Editorial: Farm salaries get a boost
OPINION: The recent Federated Farmers / Rabobank 2024 Farming Salaries Report revealed strong growth in farm salaries over the past two years.
As Biosecurity New Zealand continues to closely monitor the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Indonesia, Federated Farmers is urging holiday makers to also be extremely vigilant.
“Travel restrictions have eased and many families are keen to escape our winter for some sun overseas. But if FMD reached our shores it would be devastating for agriculture and our economy,” Federated Farmers vice-president and biosecurity spokesperson Wayne Langford says.
"The FMD virus can live on footwear for 48 hours. Before returning to New Zealand please, please clean your shoes and jandals, or better still, buy cheap footwear while on holiday and dispose of them before you leave, and abide by the one week stand-down before visiting a farm here."
Indonesia reported two outbreaks of FMD to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on May 9, after being free from it for 30 years.
Bali has approximately 16 million cattle, and now over 20,000 animals have been infected in 16 provinces on four islands – Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan and Lombok.
FMD is also present in Malaysia and China.
“New Zealand has no direct flights to Bali, but MPI advises to not let overseas visitors near stock for a week after they were last near animals or infected places overseas.”
Frontline staff at our border are paying close attention to goods and any travellers arriving in the country with Indonesia as their point of departure.
“Our biosecurity defenders are doing their bit – we need you to do the same,” Langford says.
“Bring back a tan – not Food and Mouth disease.”
More bull breeders are using genetic tools according to the latest research.
Females are dominating the veterinary profession worldwide and many farmers are welcoming this change in the composition of the profession, says Britain's Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) Professor Christine Middlemiss.
A five-year randomised survey of herbicide resistance on New Zealand arable farms has found widespread high levels of resistance - with 71% of farms affected in the worst-hit region - South Canterbury.
OPINION: The recent Federated Farmers / Rabobank 2024 Farming Salaries Report revealed strong growth in farm salaries over the past two years.
The low unemployment environment is one of the key factors driving on-farm salaries higher over the past 24 months, says Rabobank general manager for country banking Bruce Weir.
Fonterra has appointed a new chief financial officer, seven months after its last CFO’s shock resignation.
OPINION: This old mutt well remembers the wailing, whining and gnashing of teeth by former West Coast MP and Labour…
OPINION: Your canine crusader gets a little fed up with the some in media, union hacks, opposition politicians and hard-core…