Crazy
OPINION: Your canine crusader was truly impressed by the almost unanimous support given by politicians of all stripes in Parliament to the recent passing of legislation for the NZ/EU free trade deal.
A total of 34 graduate vets will be placed in rural areas this year, from Northland to Southland, through the Government's Voluntary Bonding Scheme for Veterinarians (VBS).
The successful recipients will each receive funding of $55,000 over five years, in a bid to help ease the shortage of vets working with production animals in the regions.
"It's well known that there's a real need for vets, especially in rural areas," Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor says.
"Since it began 12 years ago, the Voluntary Bonding Scheme for Veterinarians has made a big difference in attracting and retaining graduate vets to rural communities that can be challenging to recruit staff to.
O'Connor syas the scheme supports New Zealand to maintain its world-class standards in biosecurity, animal welfare and food safety.
"Through this funding, we aim to ensure we have the best care for production animals and working dogs across the country."
Since 2009 when the VBS programme began, 384 graduate vets have been funded to start their careers working with production animals in rural practice.
"The scheme sits alongside other programmes we're investing in to address skills challenges in rural New Zealand," O'Connor adds.
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says the Government is always working to ensure that our food exporters are treated fairly under trade agreements signed with other countries.
Coronet Peak, Queenstown, was the venue for the 2024 NZ Dairy Industry Awards.
AgriZeroNZ, the joint venture (JV) fast-tracking emissions reduction tools for Kiwi farmers, is looking to speed up delivery of a methane vaccine with a $10m investment in US ag-biotech start-up, ArkeaBio.
The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) has found itself in a stoush with NZPork over the controversial National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL).
Fonterra says the sale of its global consumer business and its Oceania and Sri Lankan operations could take 18 months to complete.
The lobby group the Methane Science Accord (MSA) says it welcomes a recent government move to seek outside advice on reducing biological methane targets, rather than relying on recommendations made by the Climate Change Commission.