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This page contains this week’s e-diary national notices.
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This week’s notices:
Save the date: Rural Issues Debate livestream on 14 September
B+LNZ is working with Federated Farmers and DairyNZ on the Rural Issues Debate, where the major political parties will outline their visions and plans for rural New Zealand. The debate will be moderated by Heather du Plessis-Allan and include Hon. Damien O’Connor (Labour), Hon. Todd McClay (National), Hon. James Shaw (Greens), and Andrew Hoggard (ACT). The NZ Herald will be livestreaming the event on Thursday 14 September from 7.30 to 9pm on their website. More info here.
Land-use change impacting livestock numbers and rural communities
Land-use change continues to have an impact on livestock numbers, according to a study by B+LNZ. The B+LNZ Stock Number Survey, which provides an assessment of New Zealand’s sheep flock and beef cattle herd, shows the breeding ewe flock continues to decline with a 0.9 percent reduction following a 5.2 percent reduction last year. Read more here.
Have your say on M. bovis consultation
Consultation on proposals to change the approach to eradicating Mycoplasma bovis is underway. The proposals include moving the management of eradicating M. bovis from the Ministry for Primary Industries to OSPRI, establishing a National Pest Management Plan, and decreasing farmer levies to finance the programme. Now that there are no known cases of infection, it is appropriate to begin focusing on surveillance to provide confidence that the disease is absent from New Zealand, while ensuring capability is there to respond to and control any future cases of infection that currently remain undetected. You can have your say by visiting the MPI website. Submissions will close at 5pm, 25 September 2023.
Breakfeed podcast: we want your sheep poo!
B+LNZ is calling on farmers to take part in groundbreaking Facial Eczema (FE) research by collecting sheep poo. In this podcast, Cara Brosnahan (B+LNZ Principal Advisor Animal Health Research) and Suzi Keeling (B+LNZ Sector Science Strategy Manager) talk to Sarah Perriam-Lampp about this three-year research study. The study aims to improve our understanding of FE occurrence in different parts of New Zealand and inform effective disease management strategies for farmers in the future.
New campaign showcases variety of roles within meat industry
Meat Business Women’s latest campaign ‘The Power of You’ tells the stories of the people who work within the meat industry, and showcases how the industry can attract and retain more women to become a more inclusive sector. Learn more about how you can get involved. B+LNZ is proud to be a territory partner of Meat Business Women NZ.
Feeding summer brassicas? Plant + Food need your help
B+LNZ is supporting a project led by Plant + Food for nitrogen management in summer-fed brassicas on sheep and beef farms. This project will consist of trials in three regions over two years and is targeting farmers who have already grown summer brassicas. Sites are wanted in: North Otago (preferably Oamaru area), North Canterbury (no further north than the Culverden Basin preferably), and Hawke's Bay. If you would like to be involved or learn more, email Shane Maley at Plant + Food.