recently celebrated at the launch of a book which tells the story of its rise, then retreat in the face of industry change and urban expansion.
Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics have been recognised in this year’s New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) awards. As part of a series looking at this year’s rural winners, Leo Argent talked with Ginny Dodunski, winner of the Veterinary Impact Award for raising the profile of the Wormwise programme.
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