Farm Safety Improves Through 'Incremental Gain', Says Birkett
Improving health and safety is about incremental gain rather than a sudden decision, says Leeston farmer and Federated Farmers health and safety spokesman David Birkett.
OPINION: This old mutt is never surprised by the stupidity of local councils and their bylaws.
However, he reckons a proposed bylaw in Tasman District Council surely takes the cake.
The TDC's proposed law will require farmers to hold sheep 50m back from a road while shifting stock until all cars have driven past!
Are they serious?
Surely not even the most officious of pen pushing bureaucrats thinks a law such as this is remotely sensible?
As Federated Farmers Nelson Provincial president Stephen Todd says, it could end up being an "unworkable joke".
Your old mate suggests with council elections coming up in October, perhaps the good citizens of Tasman District send their councillors a strong message and vote them out of office if this ridiculous rule comes into law!
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has admitted that a scheme bringing workers from Pacific nations to work on orchards has become too hard to navigate but says changes are coming.
A new app designed in New Zealand aims to help sheep, beef and deer farmers capture, analyse and use body condition score data more effectively.
Canterbury farmer Andy Macfarlane has been appointed to the board of AgriZeroNZ, the public-private partnership designed to accelerate the development and deployment of emissions reduction tools for New Zealand farmers.
For over 50 years Mel Ewers has been supporting the apple sector navigate through compliance and quality assurance issues.
The apple sector is enjoying a bumper harvest season.
Growers and farmers are being encouraged to have an important conversation before the coming season starts: how to prolong the effectiveness of the crop protection tools they rely on.

A fair question has been raised about how member-funded organisations should conduct themselves when taking a public position on any…
OPINION: It really is getting harder to lampoon government bureaucrats when they do such a good job of it themselves.…