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Pandemic exposes fractured global biosecurity system

The world needs a new approach to biosecurity that can identify and deal with potential pandemics however they arise, says biosecurity expert Distinguished Professor Philip Hulme. Dist Prof Hulme, of the Bio-Protection Research Centre, says Covid-19 has shown it’s time for a holistic approach to biosecurity that integrates threats to human, animal, plant and environmental health, recognising that disease or invasions in one sector often spill over into the others. “The world is witnessing a global rise in the number of emerging alien species, including insect pests, noxious weeds as well as diseases of plants, animals and humans. Currently there is no effective international regulation that addresses all these threats and, as a result, these species pose a significant challenge to biosecurity interventions worldwide. “Inward-looking policies that solely address human, animal, plant, or environmental health are no longer fit for purpose because of the significant cross-sector impacts of invasive alien species.” As an example, due to its painful sting, the imported red fire ant causes significant impacts on human and livestock health, but it also directly destroys crops at the seedling stage and dramatically reduces the diversity of native invertebrates through predation. This species has been intercepted multiple times at the New Zealand border and if it established the impacts would be felt across numerous sectors. “Similarly the factors driving pandemics that threaten human, animal, plant, or environmental health share many parallels and include climate change, increasing intensification of agriculture, trade and human migration, greater urbanisation and a loss of specialist expertise. In a new paper in the leading journal BioScience (attached) Dist Prof Hulme discusses the challenges arising from a piecemeal approach to biosecurity and outlines key steps to remedy the situation. He calls for One Biosecurity, a concept that pulls together all the different threads of biosecurity into […]

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Dairy Environment Leaders converge on the capital

Rising to meet environmental challenges and supporting each other through change will top the agenda when Dairy Environment Leaders meet in Wellington for their annual forum on March 16-17. Dairy Environment Leaders (DELs) are leading farmers from across the country, who work with other farmers, their communities and decision makers to drive positive change. DEL chair Melissa Slattery said the forum is timely as the sector responds to climate change and water quality regulations, and farmers are supported with profitable and sustainable practices. The forum’s theme this year is Manaakitanga – supporting through change. “Dairy farming has changed over the years and will continue to evolve to meet the expectations of our communities and consumers. There will be huge challenges – but there are also huge opportunities,” said Melissa. “We all want the same things: clean water, low emissions and a strong economy. We can’t solve the challenges ahead in isolation and all New Zealanders need to make changes. “Most farmers are open to change but they want confidence what is being asked is fair and practical, and assurance that if they invest, the goalposts won’t shift. “Farmers also need support to succeed – and that includes significant Government investment in R&D and rural broadband.” Speakers at this year’s forum include Climate Change Commission chair Dr Rodd Carr who will give the keynote address, Climate Change Minister James Shaw and speakers from other sectors. “It’s important we hear from other sectors to highlight we aren’t alone and to learn from their approach. All New Zealanders will need to make changes to address climate change and dairy farmers are committed to playing their part,” said Melissa. “We will also meet with a number of MPs in Parliament to discuss the […]

CropLife Asia’s online forum draws Asian policymakers and global experts

A first-of-its-kind virtual conference on drone use for pesticide application in Asia concluded this week after three days of dialogue and discussion among stakeholders from across the food supply chain. The event focused on perspectives ranging from those of regional governments, manufacturers as well as commercial adopters, and experts in the field forecasting future innovations. “Our industry takes seriously its commitment to ensure responsible use of plant science technologies and sustainable agricultural practices. Drones are a new tool that can support and strengthen that effort – and have the potential to play a transformative role in Asian agriculture,” said Mr. Gustavo Palerosi-Carnerio, CropLife Asia President. “As with any innovation, the most critical components are the best practices that reflect responsible use and the policies that underpin them. Through this week’s conference, we’ve heard vital insights from agricultural drone use experts in these areas and what the future may hold. We look forward to continuing these constructive conversations, and working with regulators and other key stakeholders across the food supply chain to help deliver drone use for pesticide application in Asia that is conducted responsibly.” Drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly being used by large and small-scale farmers globally. This includes use for mapping, crop surveillance and scouting, pesticide application, and monitoring both irrigation as well as grazing livestock. According to a recent Industry ARC report, “Agricultural Drones Market – Forecast (2021-2026)”, the market for agricultural drones is projected to reach more than $5.8 billion by 2026. In Asia, the use of drones for pesticide application is rapidly growing in popularity due to the advantages it provides, namely: efficiency with use of inputs; enhanced spray precision; reduced water consumption; and less dependence on labor, resulting in lower associated costs. “As food and agricultural stakeholders, we all have a duty […]

CropLife Asia 2021 AGM had Regional Food Supply Chain & Farmer Resiliency Center Stage

