Save us from SAFE
OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.
An animal rights group is incensed by the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) decision to hire a new animal export manager.
A listing for the job, which was uploaded on 30 November, comes amid a review of live exports that was announced by the Government back in June 2019.
SAFE campaign manager Bianka Atlas says her organisation is concerned because a policy review is still ongoing.
“The ministry is operating as if they already know what the outcome of the review is,” she claims.
Atlas says that while the Prime Minister has expressed concerns about live export, “all the signals her Government and MPI are sending suggest this is a trade that will continue.”
However, MPI veterinarian and director of animal health and welfare Dr Chris Rodwell told Rural News the advertised position is filling a vacant role.
The advertisement refers to a ‘period of growth’, which SAFE claims will mean a continuation of live exports.
Rodwell says the ad refers to the need to deliver on additional conditions and requirements set out in the Heron Review. This was released in October this year, following the tragic loss of 42 people and thousands of cattle with the sinking of the Gulf Livestock 1 off the coast of Japan in September.
Rodwell says that live export not only refers to the transporting of cattle by sea.
“New Zealand exports a range of live animals, mainly via air to support developing countries including our Pacific neighbours.”
Rodwell adds that MPI’s advice for the wider policy review of live animal exports is still being finalised.
“The results of the Heron review will feed into that advice,” he says.
Once complete, it will be then be provided to ministers and cabinet to make a decision.
An independent report, prepared for Alliance farmer shareholders is backing the proposed $250 million joint venture investment by Irish company Dawn Meats Group.
Whangarei field service technician, Bryce Dickson has cemented his place in John Deere’s history, becoming the first ever person to win an award for the third time at the annual Australian and New Zealand Technician of the Year Awards, announced at a gala dinner in Brisbane last night.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.