increase font size
Federated Farmers spokesperson for pest management Chris Allen.
Federated Farmers fully backs the target to completely eradicate introduced predators from New Zealand by 2050 announced by the government.
The Feds agree with the government that emerging technologies are now making such an ambitious target possible.
This project will require a team effort from scientists, farmers, government, politicians and rural communities.
"Our farmers live and work in our natural environment every day and in that sense are stewards of a significant part of New Zealand's land," says Federated Farmers spokesperson for pest management Chris Allen.
"Farmers already spend a substantial amount of money on pest management. They also pay levies to OSPRI, to control vectors of tuberculosis, such as stoats and possums.
"But while that expenditure has made significant progress it would take billions of dollars to achieve eradication using current technologies."
The government is right that new emerging science has now made a predator free New Zealand possible. Such an achievement will have considerable benefit for conservation and the primary industries.
"Scientists in the Biological Heritage Challenge have an important role to think outside the square and develop new science for this task," says Allen.
This announcement comes only weeks after delegates at the Federated Farmers annual conference, voted in support of researching gene driver technology in the control and eradication of pests.
"Federated Farmers considers that we need access to all the tools in the toolbox by refining our current tools and developing smart new innovative ones if we are to achieve such an important goal.
"We are excited to see New Zealand take on this hugely ambitious project, but we are not yet satisfied that the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge is being adequately funded for the task.
"Federated Farmers want an assurance that the money will be made available to investigate new strategies and technologies," says Allen.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
Federated Farmers says the final report into banking competition is a significant step forward for rural New Zealand - and a vindication of the farming sector's concern.
Farmer lobby group Federated Farmers has announced it is supporting a new Member’s Bill which it says could bring clarity to New Zealand farmers and save millions in legal costs.
Federated Farmers says climate protest group Greenpeace is manufacturing outrage and attempting to scare New Zealanders with headlines that have no basis in science.
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.
DairyNZ says its plantain programme continues to deliver promising results, with new data confirming that modest levels of plantain in pastures reduce nitrogen leaching, offering farmers a practical, science-backed tool to meet environmental goals.
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
Balclutha farmer Renae Martin remembers the moment she fell in love with cows.
Academic freedom is a privilege and it's put at risk when people abuse it.
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.
