Plant-based bubble bursts
OPINION: Talking about plant-based food: “Chicken-free chicken” start-up Sunfed has had its valuation slashed to zero by major investor Blackbird Ventures, and its products are no longer available in supermarkets.
There may soon be another tool available to cut your climate footprint - select less-gassy bulls out of a catalogue.
The quantity of the greenhouse gas methane breathed out by young bulls is currently being measured by machines. It's hoped the least-gassy males will sire less-gassy daughters, which could significantly reduce farming emissions.
Experts estimate that by breeding lower-methane bulls and cows with each other throughout a 10-year programme, they could reduce an individual cow's methane emissions by up to 10%.
Breeding companies LIC and CRV Ambreed have paired up to achieve the goal. From this month, the two groups will monitor the methane emitted by 300 bulls, to be kept in special testing pens with seven to nine others. To measure methane, bulls need to regularly stick their heads into a monitoring machine.
Solutions won't come as quickly as James Shaw might like, but they are being worked on.
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.
Two major red meat sector projects are getting up to a combined $1.7 million in funding from the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
Angus Barr and Tara Dwyer of The Wandle, Lone Star Farms in Strath Taieri have been named the Regional Supreme Winners at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Dunedin.
OPINION: The distress that the politicians and bureaucrats are causing to the people of Wairoa and the wider Tairāwhiti is unforgivable.
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.