DAIRY AWARDS
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
NEWS
Hard work pays off for Northland couple. PAGE 14
Golden anniversary for machinery families. PAGE 32
Research shows that rural doctor numbers are on the decline. PAGE 9
TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS MAY 21, 2019: ISSUE 676
www.ruralnews.co.nz
MPI’s behaviour on bovis beastly NIGEL MALTHUS
FARMERS AFFECTED by Mycoplasma bovis need help and support, but MPI treats them as guilty parties, claims Mid-Canterbury Federated Farmers dairy chair Chris Ford. “People are truly unaware outside of our region what is actually happening in Ashburton and Mid-Canterbury.” Ford called it “embarrassing” for MPI that it announced a surge in the eradication programme -- expected to bring a sudden rise in the number of farms under formal suspicion -- when stock was already starting to move for winter. He says with about 1100 farms expected to be canvassed in the surge and MPI able to do only 80 to 90 calls a week, the process will take until July by which time there would be one million cow movements. Ford has declined to be part of a new group, co-ordinated by Ashburton District Mayor Donna Favel, which aims to support Mid-Canterbury farmers caught up in the outbreak. Although there are other Feds representatives in the group, Ford says he would not sign a confidentiality agreement required by MPI. “I can’t advocate for my farmers if I’m under confidentiality and privacy.”
Favel says the surge announcement, just before Easter, gave rise to “concern and speculation” over the Easter break. She was surprised that it had not been disclosed during MPI’s roadshow meetings in the previous few weeks. Her group includes representatives
from MPI, DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust, Vet Ent and the Canterbury District Health Board. Favel says its aim is to help facilitate discussions between MPI and relevant organisations “to ensure information is consistently shared in
a timely and targeted manner with the district’s farming community”. “M. bovis has inflicted a great deal of stress and uncertainty on our people and we each recognised that something more needed to be done to help support our farmers during this time of need.”
The district is the worst affected in the country, said Favel. Those around the table seek to better understand the district’s preparedness and understand the implications to farmers, service providers, stock and the community. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
A straight furrow The 64th National Ploughing Championships were held earlier this month at Chertsey in Mid Canterbury. Close to 50 plough men and women competed in four classes: conventional (Silver Plough), reversible, vintage and horse drawn. And a new class – ‘contemporary’ – was offered for people learning to plough. The event was held on Wilkinson’s farm and attracted good crowds of spectators both days. As well as the ploughing there were demonstrations of old and new farm equipment, all attracting much interest. Among the oldest competitors on the plots was a former dairy farmer, John Stalker (81), from Lincoln. Stalker first contested the Silver Plough then became a judge, but liked the look of the older tractors and took up ploughing again. He’s been ploughing most of his life. • See more from the event pages 26-27
Cover for less this winter Saturate® Classic dip Over 25% off short-dated stock while stocks last.* Take advantage of this special offer and protect your flock post-shearing with Saturate Classic dip. Talk to your agri manager and get your flock covered for winter. *Special offer only available on short-dated stock while stocks last. Must be used this winter expiry date October 2019. Not available in conjunction with any other offer.
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