Hopefully these few cases of covid-19 will be tracked and eradicated, but in the meantime, it’s good to know that the primary industries have plans and protocols worked out to ensure life can continue.
While the same issues we had last week – things like the lack of skilled workers – remain, farmers can still grow and harvest food, and it will still be processed.
In fact, we even found that at level four the farming community was up to the challenge of continuing to feed people.
Let’s keep our focus on the things we can control and trust the experts to do the rest.
Bryan Gibson
Milk collection, meat processing to continue under lockdown
Farming groups are reassuring members that despite new covid-19 restrictions coming into effect today, the primary sector retains its essential service status and, as much as possible, it will be business as usual for farmers.
Livestock sales proceed with caution
Livestock selling centres in the South Island are treading with caution as covid-19 level two restrictions kick back in.
Risks to agriculture from climate change
The first National Climate Change Risk Assessment has ranked the spread of invasive species as a major consequence and the economic costs of extreme events even higher.
Grain yields up by 17%
The Arable Industry Marketing Initiative (AIMI) survey of cereal areas and volumes report for the harvest season 2020 shows New Zealand going against the global grain.
Apple values are sweeter
New Zealand Apples and Pears (NZAPI) has reported export returns of $870 million for the 2019-20 selling season from the 2019 crop.
Tonight on Sarah’s Country
7.10 pm – A $3.5million campaign being run by DairyNZ to try and get 1000 locals to fill on-farm jobs, and Taratahi, a farm training facility that went into liquidation, has been reopened but are Kiwis turning their nose up at the opportunity? Dairy NZ’s people leader Jane Muirwill explain.
7.20 pm – We chat to St Paul Collegiate students following their success in the Blinc Innovation and Farmers Weekly Awards about how a conversation between father and daughter on how sheep could be better identified became the brainchild that turned cutting-edge facial recognition technology into a tool to aid stock management.
7.30 pm – As consumers move away from synthetic products in favour of wool carpets, Cavalier Bremworth has entered a partnership with New Zealand Merino to launch long-term forward supply contracts with its ZQ grower community. We chat to chief executive John Brakenridge.
7.40 pm – Judith Collins has said she will throw the new proposed Resource Management Act reforms on a bonfire if elected. Federated Farmers say the new national direction on freshwater management will see farmers lining up in court against the Government. Landpro's executive director Kate Scott will take all your questions.
