MANAGEMENT
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
Biocontrol options explored for nassella tussock. PAGE 23
A trailer for every situation.
NEWS Mission completed – David Carter bows out of politics. PAGE 9
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TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS FEBRUARY 25, 2020: ISSUE 695
www.ruralnews.co.nz
NZ to bend on GIs PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
THE EUROPEAN Union wants New Zealand to bring in a much stricter set of rules for Geographical Indicators (GIs) on food, says an intellectual property (IP) expert. We already have some strict regulations applying to wines and spirits – the EU also wants food under a tougher regime.
It wants us, as part of free trade negotiations, to change our IP laws to be more in line with their position, says Jonas Holland, a senior intellectual property adviser with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat). “The Europeans are asking for quite a lot more prescription.” Realistically New Zealand is likely to concede and bring some form of GI restrictions on food, he says. But what form that takes is up for discussion and
negotiation. Geographical indications (GIs) are usually names that identify that a product comes from a particular area. They indicate that a product has a given quality, reputation or other characteristic that is strongly associated to that area. The EU has put forward 2200 names of GIs registered in Europe that they want us to register or protect here. These include names like
Learning from the best A pair of visiting British fencing contractors will take home happy memories, despite being outclassed in the fencing competition at the 2020 Southern Field Days at Waimumu. Peter Redgwell and James Corbett had been on a threeweek tour through New Zealand, visiting fencing contractors, suppliers and factories. The tour was organised by Debbie White, of Revolution Postdrivers, who was also the organiser of the fencing event on behalf of New Zealand Fencing Competitions. “She suggested having a crack and we thought: ‘We’re over here, why not?’” said Regdwell. In a field of ten teams, all the rest being from the south of the South Island, the Britons were among the last to finish their tasks. The pair conceded that they struggled through “all the proper little finishing touches.” At home, their work mostly involves post and rail, and horse and deer netting. But they say they’ll be taking home some new techniques and pointers. Redgwell says that at home, they looked to New Zealand as the forefront of fencing. • See more coverage of the Southern Field Days in this issue
champagne, feta cheese and Prosecco. Broad discussion has already been held on these. But what is now up for discussion is the text of rules the EU has proposed. Holland says we have legislation in relation to wines and spirits including trademarks and the Fair Trade Action. “If someone was making wine in the Levin and put Central Otago on it and sold it you don’t need a GI regime TO PAGE 5
HB TB FLARE-UP MORE THAN 43,000 animals have been tested to date as Ospri deals with a bovine tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in the Hawke’s Bay. As at February 18, seven beef herd and one dairy herd were infected: one herd was cleared and 14 herds were under investigation. TB has been detected in 29 animals. DNA strain-typing indicates the source of infection is from wildlife. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor was told by Ospri that the outbreak resulted from the failure of a buffer zone on the edges of the existing movement control area. “I’ve asked them to look at all the buffer zones in place right across New Zealand to ensure this won’t happen again,” O’Connor says. Ospri chief executive Stephen Stuart says identification of disease is the TBfree programme in action. “We will manage this cluster of infection and return Hawke’s Bay to TB-free status. This week, Ospri is holding farmer meetings to update where things are at: farmers will also learn about possum control, movement control areas and getting help with NAIT. O’Connor says the latest outbreak is disappointing. “Flare ups have occurred from time to time and should not undermine the long term target of eradication across all New Zealand.” @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
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