Honey sector strategy aiming for sweet spot
While confident that the apiculture sector can meet its target of doubling honey exports by 2030, chair of ApicultureNZ, Nathan Guy, says it will be challenging.
AUSTRALIA AND NEW Zealand have agreed to work together to prepare for the unlikely event of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in either country.
Australian Minister for Agriculture, Barnaby Joyce, and New Zealand Minister for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy, met in Melbourne and welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to stress the importance of collaboration in combating the disease and its devastating impacts.
New Zealand Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy says greater collaboration would improve readiness and capacity to cope with an outbreak of FMD or any other significant exotic animal disease.
"We will work together in fields such as sharing intelligence on risk, collaborating on training opportunities, sharing scarce skills in the event of an outbreak and influencing international policy in the area of disease management," he says.
"New Zealand has now joined the well-established Australian FMD training programme in Nepal, which has engaged the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation to provide veterinarians and key livestock industry representatives the opportunity to experience FMD in the field.
"It is well known that an outbreak of FMD would cause significant economic and social damage with the closure of many international markets for animal products and control measures having huge impacts on tourism, food chain businesses, farming families, rural business and communities," Guy says.
Another benefit of the MoU is helping to ensure that an international reserve of veterinary specialists and other skilled personnel can be activated quickly.
New Zealand recently provided veterinary assistance to the successful New South Wales avian influenza eradication effort and continues to observe the Australian FMD simulation—Exercise Odysseus—a series of discussion and field-base exercises being held throughout 2014.
"Exercise simulations and participation in activities also ensures there is a mutual understanding of how systems work in the other country, which means that staff can rapidly integrate into the other country's systems in the event they are needed," Guy says.
Australian Agricultural Minister Joyce says the number one plan and focus of much of their biosecurity efforts is to keep FMD out of Australia and New Zealand. "You can't stick your head in the sand about something this significant —you have to plan for the worst," he says.
"Australia has an internationally recognised capability to deal quickly and effectively with emergency animal disease outbreaks.
"However, an FMD outbreak could have devastating impacts on our valuable livestock industries, exporting capabilities and trading reputation.
"Recent ABARES research found the impact of an FMD outbreak in Australia could cost our economy up to $52 billion over 10 years, therefore we have more than 50 billion reasons to work together to continue Australia's 100 year record of freedom from FMD," Joyce says.
Minister Joyce says working closely together and participating in exercises helped build very useful links between the two countries.
"Australia and New Zealand have a long history of cooperation in areas of mutual interest and preparedness for a significant animal disease outbreak is certainly a worthy area to partner on," Joyce says.
Animal rights organization, SAFE says the government needs to maintain the ban on live exports.
New findings from not-for-profit food supply and distribution organization, the New Zealand Food Network (NZFN) have revealed a 42% increase in demand for food support in 2023 compared to 2022.
New data released by LIC and DairyNZ shows New Zealand dairy farmers have achieved the highest six week in-calf rate and lowest notin- calf rate on record.
Christchurch City Council and the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association (CAPA) have signed an agreement which will open more of Canterbury Agricultural Park for public use while helping to provide long-term certainty for the A&P Show.
This year’s Fieldays will feature a Rural Advocacy Hub - bringing together various rural organisations who are advocating for farmers and championing their interests as one team, under one roof, for the first time.
ASB head of rural banking Aidan Gent is encouraging farmers to speak to their banks when they are struggling.
OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.
OPINION: Your canine crusader is not surprised by the recent news that New Zealand plant-based ‘fake meat’ business is in…