What's going on?
OPINION: On the 2nd of May, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced that the 'government remains on track to ban full farm-to-forestry conversion'.
Animal rights protest group PETA is calling for Agriculture Minister Todd McClay to introduce legislation which would make it mandatory to have live-streaming web cameras in all New Zealand shearing shed.
It follows the release of footage released last week which PETA claims to show shearers on a Lake Hawea farm leased by former American TV show host Matt Lauer kicking and beating sheep.
The organisation claims the farm is part of the New Zealand Merino Company’s (NZM) ZQ Programme. In a statement to media, NZM denied this.
NZM has also announced intentions to investigate PETA’s claims, urging the organisation to provide details about filming locations and the timing of the recordings.
PETA claims the introduction of webcams and livestreaming to shearing sheds would help farm owners hold shearers accountable.
“PETA is calling on the New Zealand government to mandate web cameras inside all of the country's shearing sheds to hold the farms accountable since the industry seems incapable of doing so itself,” says PETA senior vice president Jason Baker.
In a letter to Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Baker argues that the practice is essential for both transparency and accountability, claiming that real-time monitoring would discourage any abusive practices.
“To demonstrate true transparency and accountability, we call on the government to mandate live-streaming web cameras in all shearing sheds, including ZQ-certified farms across the country,” he says.
“The public has the right to know whether meaningful action is being taken,” he concludes.
Federated Farmers says the farming sector has been unable to effectively address quad bike safety.
A highly experienced agricultural scientist with specialist knowledge of the dairy sector is the Prime Minister's new Chief Science Advisor.
The 2025 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year, Jo Sheridan, has paid tribute to women who apart from their farming connections are making contributions to their local schools and communities.
Limping towards the end of the season is how Richard Walker describes the situation he's facing due to prolonged drought in coastal areas of Taranaki.
Auckland Federated Farmers want a national conference debate on whether New Zealand should withdraw from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
DairyNZ chief executive Campbell Parker says the industry-good organisation is proud to be an ongoing industry partner of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, providing judging expertise and facilitating field days.
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