Covid-19

Where’s the meat? Employers and governments should have seen this supply crisis coming

Ema MoolchandPhD Candidate, RMIT University Shelley MarshallAssociate Professor and Director of the RMIT Business and Human Rights Centre, RMIT University Australian Day barbecues are under threat as Omicron infections continue to cripple meat-processing operations. Most off the menu are chicken dishes. Australia’s biggest poultry processor Ingham’s (with a 40% market share) has had to stop producing some items and curtail production of others. It’s affecting clients such as KFC, and supermarket meat shelves are largely bare. The Australian Chicken Meat Federation said last week breast fillets, drumsticks and chicken wings will be hard to find for at least several weeks. The response of employers and government has been to relax health protocols for meat workers, reducing isolation times and keeping them on the line if they have been in contact with someone infected with COVID-19, or indeed even if they have the virus themselves. Teys Australia told COVID-positive staff at its Naracoorte beef abattoir in South Australia on January 9 they were required to work “as normal unless you are feeling unwell”. The Australian Meat Industry Employees Union warned this would see all 400 workers at the site infected. Woolworths, concerned about the bad look, suspended supplies from the abattoir (which resumed last week). This crisis in the industry was entirely predictable. Employers and the government should have seen it coming. Now, having failed to pursue reforms that could have helped mitigate it, they are grasping at quick fixes that compound the underlying problem. It’s as if nothing has been learned from the outbreaks of COVID-19 in meat-processing facilities in Australia and elsewhere since 2020. Meat works as transmission hotspots In 2020, meat-processing facilities ranked alongside cruise ships and health-care facilities as hotspots for COVID-19 transmission in Australia. Abattoirs were the major initial source of infections for the June infection wave in Melbourne that led to Victoria’s 112-day […]

US$27 billion committed to tackle global malnutrition and hunger

45 low- and middle-income countries led with strong policy and financial commitments. Tokyo: Government and private sector donors have pledged more than US$27billion at the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit this week to address the global malnutrition and hunger crisis. Represented by five Heads of State and Government, 45 countries with high burdens of malnutrition and a dozen donors delivered renewed policy and financial commitments to end malnutrition. These commitments demonstrate country leadership and prioritisation of nutrition at a crucial time, as fiscal resources are constrained and malnutrition rates are on the rise due to the continuing global Covid-19 pandemic. “More than 140 million children suffer from stunting, and undernutrition is considered as an underlying cause of nearly half of deaths of children under five years old. Moreover, Covid-19 cast a significant impact on nutrition. The pandemic will likely cause 13.6 million more children to suffer from wasting,” said Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida. “Let me recall our Sustainable Development Goal to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. Now is the time for us to take action. No one should be left behind.” At the event, Japan committed over US$2.8 billion to provide nutrition-related assistance globally. Among other priorities, this investment will contribute to the achievement of nutrition in Universal Health Coverage and efforts to create more sustainable and nutritious food systems. In addition to the donor’s pledge, countries with high burdens of malnutrition led the way at the Summit, delivering pledges towards increased domestic programming, as well as promising stronger policies and programs to reduce malnutrition rates. For example, Bangladesh, represented by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, committed to cut anemia rates by one-third, stunting among children by one-fifth, and wasting among children by one-quarter within the next five years. The Government of Indonesia committed to fight malnutrition, […]

