Chris Lewis ready for another term
After serving three as a DairyNZ director, Waikato farmer Chris Lewis is ready for another term.
New Zealand farmers are being urged to carry on producing food while respecting coronavirus guidelines issued by the Government.
Federated Farmers dairy chairman Chris Lewis says farming is classified as an essential service, so is milk and meat processing.
Lewis says that meat and dairy companies will continue to operate as the country moves into the highest level of alert for coronavirus from midnight Wednesday.
Lewis says the message to farmers is to carry on producing food while respecting the guidelines.
“We are good at producing food and the world needs food.”
Lewis says farmers are being urged to keep reasonable distance from visitors and avoid face-to-face interaction.
“Farmers will get tanker drivers, vets and technicians coming up their driveways.
“As farmers working alone, we sometimes crave for interaction with people but this is a serious situation and we must respect the guidelines issued by the PM.”
The Government has lifted coronavirus alert to Level 3 and is moving to Level 4 in 48 hours.
Lewis says the Prime Minister has spoken to Feds president Katie Milne.
He said all farmer organisatons- DairyNZ, Feds, DCANZ, MIA, Beef and Lamb NZ and meat and dairy processors are working hard to keep farmers informed.
“These are trying times; most people are working from home but there is a lot of hard work underway to keep farmers in the loop.”
“We are all in this together; let’s keep in touch by phone, text, email and social media with each other.”
All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.
Claims that some Southland farmers were invoiced up to $4000 for winter grazing compliance checks despite not breaching rules are being rejected by Environment Southland.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.
From 1 October, new livestock movement restrictions will be introduced in parts of Central Otago dealing with infected possums spreading bovine TB to livestock.
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
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