Cleland named OSPRI chair
Southland farmer and director Tony Cleland has been named OSPRI New Zealand’s new chair.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) has been elected to the Board of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) for a two-year term commencing November 2023.
The GRSB is a global initiative developed to advance continuous improvement in the sustainability of the global beef value chain through leadership, science, engagement, and collaboration.
Members of the GRSB come from more than 24 countries and include producer organisations, processors, retailers, national roundtables, and NGOs.
B+LNZ chief executive Sam McIvor says being elected to the GSRB Board is an acknowledgement of the hard work New Zealand sheep and beef farmers have undertaken to enhance on-farm sustainability.
“New Zealand is recognized as an international leader in this regard and our involvement with the GRSB offers an opportunity to continue working with others to tackle the challenges faced by global beef farmers,” McIvor says.
“The GRSB allows B+LNZ to influence global discussions and policies that will benefit New Zealand sheep and beef farmers.”
He says that advocating through the GRSB Board position provides greater weight to B+LNZ’s advocacy efforts than if the organization was to act independently.
“For instance, B+LNZ is working with the GRSB and other organisations at COP28 this year to promote the use of a warming approach to agricultural methane emissions,” McIvor explains.
“We see the recognition of appropriate metrics as a key issue for all beef farmers and New Zealand is recognized as being at the forefront of this issue,” he says.
B+LNZ also sits on the board of the New Zealand Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (NZRSB).
Federated Farmers says almost 2000 farmers have signed a petition launched this month to urge the Government to step in and provide certainty while the badly broken resource consent system is fixed.
Zespri’s counter-seasonal Zespri Global Supply (ZGS) programme is underway with approximately 33 million trays, or 118,800 tonnes, expected this year from orchards throughout France, Italy, Greece, Korea, and Japan.
Animal owners can help protect life-saving antibiotics from resistant bacteria by keeping their animals healthy, says the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
According to analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA), New Zealand red meat exports reached $827 million in October, a 27% increase on the same period last year.
The black and white coat of Holstein- Friesian cows is globally recognised as a symbol of dairy farming and a defining trait of domestic cattle. But until recently, scientists didn’t know which genes were responsible for the Holstein’s spots.
According to the New Zealand Dairy Statistics 2024/25 report, New Zealand dairy farmers are achieving more with fewer cows.

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