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Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive Alan Thomson.
A hub farm in each of Beef + Lamb NZ’s seven regions and more focus groups are being rolled out for the red meat sector this year.
This is part of B+LNZ’s refreshed strategy, where it is lifting investment into their extension programme and putting more boots on the ground to help and guide farmers.
B+LNZ chief executive Alan Thomson told the organisation’s annual meeting in Rotorua today that the biggest changes under their refreshed strategy are in the extension area.
“What we heard from farmers during the strategy review is you wanted more boots on the ground helping farmers.
“In the last year we have been focused on recruiting great people to deliver the focus groups and hub farm programmes.
“Focus groups are small group learning initiatives that focus on a specific area of on-farm business or performance.
“All the research shows that these kinds of learning environments drive the most change on farm.”
Thomson says they have begun rolling out focus groups in all the regions.
By contrast, a hub farm showcases real-time farm business changes from implementing a change on the farm.
He adds that the aim over the coming year will be to set one hub farm up in each region.
“For both the focus groups and hub farms farmer council input has been critical and I’d like to sincerely thank them for their important work.”
Lambs that have had a tough start to life are obvious at docking/tailing as scrawny little critters with a potty tummy and no fat on their backs - hence the term 'poddy'. Ginny Dodunski, Beef + Lamb NZ Wormwise programme manager, outlines the best way to deal with these lambs so they can perform to their full potential.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling for nominations for director roles in the Eastern North Island and Southern South Island electoral districts.
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This is the third in a series of articles from Beef + Lamb New Zealand's Informing New Zealand Beef programme. The seven-year INZB partnership, supported by Beef+Lamb New Zealand and the Ministry for Primary Industries' Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund, aims to boost the sector's profits by $460m.
Virtual fencing and herding systems supplier, Halter is welcoming a decision by the Victorian Government to allow farmers in the state to use the technology.
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Farmers appear to be cautiously welcoming the Government’s plan to reform local government, according to Ag First chief executive, James Allen.
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