Campaign Urges Growers to Plan Ahead on Resistance
Growers and farmers are being encouraged to have an important conversation before the coming season starts: how to prolong the effectiveness of the crop protection tools they rely on.
Pukekohe vegetable growers are adapting quickly to the new COVID-19 restrictions, says Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association president Kylie Faulkner.
“Some of the ruling looked impossible to start with – like the 2m distancing. But with a bit of Kiwi ingenuity we are overcoming it,” she says.
“Members were overwhelmed to start with but are adapting quickly.”
Vegetable growers are considered “essential services” by the Government and allowed to operate under the Level Four Alert lockdown.
Faulkner says it’s too early to say how the lockdown will affect vegetable supply.
“I believe there is going to be less pressure on green vegetables due to the independent fruit and vege shops being closed.
“However, it all depends on individual businesses and their capabilities with staff and other things over these times – that is, some may lose staff due to having to look after children at home.”
Oamaru-based livestock handling specialist Te Pari has bought Combi Clamp, the New Zealand manufacturer of Combi Clamp manual sheep handlers.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has admitted that a scheme bringing workers from Pacific nations to work on orchards has become too hard to navigate but says changes are coming.
A new app designed in New Zealand aims to help sheep, beef and deer farmers capture, analyse and use body condition score data more effectively.
Canterbury farmer Andy Macfarlane has been appointed to the board of AgriZeroNZ, the public-private partnership designed to accelerate the development and deployment of emissions reduction tools for New Zealand farmers.
For over 50 years Mel Ewers has been supporting the apple sector navigate through compliance and quality assurance issues.
The apple sector is enjoying a bumper harvest season.