1
5 Clear path sought for inhibitor approval Vol 21 No 11, March 27, 2023
View online at farmersweekly.co.nz
$4.95 Incl GST
A mood for change Craig Page
NEWS
S
Governance
OUTHLAND farmer Geoffrey Young says his elevation to the board of Beef + Lamb New Zealand is a win for the country’s “disenfranchised and unheard farmers”. Young ousted long-serving board member and chair Andrew Morrison after winning the Southern South Island director election by 8777 weighted votes to 6587 votes. Morrison’s term will end after the BLNZ annual meeting in New Plymouth on March 30, when a new chair will be elected. At the same time, Morrison’s term with the New Zealand Meat Board will conclude and that board will elect a new chair following the BLNZ meeting. Young told Farmers Weekly there is clearly a mood for change among farmers and his decision to stand has “certainly been vindicated”. “I’m delighted for all of the farmers who have felt unheard or ignored or disenfranchised by Beef + Lamb over the last several years,” he said. Young stood as an independent, but said senior members of Federated Farmers and lobby group Groundswell had asked him to put his name forward. He said he is honoured to be elected and now wants to move
towards creating a united voice between BLNZ, Federated Farmers and DairyNZ. “Andrew has worked very hard and has certainly raised the profile,” Young said. “But farmers felt he wasn’t being strong enough in their advocacy, especially around He Waka Eke Noa [HWEN] and greenhouse gas emissions.”
In those positions you need to represent all sheep and beef farmers nationally. You can’t represent an interest group or a region.
Planting and growing tourism on farm Agritourism NZ founder Marijke Dunselman says a new programme for farmers covers all aspects of starting an on-farm agritourism business.
PEOPLE 4
Andrew Morrison BLNZ outgoing chair
Processors step up after cyclone mayhem
Given Young’s clear majority in the election, he hopes the board will be open to discussions about HWEN and its future. “I’m not in favour of sitting in a meeting just for the sake of talking. I like to see something get done.” Morrison was disappointed to lose, but said that is the nature of democracy. He said he has enjoyed his nine years with BLNZ, including five as chair, and said its staff and management are outstanding. Morrison believes strong farmer feelings about HWEN had “massively” played a part in voting.
Beef + Lamb NZ campaign shows it’s possible to add value to red meat and reap a premium
NZ risks being left behind as developments overtake early cautious approach to genetic tech
‘Grow agritech’s contribution to $8bn by 2030’ is AgriTech New Zealand’s new strategy
Continued page 3
MARKETS 9
TECHNOLOGY 19
TECHNOLOGY 29
The New Zealand Defence Force used AFFCO’s Wairoa plant as a base to store emergency provisions for distribution in the devastated region by military personnel and the council.
OPINION 26
More Calves Less Time With a DeLaval automated calf-feeding system any extra calves are no problem.
0800 222 228 delaval.com