NEWS
ANIMAL HEALTH
AGRIBUSINESS
Arable farmer’s concern over grain drain. PAGE 10
Monthly dog dosing will close measles gap. PAGE 20
Bank survey shows confidence re-emerges in the primary sector PAGE 18
TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS JUNE 30, 2020: ISSUE 704
www.ruralnews.co.nz
Farmers up game
SPEAKING OUT PETER BURKE
SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
A WAIKATO environmentalist who led a public campaign against poor winter grazing practices on Southland farms says farmers are making improvements.
Angus Robson, who recently visited Southland farms “just for a look”, is happy with progress being made. He told Rural News that following the public campaign farmers are looking at winter grazing “with a new set of eyes”. “Lots of things have improved…
it is a journey and we expect more improvements this season,” he says. Last year’s campaign highlighted cows in knee-deep mud while feeding on winter crops, fodder beet and kale. The campaign included drone footage. Environment Southland, which launched its first surveillance flight
over Southland farms this month, is also reporting improved winter grazing practices. Environment Southland chief executive Rob Phillips says early observations from the preliminary flight suggest a better uptake of good TO PAGE 3
Cutting edge FTA? Britain’s High Commissioner to NZ, Laura Clarke has got high expectations for a successful free trade agreement between the UK and NZ. Negotiations start next month and Clarke says the UK, like NZ, is very supportive of free trade and is looking for an ‘ambitious FTA’. “This is an opportunity to set the tone for our trade policy and to do an FTA that brings benefits right across society.” Clarke says the negotiations marks the start of a really important new phase in the relationship between the two countries. See more page 4
peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
THE REASON the red meat sector has published an election manifesto is all about making sure that decision makers – especially those in government – have a complete understanding of the sector. Beef+Lamb NZ chair Andrew Morrison says sometimes people take the industry for granted and don’t realise how significant its contribution is to New Zealand’s local and export economy. The manifesto, which has been put together jointly by B+LNZ and the Meat Industry Association, is designed to show the extent of the industry from behind the farm gate through to the processing and exporting business. Morrison says the industry is a “quiet achiever” and may be sometimes seen “as a bunch of people in homespun jerseys with some barking dogs”. However, he says, in reality the red meat sector is a finely tuned, successful business. “When you look at the productivity gains the sector has made, the market diversification, the training we offer and the number of people employed in the sector, it is important that we draw this to people’s attention,” Morrison told Rural News. “It is also important to remind people that the ag sector, as a whole, accounts for 66% of NZ’s export revenues. Sometimes people kind of forget that so it’s good to remind them.” he says. See story page 17
If you’re looking at your options for a new milking system, the first step is deciding which of the many options will deliver the best results for you. We honestly believe that the best place to start that conversation is with us, after all – we are the only company who manufacture all the different systems as well as the recording, reporting and farm management solutions that make them work harder. That means we will recommend the system that is right for you, not the system that is right for us.
B&DEL0342
To find out more, either talk to your trusted DeLaval representative or for more information, visit us at www.delaval.com
delaval.com