Covid's urban/rural divide
According to a new study from the University of Otago, there was a visible rural/urban divide in Covid-19 vaccination rates.
Animal medicines and crop protection lobby group, Agcarm wants the Government to extend its COVID-19 support to the farming community for maintaining essential food supplies.
It is applauding the government’s efforts to protect the health of New Zealanders in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but says more needs to be done to prioritise food production.
“Our rural communities are needed more than ever to ensure that this health crisis doesn’t turn into a hunger crisis,” says Agcarm chief executive Mark Ross.
“We must maintain the uninterrupted movement of animal medicine and crop protection products, seeds and feed so that our farmers can keep healthy livestock and maintain an abundant supply of meat, fruits, vegetables and grains.”
He says that any delays could put food supplies and animal welfare at risk in the short and long-term.
“It’s one thing to have enough toilet paper, quite another if people find that the supply of fresh fruit, veg and meat is put under strain,” says Ross.
The association has developed a list of requirements for the continued supply of food, including:
• Animal medicine and vaccine manufacturers and suppliers are classified in the same way as those for people,
• The border remains open to imports and exports of crop protection and animal medicine products,
• Animal medicine and crop protection research sites, warehouses, and critical operational staff (e.g. rural vets and technicians) are exempt from any lockdown requirements,
• The Ministry of Primary Industries supports the release of products in offshore countries that are needed for our animals and crops,
• No restrictions are placed on internal freight within New Zealand for the supply of animal medicines and crop protection products to rural distributors, veterinarians and farmers.
“The health and wellbeing of people is of utmost importance,” says Ross.
“This list is achievable without putting the health of anyone at risk.”
Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.
OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…
OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…