New DairyNZ Climate Change Ambassador Chair
DairyNZ Climate Change Ambassadors has a new chair, Fraser McGougan. He is from Whakatane and says he is looking forward to leading the ambassadors to engage with farmers, communities and decision-makers, and to provide a farmer voice at the national level. He has been a Climate Change Ambassador since 2018.
PICMI launches seasonal hiring app for growers and worker
Picmi founder Genevieve Griffin-George explains how the application helps reduce the time of hiring seasonal growers and workers. Seasonal labour shortages are a problem globally and a well-known challenge in New Zealand. Genevieve says that “growers don’t want another system, but they want tools to help speed up the process of hiring seasonal workers”.
She says, using their cloud-based tool, they’re seeing growers reduce hiring time by 70% from application to contract to induction.
Turning waste avocado product into bio-gas
Olivado’s chief executive Gary Hannam will explain how Olivado is leading the way in the avocado industry, with their approach to regeneration, sustainability and utilising all waste to energy. Their team there works hard to leave our communities and environment in a better state than when they started. Olivado is carbon neutral now, and has made a commitment to be carbon positive by 2022.
Seed gold needs mining
As reported by Richard Rennie, this month’s Climate Change Commission recommendations include farmers facing the prospect of reducing stocking rates to meet carbon reduction obligations. But the head of the nation’s largest seed bank is urging a closer look at what it has on hand that may offer benefits in lower methane emissions. Margot Forde Germplasm Centre (MFGC) director Dr Kioumars Ghamkhar will explain some alternatives for a more diverse crop.
