E-diary notices: 18 August 2023

// B+LNZ

Have your say on M. bovis consultation, B+LNZ’s 2024 Parasite Management Calendar, feedback on ETS consultations, AWDT Escalator programme.

image of women on overlooking farm in Belmont

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

To sign up to e-diaries, create/login to a B+LNZ online account, go to ‘Account settings’ and select the e-diary box – you’ll be asked to pick which region/s you want to receive e-diaries for.  

See elsewhere on our website for other e-diary info: 

This week’s notices: 

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. Consultation closes on 25 September.

Feature in B+LNZ’s 2024 Parasite Management Calendar

We’re looking for beautiful images from rural New Zealand to feature in B+LNZ’s 2024 Parasite Management Calendar. Think images of sheep, cattle and landscapes. The winners will get their own copy and a thank you goodie. Enter your images by emailing them to research@beeflambnz.com before 31 August.

Thank you for feedback on ETS consultations

The Government’s two related consultations on proposed changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme closed last week. Thank you to all the farmers who made a consultation submission to ensure the Government heard our sector’s perspectives on this complex issue – around 100 people used B+LNZ’s pre-written submission template. This follows earlier farmer input (nearly 200 responses) into a survey B+LNZ ran to help inform our consultation submission. B+LNZ has been given an extension for our submission to enable detailed Board consideration. We’ll provide an update when our submission document is available. 

Applications open for 2024 AWDT Escalator programme

Applications are open for the Agri-Women’s Development Trust (AWDT) 2024 Escalator programme. The 10-month programme aims to empower women to lead our sector and rural communities. If you’re ready to lead people through change, apply by Monday 9 October on AWDT’s website. B+LNZ is a proud strategic partner of AWDT.

Better understanding of farmers’ views on achieving carbon goals

A Waikato University student is seeking information through a short survey as part of her research project to better understand farmers’ views on achieving carbon goals. If you are a decision maker on a sheep and beef farm and happy to participate, please complete the survey here.