Silver Fern Farms roadshow highlights global demand
The second event in the Silver Fern Farms ‘Pasture to Plate Roadshow’ landed in Feilding last week, headed by chair and King Country farmer, Anna Nelson, and chief executive Dan Boulton.
Silver Fern Farms is consulting with staff at its North Island Wairoa mutton processing plant and its South Island Mossburn venison plant on options for closing the two small sites.
Silver Fern Farms chief executive Dean Hamilton says: “with changing livestock flows, there is the opportunity for the company to become more efficient and offer our farmer suppliers improved service by operating fewer plants for longer during a season.”
“Both plants operate in regions where we have other plants which can manage the combined levels of livestock processing in the region.”
Employees at Mossburn are being given options to work at the company’s Waitane, Kennington or Finegand sites. Frasertown employees will have the option of transferring to Takapau or Pacific in the Central Hawke’s Bay. Frasertown employs 67 staff, while Mossburn employs 43 staff.
“We have a great group of people at both sites, a number of whom are already working at these alternative locations and we will be discussing these options with the Union and the consultation committee.” says Hamilton.
A New Zealand dairy industry leader believes the free trade deal announced with India delivers wins for the sector.
The Coalition Government will need the support of at least one opposition party to ratify the free trade deal with India.
Primary sector leaders have welcomed the announcement of a Free Trade Agreement between India and New Zealand.
At Pāmu’s Kepler Farm in Manapouri, mating has wrapped up at the across-breed Beef Progeny Test.
More than 150 people turned up at Parliament recently to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ).
Biosecurity New Zealand says Kiwis should continue to keep an eye out for yellow-legged hornets (Vespa velutina) over the holiday season.

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