increase font size
Mid-Canterbury Federated Farmers dairy chair Chris Ford.
Farmers affected by Mycoplasma bovis need help and support, but MPI treats them as guilty parties, claims Mid-Canterbury Federated Farmers dairy chair Chris Ford.
“People are truly unaware outside of our region what is actually happening in Ashburton and Mid-Canterbury.”
Ford called it “embarrassing” for MPI that it announced a surge in the eradication programme -- expected to bring a sudden rise in the number of farms under formal suspicion -- when stock was already starting to move for winter.
He says with about 1100 farms expected to be canvassed in the surge and MPI able to do only 80 to 90 calls a week, the process will take until July by which time there would be one million cow movements.
Ford has declined to be part of a new group, co-ordinated by Ashburton District Mayor Donna Favel, which aims to support Mid-Canterbury farmers caught up in the outbreak.
Although there are other Feds representatives in the group, Ford says he would not sign a confidentiality agreement required by MPI.
“I can’t advocate for my farmers if I’m under confidentiality and privacy.”
Favel says the surge announcement, just before Easter, gave rise to “concern and speculation” over the Easter break. She was surprised that it had not been disclosed during MPI’s roadshow meetings in the previous few weeks.
Her group includes representatives from MPI, DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust, Vet Ent and the Canterbury District Health Board.
Favel says its aim is to help facilitate discussions between MPI and relevant organisations “to ensure information is consistently shared in a timely and targeted manner with the district’s farming community”.
“M. bovis has inflicted a great deal of stress and uncertainty on our people and we each recognised that something more needed to be done to help support our farmers during this time of need.”
The district is the worst affected in the country, said Favel. Those around the table seek to better understand the district’s preparedness and understand the implications to farmers, service providers, stock and the community.
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.
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.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
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.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.