Croplife Asia 2021 AGM kicks off with election of Board of Directors The CropLife Asia 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) brought together plant science industry leaders from across the continent. This year’s edition of the annual gathering included a unique focus on how the global pandemic has impacted various aspects of the regional food supply chain as well as the official presentation of the newly-elected Board of Directors. The 2021 Board consists of: – Mr. Gustavo Palerosi Carneiro – President, CropLife Asia (BASF) – Mr. Alexander Berkovskiy – Vice President, CropLife Asia (Syngenta) – Mr. Jens Hartmann – Treasurer, CropLife Asia (Bayer) – Mr. Peter Ford – Secretary, CropLife Asia (Corteva Agriscience) “It is an honor to lead CropLife Asia at such a consequential time for our region and industry,” said Gustavo Palerosi Carneiro, President of CropLife Asia. “The challenges we face in Asia are daunting. While our region remains home to the highest number of hungry and undernourished, farmers are facing increasing pressure from pests, weeds, disease and the impacts of climate change. The far-reaching effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have only exacerbated the strain on food production and distribution. “Plant science has an important role to play in making our food supply chain more resilient, but it’s only part of the solution. On behalf of CropLife Asia, we look forward to working with food and agriculture stakeholders across the region to meet these growing demands.” In January of this year, the United Nations (UN) released a report titled Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition. Among the findings of the report was new data reflecting a troubling lack of food security among children and the most vulnerable parts of society in Asia. Specifically, nearly two billion people in Asia cannot afford a healthy diet, […]

Fonterra lifts 2020/21 Farmgate Milk Price range

Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited today lifted its 2020/21 forecast Farmgate Milk Price range to NZD $7.30 – $7.90 per kgMS, up from NZD $6.90 – $7.50 per kgMS. The midpoint of the range, which farmers are paid off, has increased to NZD $7.60 per kgMS. Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell says the lift in the 2020/21 forecast Farmgate Milk Price range is a result of consistent strong demand for New Zealand dairy. “We’ve seen Global Dairy Trade (GDT) prices continuing to increase since February when we last updated on our forecast Farmgate Milk Price and then this week there was the 15% increase in GDT prices. “It’s very much a China demand led story but there is also good demand for New Zealand dairy across South East Asia and the Middle East. “China’s strong economic recovery, following the initial impact of Covid-19, is flowing through to strong demand for dairy and we’ve seen this through sales during the Chinese New Year. “China’s local milk supply is being used in fresh dairy products and they are looking to us to provide longer-life dairy products – in particular, whole milk powder which has a big influence on the forecast Farmgate Milk Price. “Customers know we are continuing to get products to market, despite the challenges in the global supply chain and they are looking to us for this reliability. We’re also seeing customers want to buy more of our products than usual to help mitigate the risk of global supply chain delays.” Hurrell says today’s lift in the Co-op’s forecast Farmgate Milk Price is good news for New Zealand farmers and the wellbeing of rural communities. It would see the Co-op contribute more than $11.5 billion to the New Zealand economy through milk price payments this […]

NDC sensors control manufacturing at the front line

-Simon Ganley Most customer food complaints relate to colour. Too dark is considered to be over cooked or baked. Too light is perceived to be underdone. You wouldn’t believe just what people complain about. But businesses have to take complaints seriously and it costs to deal with them. So now a lot of food manufacturing companies are adding colour to the other parameters they measure and control, saving a lot of money by doing so. There is a good chance that a biscuit you buy in NZ will have had the manufacture controlled by colour rather than moisture. The measurement was developed in NZ with NDC and is being rolled out world-wide. This saves a manufacturer a fortune in power consumption, scrap, waste, staff time and raw materials. And dealing with complaints. Next time you eat fries at top quality franchised restaurants, they will have had the manufacture controlled with moisture, oil, colour, bed depth and temperature – all on the one NDC sensor that sits above the fryer. Coffee is another application. The top brands of coffee have NDC sensors controlling the colour, moisture and caffeine. They also control tea. Sugar is another application that is being developed at the moment. NDC controls the manufacture of pretty much all the sugar made and sold in NZ. “Wet” sugar moisture can be controlled to 0.1% on-line and dry sugar to 0.006%. But customers are alert to shades of brown that creep into refined sugar. Strangely the colour we see in sugar isn’t brown. It is actually in the blue/green part of the spectrum. Lactose is another product that downgrades with shades of brown and manufacturers of quality products build NDC sensors into the fluid bed driers to maintain top yield prices. When we talk about product control with colour, we […]

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New leader for Climate Change Ambassadors

Award-winning dairy farmer Fraser McGougan has been appointed chair of the DairyNZ Climate Change Ambassadors. Climate Change Ambassadors are leaders for climate change action on dairy farms. They help communicate the challenges and opportunities dairy farmers face in playing their part to address climate change, alongside the rest of New Zealand. “The 13 ambassadors are leading dairy farmers who run their farms sustainably and profitably, while being committed to reducing on-farm greenhouse gas emissions,” said DairyNZ strategy and investment leader Dr David Burger. “The ambassadors work to raise awareness and mobilise change for the benefit of the environment, farmers and New Zealand.” Mr McGougan (42) from Whakatane said he was looking forward to leading the ambassadors to engage with farmers, communities and decision-makers, and to provide a farmer voice at national level. He has been a Climate Change Ambassador since 2018. “Farmers want to be part of the climate change solution,” said Mr McGougan. “Our role as Climate Change Ambassadors includes helping farmers understand the changes they can make on their farm to reduce emissions and improve water quality, while maintaining or even increasing profitability. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach and small incremental changes on individual farms add up to big changes nationally.” Mr McGougan said now is a critical time in the national conversation about emissions reductions, with the Climate Change Commission announcing draft carbon budgets on how New Zealand can meet its climate change obligations. Research by AgResearch has confirmed New Zealand dairy is already the world’s lowest emissions producer of milk. But there is more to be done to maintain our competitive advantage and do the right thing by the environment and New Zealanders, said Mr McGougan. New scientific developments will be important in supporting farmers to continue […]