Peter Gordon partners with KiwiHarvest as new ambassador

Aotearoa’s largest food rescue organisation, KiwiHarvest, is teaming up with internationally renowned chef and restaurateur Peter Gordon to help raise further awareness of two of New Zealand’s largest problems, food insecurity and food waste. Gordon is KiwiHarvest’s first official ambassador, and will be partnering with the organisation on its mission to reduce food waste and build food secure communities around the country. New Zealand’s food industry generates more than 103,000 tonnes of food waste per year, and it is estimated that 60% of food going to landfill is edible. Meanwhile, one in five New Zealanders are living with low to moderate food insecurity each and every day, including up to 305,000 Kiwi children. Gordon says, “It’s an absolute pleasure to step on board as KiwiHarvest’s official ambassador to shine a light on the incredible work they’re doing, helping to address Aotearoa’s dual challenges of food insecurity and food waste. “The sad reality is many Kiwis are either going hungry, or not getting access to adequate nutrition, all while perfectly good food gets thrown away. It’s my view that all New Zealanders should be able to experience the powerful nourishing and connecting benefits of food, each and every day. “I look forward to partnering with KiwiHarvest on our shared mission working towards the health and wellbeing of our communities, and our environment,” adds Gordon. Deborah Manning, KiwiHarvest Founder and Director, says, “We are truly honoured to welcome Peter to the KiwiHarvest whānau. “Throughout his career, Peter has enriched and connected communities through food, championing sustainability in the food sector. We particularly admire the work he is doing at Homeland with local food suppliers and community groups – helping Kiwis cook nourishing meals and educating them on the nutritional benefit of food and the importance of buying locally grown produce. “Like KiwiHarvest, […]

Climate change to be discussed at Apiculture Conference

Rotorua will be abuzz with beekeepers and honey producers this June, as the apiculture industry gathers for the annual Apiculture New Zealand Conference and Trade Exhibition. Held from 24-26 June at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre, the theme of Conference 2021 is ‘Healthy Bees, Healthy Industry, Healthy Future’. Apiculture New Zealand chief executive Karin Kos says Conference is a great chance for the apiculture industry to tackle some of the big issues facing the sector. “We have a packed schedule with presentations, panel discussions and practical seminars covering some of the important challenges facing our industry. These include the effect of climate change on pollinators, new research around managing pests like varroa, and the state of the global honey market.” The annual Apiculture New Zealand Conference is highly anticipated by beekeepers, bee scientists, apicultural suppliers and wider industry says Karin. “As always, there will be plenty to learn and share, and lots of opportunities to catch up with beekeepers from across the country. We are particularly aware this year of the importance of the social side of Conference, after COVID-19 meant last year’s event had to cancelled. People are really keen to get together.” As uncertainties around COVID-19 remain, the organising committee are also preparing ‘Plan Bee’, a fully online digital conference, should this be necessary. “We are committed to having Conference this year one way or another,” says Karin. “Our preference, of course, would be the fully on-site face-to-face event, but we know that online events can work really well and allow for lots of interaction between attendees and presenters if this is what needs to happen.” A highlight of Conference is always the National Honey Competition, where honey producers from across the country vie for medals across a range of categories. Karin says beekeepers are already preparing […]

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 […]

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 […]

KC Wearable announces partnership with food factory for worker safety

The KC N901 Smart Helmet, developed by leading technology and innovation company KC Wearable, has been deployed at Africa’s largest instant noodle manufacturing plant, as food manufacturing groups look to protect their workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. KC Wearable has announced a partnership with Dufil Group, who are responsible for the production of Indomie, one of the world’s most popular Mi Goreng instant noodle brands, as well as oil and pasta brands Power and MiniMie. The KC N901 Smart Helmet will be used as a COVID-19 symptom detector, helping Dufil Group to protect staff at the factory. Nigeria has seen almost 57,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far. As new cases continue to emerge, interest the wearable thermal detection device has grown. The KC Smart Helmet allows users to screen multiple individuals for a key symptom of COVID-19 at once, helping to stop the spread of the virus. The helmet can detect fevers, the most prevalent symptom of the virus, with 96% accuracy. Unlike traditional static thermal cameras, the wearable headset improves the efficiency and flexibility of COVID-19 screening, enabling the user to freely move around an area. The helmet can scan up to 200 people a minute, making it well suited to public settings like transport hubs, hospitals or parks. The KC N901 Smart Helmet has been deployed at Dufil Group’s food manufacturing plant in Nigeria, allowing the company to screen employees for high fevers upon entry. Working in collaboration with KC Wearable, Dufil Group have tailored the smart helmet to fit the requirements of a factory setting. This includes personalised detection, enabling security staff to isolate outbreaks. Powered by sophisticated augmented reality technology, the helmet visor’s thermo-scan sensors show the temperature of people in real time. The helmet is effective within a five-metre radius, enabling the wearer to […]

