Tuesday, 20 February 2018 12:55

Who's going to pay for M. bovis?

Written by 
National’s biosecurity spokeswoman Barbara Kuriger. National’s biosecurity spokeswoman Barbara Kuriger.

The government is being accused of going cap-in-hand to the primary sector seeking cash to help eradicate Mycoplasma bovis.

National’s primary industries spokesman Nathan Guy claims the Ministry for Primary Industries is canvassing the dairy and red meat industry for money to pay for its response and eradication of the disease.

“In Parliament Damien O’Connor couldn’t say how much money the Government is prepared to contribute to fully eradicate Mycoplasma bovis,” Guy says.  

“Knowing how tight the Government’s finances are because of its other big-spending commitments – and even with financial contributions from industry – Mr O’Connor has an uphill battle convincing his Cabinet colleagues how critical funding of over $100 million actually is.” 

Meanwhile, National’s biosecurity spokeswoman Barbara Kuriger says New Zealand farmers deserve clarity and transparency from the Government on its plans to trace and eradicate the disease.

“Farmers are already dealing with challenging conditions, given the worsening droughts in many of our regions, and now the uncertainty about the Government’s plans to contain Mycoplasma bovis is adding unfair stress to the rural sector.”

Kuriger says farmers deserve to know what plans are in place to contain the spread.

“The minister needs to be more open with the information he has received.”

More like this

Bikinis in cowshed

OPINION: An animal activist organisation is calling for an investigation into the use of dairy cows in sexuallly explicit content posted on social media and adult entertainment subscription site OnlyFans.

Editorial: Agri's mojo is back

OPINION: Good times are coming back for the primary industries. From sentiment expressed at Fieldays to the latest rural confidence survey results, all indicate farmer confidence at a near-record high.

Featured

Big return on a small investment

Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.

Editorial: Sensible move

OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Overbearing?

OPINION: Dust ups between rural media and PR types aren't unheard of but also aren't common, given part of the…

Foot-in-mouth

OPINION: The Hound hears from his canine pals in Southland that an individual's derogatory remarks on social media have left…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter