Friday, March 29, 2024

THE VOICE: Don’t believe M bovis rhetoric

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I hope feedback requested by DairyNZ of farmers on whether to support the 3.9 cents a kilogram of milksolids levy to fund the Mycoplasma bovis response has been seen by farmers as a chance to pull the handbrake on the many failings the Ministry of Primary Industries and the misinformation it is creating while the response juggernaut is mindlessly travelling in the same way as a chicken removed from its head. 
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If the Dairy farmers send a message of no to the funding request until there is a full-blown inquiry into the process used by MPI that listens to the data and sentiment from those in control of the farms and not the self-proclamation of greatness delivered to the Technical Advisory Group by MPI about MPI’s management of the response it might finally get the real picture around the eradication programme.

Living in Ashburton I am in constant contact with farmers who tell me of the many inconsistent actions MPI is taking that defy logic when eradication is the end goal.

For example, let me tell you about a bull that tested positive after being traced from an infected property. The bull was the only animal out of a herd of 200 including the heifers he was mating with along with the other bulls in the mob that was blood tested with a positive result. 

MPI decided the animal was under the 5% threshold for the herd and instead of taking that animal to slaughter took another blood test. 

Between the results of the two tests the movement restrictions on the farm where lifted, allowing the farmer to do what he liked with that bull. He could sell, dispose of or put it into the herd or another herd from another block. 

If eradication is the end goal would the best practice not be to keep this farm under surveillance and movement control until the correct action is taken to eradicate this particular threat to New Zealand’s dairy industry.

There is anecdotal evidence of farmers being advised in one way by the response team only to have a subsequent complete U-turn imposed at a later date and illogical, contradictory advice or instruction given to various farmers. 

I suspect eradication will be off the table in 12 months as the enormity of the mistakes and misinformation rises to the surface.

What misinformation you say? 

I suspect, as do many involved, the numbers supplied to the media and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and other industry groups such as Federated Farmers, DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb have been altered to portray a response on the right track. 

Enough to have Federated Farmers president Katie Milne stand in front of a camera and state “It would be a shame to turn our back on the good work done up till now”. Well, Katie, farmers want you to drive over the hill from the West Coast to Ashburton and bring Damien with you to talk to a fair number of farmers who no longer buy into eradication, having done all required by MPI, taken a hit for the team and seen a bungled chance to take the eradication football over the try line. 

Thing is, I don’t think the boffins in Wellington nor Federated Farmers want to hear from these farmers publicly because it will undermine the empire that is now MPI. 

There was a lot of talk before Christmas that MPI director-general Ray Smith had farmers’ confidence to ensure a more transparent and stringent process. 

However, the changes are too slow coming and the extra pressure on MPI of the fruit fly incursions and the revelation that cruise ships are not being fully inspected have taken the attention away from the M bovis campaign. 

Many people have lost focus on the virus that has changed so many farmers’ lives and is costing the taxpayer and industry millions because many believe M bovis is all but done and dusted.

Recently, we imported some used travel boots for a horse with gel-pads to absorb the shock of the roads as they spend hours standing in the horse float. These boots were declared on the travel declaration of the friend bringing them in. She was unaware of the condition of the boots because they were in a plastic bag and did us a favour bringing them in. 

The amount of seeds and dirt on and in these boots was incredible. We were embarrassed and apologetic because we had asked the seller to clean them and fully expected MPI to spray them on entry. They were inspected and passed without action. I think the photo tells the story. 

If NZ doesn’t investigate MPI’s effectiveness as the country’s watchdog and incursion management agency, especially in the way it’s handled and is continuing to throw money at M bovis, none of us will have to worry about a capital gains tax.

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