Insurance Update: The cost and claims of climate change
Climate change presents a wholly different and more persistent challenge for the insurance sector and its customers than the recent pandemic, supply chain issues and inflation.
RURAL INSURANCE company FMG has awarded 15 prizes to farmers as part of its milk quality awareness campaign.
Five dairy farmers won on-farm consultations with QCONZ (Quality Consultants New Zealand), which included analysis of cow flow and milking processes. Ten other dairy farmers won COWaPATCHe sticker dispenser kits to help track, manage and record critical dairy herd data.
The competition was part of FMG’s risk awareness campaign to prevent milk contamination. FMG’s statistics show clients annually make at least 900 milk contamination claims totaling $2.2m. Nearly half arise from milk contamination by antibiotics and 30% from plant failure.
FMG’s general manager of advice and insurance, Conrad Wilkshire, says milk contamination is a prominent issue in the dairy industry
“When things go wrong for our clients, we’re here to help them, but contaminated milk can still cost farmers a lot in lost productivity, penalties and lost export income.
“We like to take a proactive approach and help to manage clients’ risks. This competition was a great way to highlight the risks involved in milk production and reward our clients with prizes that continue to help ensure the highest milk quality with minimal interruption to their dairy operations.”
Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.