M.I.A.
OPINION: The previous government spent too much during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite warnings from officials, according to a briefing released by the Treasury.
A host of new animal welfare regulations have been approved by the Government following delays due to COVID-19.
The new regulations relate to a wide variety of animals and procedures, and clarify who can perform significant surgical procedures on animals and in what circumstances.
The regulations will become law in August 2020. However, to provide time for people to understand their new obligations, the vast majority will have a delayed commencement and come into force on 9 May 2021.
"The majority of the regulations reflect current practice, but some raise the standards under which procedures can be performed. For example, some regulations, such as freeze branding dogs, require that pain relief be provided to the animal throughout the procedure," says Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) veterinarian and director for animal health and welfare Dr Chris Rodwell.
Most of the regulations have prosecutable offences which could result in fines and criminal convictions. Others are infringement offences, with a penalty fee attached.
"In all cases where there is a severe impact on an animal, a prosecution would be taken directly under the Animal Welfare Act, which has heftier penalties," says Rodwell.
Phoebe Scherer, a technical manager from the Bay of Plenty, has won the 2025 Young Grower of the Year national title.
The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards, providing the opportunity to honour both rising talent and industry stalwarts.
Award-winning boutique cheese company, Cranky Goat Ltd has gone into voluntary liquidation.
As an independent review of the National Pest Management Plan for TB finds the goal of complete eradication by 2055 is still valide, feedback is being sought on how to finish the job.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand has launched an AI-powered digital assistant to help farmers using the B+LNZ Knowledge Hub to create tailored answers and resources for their farming businesses.
A tiny organism from the arid mountains of mainland Greece is facilitating a new way of growing healthier animals on farms across New Zealand.
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