Overseas competitors approve feed additive
Authorities in both the United Kingdom and Canada have now approved the use of methane-reducing feed additive Bovaer.
Global animal health company DSM says it has a product that can help reduce emissions from cows by up to 30% but surprisingly the Government is not keen.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says the product “needs to be fed with every mouthful of feed so there’s no guarantee we can use it in NZ farming systems”.
But DSM says that’s false. It blames MPI for feeding the wrong information to the minister.
Milking It also believes DSM had been trying to contact him directly for a year or so to brief him on the product, called 3-NOP.
Someone is well behind the eight ball on this.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.