NZ vigilant following German FMD outbreak
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that events over the last few weeks have highlighted the importance of a strong biosecurity system.
When New Zealand’s Agriculture, Biosecurity and Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor met with his new Australian counterpart yesterday, the subject of biosecurity was top of their agenda.
Australia’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Senator Murray Watt took over the role from David Littleproud in June after Australia’s Labor Party won the 2022 election.
On a conference call yesterday, O’Connor and Watt focused particularly on foot and mouth disease (FMD).
O’Connor said greater cooperation was integral to reducing biosecurity risks in the Trans-Tasman region as threats from FMD and fruit fly loom over Australasia.
“I am very pleased to have discussed joint efforts to strengthen preparedness and response capabilities with Minister Watt today and evolve our biosecurity interventions, so we stay in step with each other,” he said.
“We continue to work together on a range of biosecurity initiatives, such as increasing our intelligence capacity to ensure our biosecurity systems are world’s best.”
Watt said biosecurity is a central component of Australia’s relationship with New Zealand amid a range of risks held in common, especially the recent FMD outbreak in Indonesia.
“Minister O’Connor and I had a very good meeting and reaffirmed our commitment to maintaining stringent arrangements to protect our countries’ respective biosecurity status’,” Watt said.
He said the pair discussed ongoing work by senior biosecurity officials in both countries to synchronise approaches where it’s possible.
“Both countries are signatories to the International Animal Health Emergency Reserve, which would afford us additional human resources in the event of an emergency animal disease outbreak, allowing for faster control and increased chances of eradication,” Watt said.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
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