The trade has been a lucrative one, with participating farmers able to sell stock at a premium to China, which is keen to get its hands on our genetics as it looks to build its own herd.
The phase out period is quite short and there are fears local prices could be hit as farmers rearrange their herds and businesses.
But in the big picture it’s the right decision.
There’s little appetite for the practice in the general public and food producing nations of a similar standard are making the same move globally.
If we’re to be the best in terms of animal welfare, we have to walk the walk.
Bryan Gibson
Feds stumped by live exports ban
Government's plan to end the export of livestock by sea comes as a big surprise to farmers.
Angus NZ sees silver lining in breeders’ Aus switch
Angus New Zealand is disappointed a group of NZ breeders has decided to move their pedigree and performance recording to Angus Australia, but the NZ breed society is confident that its future is bright, president John Cochrane says.
Forest diversity lowers planting risk
Diversity, whether in a diet, finance, farming or income, can be an ideal means to mitigate risk. Scion researcher Thales West’s work has found the same principle applies to forestry and can help lower risks in an industry constantly juggling with the uncertainty of harvest values many years in the future.
Record price indexes for NZ commodities
Commodity prices for New Zealand primary products are the highest ever recorded in both the ANZ World Price Index and in NZ dollar (NZD) terms.
B+LNZ seeks region-based slope maps
Beef + Lamb NZ is calling on the Government to replace its low-slope stock exclusion map and stocking regulations with a region by region approach.