Salmonellosis Surge: MPI reports rising cases in New Zealand cattle
Salmonellosis is a serious disease in cattle.
Associate Agriculture Minister Meka Whaitiri says new Government funding will help women pave the way to farming for the future.
She says the Government has committed $473,261 over two years through the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI’s) Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund to “enable and empower women working in the dairy sector”.
“Supporting these women to reach their farming leadership potential will deliver long lasting economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits to New Zealand,” says Whaitiri.
“This programme aims to create more value, develop new practices and support our extremely capable rural women into the future, it will also ensure diversity in the primary sector leadership of Aotearoa NZ which I welcome.”
The funding will support the Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) to leading the Farming for the Future Leader’s Programme, which will pilot a programme of wrap-around services for women.
These services include the development of training content and a central knowledge hub, as well as coaching to support female business group leaders in the dairy sector.
The programme will support DWN members to innovate and implement solutions to problems shared by their farm businesses. They will be able to share their knowledge with their wider communities and with DWN’s 11,000 members.
“The members of the programme will create a positive impact that is far reaching, by providing channels to share solutions and innovations with their businesses, partners, farm teams, neighbours and communities,” Whaitiri says.
She says the Government is committed to working with regional communities to help them reach their economic and social potential.
“These strong social connections and access to tools and support from this programme will help build resilience, both for these women and for their farming businesses,” Whaitiri says.
Federated Farmers says it is cautiously welcoming signals from the Government that a major shake-up of local government is on its way.
Ashburton cropping and dairy farmer Matthew Paton has been elected to the board of rural services company, Ruralco.
The global agricultural landscape has entered a new phase where geopolitics – not only traditional market forces – will dictate agricultural trade flows, prices, and production decisions.
National Lamb Day is set to return in 2026 with organisers saying the celebrations will be bigger than ever.
Fonterra has dropped its forecast milk price mid-point by 50c as a surge in global milk production is putting downward pressure on commodity prices.
The chance of a $10-plus milk price for this season appears to be depleting.

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