Ph 0800 327 646 www.fedfarm.org.nz
April 2016
National Farming Review
INSIDER
APRIL 2016
THE GM QUESTION Are we ready to debate?
New Zealand agriculture faces some big decisions on the horizon. As new technologies become available and global competition intensifies we will have to decide on whether genetic technologies have a place in our future farming sector. We can no longer avoid this issue it’s time for communities and the wider primary industries to park aside their ideological differences and emotion. “There is no doubt we are moving into a world where genetically modified plants and animals will become an integral part of the global food chain,” writes KPMG’s Ian Proudfoot —Read more page 10
Velvetleaf incursion unwelcome start to autumn The seemingly unstoppable spread of Velvetleaf is testing farmers’ patience throughout the country, with positive identifications now in advance of 170 properties with Canterbury accounting for more than half the confirmed cases. The Ministry, MPI, and regional councils have concluded through their investigations that the weed has resulted from planting of Kyros or Bangor fodder beet seed. Since the outbreak MPI have made changes to seed import rules, including placing an immediate ban on importation of Kyros and Bangor fodder beet seed. Also, before any fodder beet can be released at the border, it has to be verified and signed-off by one of MPI’s two chief technical officers. Meanwhile, all pelleted seed imports (not just fodder beet) are subject to further lab tests in New Zealand for the presence of contaminants. Federated Farmers has joined MPI, DairyNZ, FAR, AgResearch and PGG Wrightson in developing a farm management plan to restrict contamination of crops. — Read more page 8
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