New field book helps identify common pests, diseases
A booklet produced in 2025 by the Rotoiti 15 trust, Department of Conservation and Scion – now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – aims to help people identify insect pests and diseases.
With the closure of saleyards under Alert 4, New Zealand’s virtual saleyard bidr says it will be an essential tool for the trading of livestock during lockdown.
MPI and MBIE have acknowledged the benefits of the online platform for the trading of livestock during the process of registering PGG Wrightson (“PGW”) as an essential service.
PGW – bidr is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGW – has agreed with MPI and MBIE to continue to support the accreditation of other livestock agencies during the COVID-19 lock down period to facilitate the essential trading of livestock.
Carrfields Livestock Limited has been accredited to the bidr platform.
Donald Baines, Carrfields’ general manager – livestock says the suspension of saleyard operations requires the industry to think laterally and the online auction platform will be an essential tool for the accredited companies to continue to market livestock to the wider industry.
In order to support farmers with essential livestock trades, stock agents who have been unable to complete bidr’s assessor accreditation process, due to the Level 4 COVID-19 restrictions, will be able to list livestock – with the acknowledgement that “the lot has not been assessed by a bidr accredited assessor.”
Agents will continue to stand behind their listings and represent their vendor in the transaction. When normal livestock trading conditions resume, agents will be required to participate in bidr’s assessor accreditation process.
Dairy prices have jumped in the overnight Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction, breaking a five-month negative streak.
Alliance Group chief executive Willie Wiese is leaving the company after three years in the role.
A booklet produced in 2025 by the Rotoiti 15 trust, Department of Conservation and Scion – now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – aims to help people identify insect pests and diseases.
A Taranaki farmer and livestock agent who illegally swapped NAIT tags from cows infected with a bovine disease in an attempt to sell the cows has been fined $15,000.
Bill and Michelle Burgess had an eye-opening realisation when they produced the same with fewer cows.
It was love that first led Leah Prankerd to dairying. Decades later, it's her passion for the industry keeping her there, supporting, and inspiring farmers across the region.

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