increase font size
Farmers and those in the agri-sector need to have good plans in place for dealing with the ever increasing likelihood of a major community outbreak of Omicron.
OPINION: Benjamin Disraeli once said, "Plan for the worst and hope for the best".
While the 19th century former British Prime Minister could never have known about Covid, his words from the 1800s are as relevant today as they were back in the day.
Farmers and those in the agri-sector need to have good plans in place for dealing with the ever increasing likelihood of a major community outbreak of Omicron.
Already, a pan-primary sector group - which includes Beef+Lamb NZ (BLNZ), DairyNZ, MPI, the deer and pork industries and Federated Farmers - has been preparing advice for farmers to deal with this contingency.
All of these organisations have advice on their respective websites aimed at making it easy for those in the primary sector to plan for such an outbreak.
There are also copies of this information in vet clinics and rural supply stores.
"It's all about how to keep you and your farm safe from Covid and, if by chance, you or someone on your farm tests positive and has to go to hospital or into isolation," says BLNZ's Will Halliday.
Have a written and readily available plan in place to get through this period before something happens. It is also important that farmers have an arrangement with someone - or a number of people - who might be able to help, as well as having a check list and detailed plan of what to do on the farm to keep it running.
Meanwhile, the country's major meat processors say they are well down the road in planning how to mitigate the outbreak's impact.
The meat sector is already seriously short staffed; any outbreak of Omicron - and any resulting staff absenteeism - would have a major impact on its ability to process animals, fill all important export orders and on its revenue. The dairy processing and manufacturing industry would face similar challenges.
The meat and dairy processing sectors network of processing facilities does provide the option to move animals and milk between plants if Omicron moves around the country.
Previous Covid outbreaks and lockdowns have proven just how vital the agri-sector is to NZ's economy. Those in the sector need to take Disraeli's words to heart and - if they have not already - get planning.
DairyNZ has pulled together tactics that will help farmers improve on-farm efficiency and have positive benefits for the environment. These tactics are based on research, data, and lessons from leading farmers.
The design and construction of an effective dairy effluent system is a complex process.
After serving three as a DairyNZ director, Waikato farmer Chris Lewis is ready for another term.
DairyNZ has announced the date for its six-yearly Milksolids Levy vote, which will take place from Monday, 16 February to Friday, 13 March 2026.
OPINION: The previous government spent too much during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite warnings from officials, according to a briefing released by the Treasury.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.
