Taranaki farmer fined $15,000 for illegal NAIT tag swapping
A Taranaki farmer and livestock agent who illegally swapped NAIT tags from cows infected with a bovine disease in an attempt to sell the cows has been fined $15,000.
A mate of the Hound – a former technician and founder of an electronics business – reckons the NAIT system has many big flaws.
Firstly, he reckons the system’s passive RFID works by reflecting its code to the antennae of the reader, but the reflective device (inside the ear tag) is easily destroyed by high voltage. “This is well known in the RFID industry,” the Hound’s mate explains. “But not apparently by NAIT.” Meanwhile, he also reckons NAIT information relies on people updating the system – known as batch processing – as it occurs after an event. “This is old fashioned and obsolete as the system needs to operate in real time to be effective.” He also says the current NAIT model with its multiple levels of reporting and animal handling is a recipe for failure.
The lower North Island township of Feilding is gearing up for its biggest event of the year - the annual Central Districts Field Days.
Jon and Fiona Sherlock have been named the Waikato Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
Stefan and Rachel Grobecker were named Share Farmers of the Year at last night's 2026 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards dinner.
Farmers are unhappy with the Government's replacement legislation for the Resource Management Act (RMA).
New Zealand Rural Land Company (NZL) has lifted its annual profit on the back of being a "disciplined, yield-focused land vehicle", the company says.
Rural contractors will be able to play a role in the revamped agricultural plastic recycling scheme with new regulations due for Cabinet signoff before this year’s election.

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