Dairy farmers are being asked to approve a levy of up to 3.9 cents/kgMS over the next two seasons to pay their share of the Mycoplasma bovis eradication effort.

The Mycoplasma bovis outbreak has imposed a human cost on the farmers affected and a ripple effect into their wider communities.

A group of sheep breeders are calling on MPI to reverse the 2016 relaxation of the rules on importation of sheep and goat germplasm.

Dairy farmers are being strongly encouraged to give their feedback on how the sector will pay its share of the Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) response programme.

Federated Farmers last month issued an advisory on Mycloplasma bovis to all members. Here are excerpts:

The emotional, social and psychological impacts of Mycoplasma bovis on southern farmers and farming communities will be studied by the University of Otago.

DairyNZ's chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says the dairy industry faces ongoing challenges this year.

A report due to be officially released in a few weeks from MPI’s Mycoplasma bovis technical advisory group (TAG) is expected to confirm the TAG’s optimism that the disease can be eradicated.

Farmers, especially in the South Island, are being reminded that while Mycoplasma bovis has captured headlines, TB is a continuing problem in small pockets of the country.

A large calf rearer bought an $80,000 pasteurisation unit this year to protect his business from Mycoplasma bovis.