Displaying items by tag: Biosecurity

OPINION: It's a tough pill to swallow that bird flu (avian influenza) has finally arrived in New Zealand. This is a moment many of us have hoped would never come.

New Zealanders are being urged to be alert following a confirmed positive case of H5 bird flu this week.

OPINION: It's no surprise that "world-class biosecurity" continues to dominate as the top priority for agribusiness leaders, holding the number one spot for the 16th consecutive year in KPMG's latest agribusiness report.

OPINION: Good governance is critical to the primary sector. Whether it is a rural business, a levy-payer organisation or a research body, we need a pipeline of capable directors with a passion for, and knowledge of, the sector.

Don’t worry about it but just be aware - that’s the message from Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director-general Ray Smith as the H5N1 strain of bird flu is found in Australia.

Environment Southland is calling on residents to be vigilant and check their properties after a new Old Man's Beard site was discovered near Dipton.

Classified as an unwanted organism under the Biosecurity Act, the invasive weed velvetleaf can be resistant to many herbicides, making it difficult to control, while statistics note it has the potential to reduce yields by up to 70%.

According to new research, industry leaders have ranked world-class biodiversity as the number one priority for the 16th year in a row.

The year was marked by “progress, collaboration and reflection” in biosecurity, says New Zealand Winegrowers Biosecurity Advisor Jim Herdman.

OPINION: MPI's response to the yellow-legged hornet has received a mixed report card from New Zealand Beekeeping Inc (NZBI), with praise for the Ministry's expansion of response funding and front-line efforts in Auckland, but a sting in the tail - criticising MPI for not focusing enough on regions outside the big smoke.