RWNZ chief executive to step down
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) chief executive Gabrielle O’Brien will step down at the end of June.
Pig farmers want the Government to allow independent butchers to resume trading immediately and help avoid an animal welfare crisis on farms.
All independent butchers across the country have been classified as non-essential businesses and been forced to close as part of COVID-19 Level 4 lockdown.
NZ Pork chief executive David Baines says the Government’s decision to exclude independent butchers from the essential business list will cause an animal welfare crisis in the New Zealand pork sector.
It says the pork sector will end up not having a place to house up to 5,000 surplus pigs on farm every week.
“By not being able to sell fresh carcass pigs to the independent butchers and other segments, we will be faced with a significant animal welfare issue,” says Baines.
“It’s very simple. There is no capacity to hold surplus pigs on farm. Commercial farms typically supply pigs to market on a weekly basis and do not carry spare holding capacity. Overcrowding of pigs in pens would quickly constitute a significant welfare issue under the animal welfare code.
“Wholesalers do not have the capacity to process and freeze the surplus volumes. Freezing carcasses is also not a complete option to the surplus volume, due to the limited blast freezer and storage capacity.”
NZ Pork has been in talks with Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) about the situation.
Baines says it has been advised that O’Connor is seriously considering the issue.
“MPI clearly understands the urgency and importance of the issue, but we need a decision from the Government now.”
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.
New Zealand farmers are committed to making their businesses more resilient to climate change and are embracing innovation to help them do so.
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