Fonterra joins forces with DSM to lower carbon footprint

Fonterra and Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and sustainable living, are teaming up to work on reducing on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in New Zealand. While the organisations have a long-standing working relationship, the new collaboration is based around DSM’s feed additive product Bovaer®, which effectively and consistently reduces methane emissions from cows by over 30 percent in non-pasture-based farming systems. The question that needs answering now is: Can it do the same in New Zealand’s pasture-based farming systems? While New Zealand dairy farms are acknowledged as having the lowest carbon footprint in the world among major milk producers, Fonterra recognises that biological emissions produced by cows are a major contributor to the country’s overall emissions and is working to do whatever it can to find ways to reduce them. Fonterra Group Director Farm Source Richard Allen says that finding a solution to the methane challenge requires more than just the hard graft farmers are putting in. “We need to find a breakthrough in reducing emissions from cows and Bovaer could provide exactly that. This work with DSM is an exciting opportunity for the Co-op.” Fonterra Chief Science & Technology Officer, Prof. Jeremy Hill, says the Co-op wants to explore and validate how Bovaer® could work here in New Zealand, where cows are predominantly fed grass. “We also see this as an opportunity to further accelerate our global leadership in low-carbon dairy products to create more value for our New Zealand milk.” “Fonterra is working closely with DSM New Zealand to ensure that any innovation is well tested and can easily be distributed and used by our farmers.” Mark van Nieuwland, global programme head for DSM Nutritional Products says they are proud to be in collaboration […]

DairyNZ: Climate Commission lays out challenge

Industry body DairyNZ says the Climate Change Commission’s new report is a welcome acknowledgement of a split gas approach and that methane does not need to reduce to net zero. DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle said the Commission’s science-based approach is ambitious and challenging for all of New Zealand and farming is no exception. Dr Mackle said the Climate Change Commission proposals and underlying assumptions will be closely examined over the next few weeks, in particular the biogenic methane targets and advice on reducing stock numbers. “The short-term 2030 and 2035 methane targets are ambitious, making the next 10-15 years the most important for adapting farm systems and investment in research and development solutions for agriculture,” said Dr Mackle. “As a sector, we are committed to producing sustainable food and remaining the world’s most emissions efficient. So, like every kiwi playing their part in addressing climate change, dairy must play our part too.” Dr Mackle said it is encouraging to see the Commission’s recommendations to Government to focus on R&D and rural broadband as solutions to support agriculture to reduce emissions. “Climate policy is incredibly complex. Yes, science sits at its core – but there are also economic, social and political implications to be considered,” said Dr Mackle. “We will be looking at what this advice could mean for dairy farmers and how the Government will partner to support our sector through this transition. This report emphasises the need for all New Zealanders to work to reduce their footprint whether that be on the farm, on the roads, or in our homes. “New Zealand dairy farmers are already the world’s most emissions efficient, so it’s a balance between farming sustainably, maintaining international competitiveness and running a viable business. “Our farmers have already started making practice changes on-farm, along with introducing […]

Alamir Bakery authentic Lebanese food manufacturer

Alamir bakery is a family owned business in Miramar which has been making authentic Lebanese food since it started out in 1992. The company distributes its hummus, falafel bites, pita bread and chips to supermarkets, restaurants and cafes throughout the country. Commentary from Ali Dia – Managing Director of Alamir Bakery Our parents Jamil and Waafa immigrated to Wellington from Lebanon in 1990 due to the war. I was just 8 months old and at that time my brother would have been two years old. My other two brothers were born in NZ. When my parents first arrived my dad had heaps of different jobs – at one stage he was a driver for the Iranian Embassy and my mother ended up becoming the caterer for the embassy because my father invited some people from the embassy to come for a meal at our house one day and they fell in love with my mother’s hummus and they asked mum to cater all the meetings for 1.5 years. My parents started the business after they were encouraged by the founder of Mexican Corn Chips (who is also Lebanese) to sell our hummus to supermarkets. Our parents started the business in 1992, making small batches of hummus and falafel in a little commercial kitchen at the back of our house in Miramar, Wellington. At this point the “Alamir” name wasn’t born yet – we were still trading as ‘The Delicious Lebanese Snack Co Ltd’, distributing to local Supermarkets, Restaurants and cafes. Slowly the product range grew and our father (and let’s be honest, our mother!) began thinking about how else can we spread our natural-and-full-of-flavour “super food” to everyone! In 2001 we opened ‘Alamir Bakery’ and started making traditional Lebanese Pita Bread and all types of Lebanese food; from kebby to […]

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