Shipping delays and staff shortages bite the meat industry – Rachael Kelly:
Farmers are starting to struggle to get stock killed because staff shortages and shipping woes are causing major issues in the meat industry.
Ben Dooley, a farmer from Mimihau in Southland, said he had 200 ewes booked in with Alliance Group next week, but he was worried about finding more space for stock in the coming months.
“It’s definitely concerning. If this shipping container issue doesn’t get sorted out then we’re going to have some big problems in the next few months.”
The Alliance Group and Silver Fern Farms both say chronic labour shortages and global supply chain issues were causing problems. . .
Cheap accommodation, social sport used to entice workers for orchard jobs – Sally Murphy:
Efforts to attract workers to pick and pack fruit this summer are heating up – with more employers offering incentives to attract workers.
On the PickNZ website where orchards and packhouses advertise jobs, 42 percent are offering accommodation and 30 percent are offering bonuses.
Just under 20 percent are offering transport, social events and flexible working hours.
One company advertising on the site is Clyde Orchards. . .
Fonterra’s Hurrell says New Zealand milk is the most valuable in the world – Tina Morrison:
New Zealand’s grass-fed farming model makes the country’s milk the most valuable in the world, Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell told farmers at the co-operative’s annual meeting in Invercargill.
Since taking over from Theo Spierings, Hurrell has moved Fonterra away from expanding its milk pools overseas, and brought the focus back to getting more value from the “white gold” produced by New Zealand farmers. His shift in strategy comes at a time when consumers are wanting to know more about where their food comes from and the environmental impact it leaves.
“We believe New Zealand milk is the most valuable milk in the world due to our grass-fed farming model, which means our milk has a carbon footprint around 70 per cent lower than the global average,” Hurrell told farmers. . .
River restoration starting to flow – Colin Williscroft:
The Manawatū River Leaders’ Forum recently won the supreme award at the 2021 Cawthron New Zealand River Awards for the catchment that has made the most progress towards improved river health. Colin Williscroft reports.
In a little over a decade, the Manawatū River has gone from being identified through Cawthron Institute research as one of the most polluted in the western world to that same organisation now celebrating the work being done to clean it up.
The Manawatū River Leaders’ Forum was established in 2010 in response to freshwater health problems facing the catchment.
The previous year Cawthron research showed the river topped a pollution measurement taken on 300 rivers across North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand for all the wrong reasons. . .
Kiwifruit companies to amalgamate :
Seeka announces third amalgamation in 2021
Gisborne growers will be delivered a stronger service with the proposed amalgamation of NZ Fruits and Seeka Limited.
In an agreement announced 10 December 2021, NZ Fruits shareholders are being offered Seeka shares and cash for their NZ Fruits shares. Seeka chief executive Michael Franks says the deal will enable Seeka to service the Gisborne region.
“The amalgamation will deliver a strong service to Gisborne growers,” says Franks. . .
Research aims to develop more resilient sauvignon blanc vines :
An $18.7 million programme is aiming to introduce genetic diversity of New Zealand’s sauvignon blanc grapevines.
The Bragato Research Institute is partnering with New Zealand Winegrowers, more than 20 wine companies and the NZ Viticulture Nursery Association on the seven-year programme.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor the vines were based on one clone which presented some risk.
“Developing improved, commercially-available variants of this grape variety will also act as an industry insurance policy against future risks from pests, disease and changing markets. . .
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