Cool Beef: NZ's New Programme to Cut Cattle Methane
Beef+Lamb New Zealand and the Ag Emissions Centre have launched a new research project aimed at helping beef farmers reduce methane emissions without impacting productivity or profitability.
State farmer Pāmu has announced two new appointments to governance roles.
Libby Tosswill has been announced as Pāmu’s associate director and an observer on its board.
Tosswill has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Otago and a financial markets background both in New Zealand and internationally.
Since, 2010 she and her husband Ben have been farming near Pōrangahau on Birch Hill Station, a 1,300ha sheep and farm with production forestry, 350ha of native bush, including a mainland long-tailed bat colony.
Libby joined Pāmu in time for its February board and sub-committee meetings. The team farewelled Bridget Giesen who has been in the associate director role for the past 12 months at its March meeting in Dunedin this week.
The state-owned enterprise has also announced that international food marketer Jillian Laing has been appointed to the board of Spring Sheep Milk Co, a public-private partnership jointly owned by Pāmu and SLC Group.
Pāmu chief executive Mark Leslie says Laing brings expertise in marketing and sales, a global lens and connections, and commerciality in the demand generation space.
“She has been the CEO of a tech start-up and had extensive experience in global sales and marketing while she was at Fonterra,” Leslie says. “Now in her role with the World Macadamia Organisation, she is across consumer trends and customer insights globally. Jillian brings a new perspective, and we are excited to welcome her into the fold.”
Pāmu board chair Warren Parker says the company has a focus on increasing agri-sector leadership opportunities for women and Māori.
“Growing directors for the future is a great way to ensure continuity and development opportunities for the benefit of both individuals and the wider primary sector,” he says. “These sorts of initiatives provide those with governance potential and ambition, the opportunity to participate on a board.”
“It also provides boards with exposure to diverse talent, ideas, and experiences. I’d like to acknowledge respected industry leader Peter McClure’s contribution in the selection process of Jillian who will help to strengthen our appreciation of export marketing and sales skills especially into Asia.”
Four years since it was first detected in New Zealand, researchers and growers now know much more about management of maize pest fall armyworm (FAW).
The Government has announced it will pause key parts of Waikato Plan Change 1 (PC1) in a decision that is set to give Waikato farmers a reprieve from new consenting and farm-planning requirements while the wider resource management system is overhauled.
OPINION: The time has come for the Government to back the organic sector.
Plan ahead and be patient. That’s the message to farmers and horticulturalists from the chairman of the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association, Kent Weir.
The industry is crying out for graduates with agricultural related degrees.
While GPS and guidance have become the norm and yield mapping and variable application continues to gain traction, most agricultural machinery manufacturers continue to expand their technology offerings, amalgamating the vast amounts of data being collected to streamline real-time and ongoing management decisions.

OPINION: The same mainstream media muppets that brought you Jacindamania in 2017 have been flat out pimping for the Opportunities…
OPINION: Your old mate reckons the atrocious way farmers in the UK are treated by their lords and masters in…