The New Zealand tahr herd, which began as a few individuals introduced in 1904, is one of the few in the world in the wild that can be hunted for sport. In recent decades numbers were allowed to rise though control efforts have brought them down to 21,000.
The Department of Conservation wants to reduce that figure to below 10,000 but hunters complain that is excessive.
Set against the arguments of the Tahr Foundation, which represents hunters, are those who argue for our native plant heritage. The gregarious tahr concentrate in small areas where they devastate snow tussocks and the Godley’s buttercup.
The battle over this decades-long alpine argument is now to take place in the High Court.
Gerard Hutching
Agritech start-ups flourish
New Zealand provides a fertile environment for agritech and life sciences start-ups but they do not score well when it comes to market reach. There is a worry covid-19 could result in a global mass extinction of start-ups.
Hunters fear for tahr’s future
Plans to control the Himalayan tahr in the Southern Alps have been met with strong resistance from hunters who claim they are part of a push to eradicate the destructive species.
Rivers plan top of mind
Waikato Federated Farmers first female president Jacqui Hahn’s top priority is to address the Healthy Rivers plan promoted by the regional council, which, she says, will take decisions out of farmers’ hands.
Meat to the door popular
Silver Fern Farms is capitalising on the trend to deliver its products to the door through a partnership with Gourmet Direct. Sales lifted significantly during the lockdown and are well up on the corresponding time last year.
McBride backs improved Fonterra
Incoming Fonterra chairman Peter McBride believes the dairy giant has managed to win back the hearts and minds of shareholders through improved performance and better shareholder engagement.
Tonight on Sarah's Country
7pm – Special Edition. Tune in for live coverage of the Dairy Business of the Year awards ceremony being held this year as a digital event on Dairy Business of the Year and Farmers Weekly Facebook pages.