Government announcement on gene technology rules, Tickets on sale for 2024 B+LNZ Awards, Farm vehicle safety support available, Call for farmers to join FE focus group
This page contains this week’s e-diary national notices.
If there’s something you want to know specific to your region, contact your local extension manager – find their details here.
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This week’s notices:
Government announcement on gene technology rules
This week the Government announced it would introduce legislation by the end of this year to change NZ’s regulations around gene technology, setting up a dedicated regulator to oversee applications to use gene technology, similar to the Australian approach. This is an incredibly important issue and B+LNZ is committed to getting farmer feedback, and further exploring consumer attitudes to GMOs, before we finalise our position. We recently completed an initial survey of farmers on some of the issues and will provide more information in a story in next week’s e-diaries.
Tickets on sale for 2024 B+LNZ Awards
Tickets are on sale for the 2024 Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards, held at Hamilton’s Claudelands Event Centre on 10 October. Find out who the winners are of the eight award categories, meet the finalists and celebrate the people, innovations and farming systems that make our red meat sector world-leading. Purchase your ticket on B+LNZ’s website. Finalists will be announced at the end of August.
Farm vehicle safety support available
The Safer Farm initiative offers support and resources to help farmers with vehicle-related safety. Through the Safer Rider Programme, farmers can apply for a $400 discount on one of four crush protection devices. You can also sign up for safety alerts to stay up-to-date on the latest farm accidents. Learn more on the Farm Without Harm website here. In addition to supporting Safer Farms, B+LNZ also has its own resources to help farmers such as this farm safety management system e-learning module.
Call for farmers to join FE focus group
Are you passionate about tackling facial eczema (FE) and its effects on farming? Join our Eliminating Facial Eczema Impacts (EFEI) focus group on 4 September in Waikato. We're seeking sheep, beef, and dairy farmers to help shape our research and survey design. Your insights, whether or not you’ve been directly affected by FE, are crucial. B+LNZ will cover your expenses. Contact us at research@beeflambnz.com to register your interest!
Last chance to nominate bulls for the Beef Progeny Test
B+LNZ Genetics is calling for bull nominations for the 2024 mating of the across-breed Beef Progeny Test. This is an opportunity for stud breeders to be part of the ground-breaking Informing NZ Beef programme and gain valuable insights into their bulls' progeny performance. Nominations are open to Angus, Hereford, and Simmental breeds. Nominations close Friday 23 August. More information.
Interested in joining a Livestock Parasite Management Group?
To support farmers managing drench resistance, B+LNZ is establishing Livestock Parasite Management Groups throughout NZ, building on a successful pilot in the Wairarapa. North Waikato Wormwise facilitator and farmer/vet Jeremy Leigh will run a group in the Mid Northern North Island and is seeking a diverse range of farming operations. The group will meet four times per year for three years and there will be a small annual fee. If you’re experiencing difficulties managing parasites on your farm, want to explore farming systems and strategies that preserve drench effectiveness, and are interested in joining this group, register your interest before Friday 6 September – email jmleigh@xtra.co.nz (please note numbers are limited).
Spot Check Roadie in our region
FMG has teamed up with Melanoma New Zealand to better protect rural Kiwis from the sun. NZ has the highest incidence rate of melanoma in the world, and those who work outdoors are exposed to 10 times the UV light. If you have a spot you’re concerned about, head to a Spot Check Roadie location to get it checked and receive life-saving info – Hamilton on 22 August and Hautapu on 23 August. More info here.