New rural employee support hub launched

DairyNZ and partners have launched a new Rural Employee Support Hub, to provide information and help to farm employees so they have the best possible experiences and careers on farm. The hub is a website ruralemployeesupport.co.nz and a free employee support phone line (0800 694 121) where people can have their questions answered, big and small. “Dairying is a sector that’s built on people – people are the key to our success, so we want everyone in dairying to have a rewarding career long-term and that’s where the Rural Employee Support Hub plays a key part,” DairyNZ people team leader Jane Muir said. The website is packed with information and tips to support and help employees excel in their jobs on farms. Information includes careers, training and development, remuneration and tenancies. There are sections on personal health including keeping active, nutrition and mental health support. On a practical level, there’s help on animals, farm health and safety. There’s even access to legal support if needed. The hub is a DairyNZ and Ministry for Primary Industries initiative, being delivered by Federated Farmers and supported by Dairy Women’s Network and New Zealand Young Farmers. “As a sector, we are really focused on ensuring employees enjoy and are fulfilled in their jobs, and that farm bosses have great talent working for them. It’s a two-way relationship,” said Jane. “Employers are well supported through DairyNZ and Federated Farmers, and we want to ensure employees have the same level of support and know where to go to ask questions.” Farm employees can call the hub’s free 0800 support line for information. The line provides confidential, impartial advice and is available Monday to Friday 8.30am-5pm. People can also email via the website. The initiative is a six-month pilot […]

New startup supports local Kiwi artisan producers

The Kiwi Artisan Co launches off the back of Covid-19 pandemic New Zealand online startup, The Kiwi Artisan Co, selects the finest small batch artisan goods for food lovers nationwide, supporting and celebrating local independent producers from Southland to Central Otago, Canterbury to Nelson, and Hawkes Bay to Northland. The artisans, specifically chosen by The Kiwi Artisan Co, handcraft their goods from locallysourced, high quality ingredients in small batches using sustainable production processes. The thoughtfully curated range of delectable sharing platter boxes are tailored to individual tastes and dietary requirements. Each online order received at kiwiartisan.co.nz is hand packed and delivered direct to your door, making it easier for foodies to entertain, connect and discover the real taste of New Zealand with friends and family. The Kiwi Artisan Co takes pride in sharing the story behind its artisans and their products, providing customers with a deeper understanding of where their food comes from and the craft by which it is produced. Originally a simple market stall in Central Otago supporting local producers, The Kiwi Artisan Co came to fruition off the back of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Like most small retail operations, the business struggled to survive during lockdown and was particularly affected as local markets and events were cancelled across the country. Without a strong online presence, operations came to a standstill. “The shutdown period was tough, but it was even tougher watching those small artisan producers struggle who really depend on local markets and retail shops to survive,” explains Dave Thorn, founder of The Kiwi Artisan Co. “We were determined to launch The Kiwi Artisan Co business online as a way to support the small batch artisan community and broaden artisan platter options for Kiwis who love to entertain at home.” Dave quickly set about building a small team […]

Fieldays Online

The first ever digital Fieldays was opened by The Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern Prime Minister of New Zealand, followed by an address by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. The Prime Minister opened the virtual gates to Fieldays Online with a nod to the efforts of the primary sector, who kept the country moving during the national lockdown. Ardern acknowledged the event is part of the fabric of the rural community and its significance in the local and national economy. The Prince, who is an avid supporter of sustainable agriculture, last visited Fieldays in 1970 when the event was in only its second year. In his message for Fieldays Online, His Royal Highness commended the Society for their decades of hard work and importance to the nation. “The idea behind Fieldays, to which I was first introduced all those years ago, has certainly flourished over these past five decades. All those who have nurtured it and helped it to grow can feel rightly proud of the way in which Fieldays has established its place in New Zealand life. It has come to be an indispensable opportunity to exchange ideas and knowledge, to connect different parts of the community, and to celebrate our shared relationships to the land.” New Zealand National Fieldays Society CEO Peter Nation was delighted to receive the royal reinforcement. “We don’t do things by halves here and we knew having an online event was a huge undertaking. But given the current circumstances we knew we had to do something, and we’ve worked really hard to bring the event to life in an utterly new and unique way. “Having the Prime Minister and The Prince offer their support is wonderful. We’re really proud of what’s on offer for the community both here in New Zealand and […]

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