Early Bird I Wednesday June 19th 2024

No radical changes in government plan to relax genetic engineering rules, Associate Agriculture Minister reveals work is underway on a new BVD vaccine, and cautious optimism springs from this years Fieldays. Welcome to Proud Country's Early Bird - The top things you need to know that impact rural New Zealand delivered to you by 5am, because who doesn’t need better chat beyond the weather!   No radical changes in government plans to relax genetic engineering rules The government is expected to make decisions by August on relaxing rules surrounding gene editing (GE) and genetic modification (GM). The National Party's pre-election promise was to end what it termed an "effective ban" on GE technology, highlighting the potential benefits for climate change, agriculture, and health science. Judith Collins, the Science, Innovation and Technology Minister, informed a select committee that she anticipates the Cabinet will make decisions by August, with legislation to be introduced by the end of the year. The new regime would likely take effect in the second half of next year after undergoing select committee scrutiny. Collins emphasised that the proposed changes would not be radical, suggesting the new regime would be modelled after Australia's but with improvements based on their experiences. The law change is expected to facilitate the use of CRISPR, a cost-effective gene-modifying technique that has significantly advanced GE since 2012, as well as other emerging technologies. During her committee appearance, Collins expressed enthusiasm for the economic and healthcare benefits of the space industry, GE, and artificial intelligence.  The government has faced criticism for cutting some science funding programs, particularly the termination of the National Science Challenge grants, which has prompted scientists to seek career opportunities overseas. Despite the cancellation of the previous government's major science reform plan, Te Ara Paerangi, Collins asserted that the science and research sectors received a substantial $1.2 billion share of the Budget.  The government is expected to provide more certainty regarding science funding arrangements in the coming months, following the recommendations of the Science System Advisory Group chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman.  Associate Agriculture Minister reveals work is underway on a new BVD vaccine Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard has announced that a new project, backed by the Ministry for Primary Industries, aims to develop a modified live virus vaccine against Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD). This disease currently costs New Zealand cattle farmers more than $190 million annually and affects approximately 80% of the country's dairy and beef herds. Cattle infected with BVD experience severe symptoms including reproductive losses, reduced growth rates, and lowered milk production, ultimately leading to death. The economic impact includes over $150 million in direct production losses and $40 million in ongoing control expenses each year. Currently, New Zealand has three registered BVD vaccines with efficacy rates between 60 to 65%. These vaccines use the inactivated BVD virus and require an initial two-dose vaccination followed by annual revaccinations. However, these vaccines are sourced from overseas and are not tailored specifically to New Zealand strains of BVD. The new project seeks to improve upon these existing vaccines by developing a vaccine specific to New Zealand strains. The goal is to create a modified live virus vaccine that will stimulate a higher and faster immune response and will only require a single dose, offering better protection and convenience for farmers. Winter flyovers to start across Otago this week The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is set to commence its annual winter flyovers at the end of this week, focusing on coastal Otago and selected Central Otago properties. These flyovers aim to monitor farming practices, particularly intensive winter grazing, and large land disturbances associated with forestry and machinery operations near streams, rivers, and wetlands, as stated by ORC’s Manager of Compliance, Tami Sargeant. Sargeant says the compliance flights provide a comprehensive view of land use across the region to identify potential risks to water quality. Following the flyovers, ORC staff will assess the gathered information and conduct site visits to verify and check compliance at any identified high-risk sites. Despite upcoming government changes related to consenting, Sargeant urged Otago farmers to maintain their best management practices under current consents. She emphasised that these changes would not take effect until the next winter season, and current consents would still be applicable for this winter. Over the past three years, more than 1000 dairy farm compliance visits have been conducted, leading to positive changes in compliance levels, particularly in effluent management, storage, and discharge. For the ten months ending in April, dairy inspections increased by 28.7%, from 317 to 408 compared to the previous year. Full compliance with rules rose to 66% from 61%, while instances of significant non-compliance decreased from 3% to 2%, indicating an overall improvement in dairy farm compliance. Cautious optimism springs from this year's Fieldays. The four-day National Fieldays at Mystery Creek, recognized as the largest agricultural field days in the southern hemisphere, attracted 106,000 visitors last week. The event featured 1,069 exhibitors, showcasing their products and services despite the challenging economic conditions. Peter Nation, Chief Executive of the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, highlighted the importance of the event as a platform for industry leaders, sector professionals, and farmers to come together and address the primary sector's challenges.  The economic impact of the event is still being assessed, but there is a sense of cautious optimism among participants. Case IH network development manager, Murray Grant, reported a surprising 28% growth in sales compared to the previous year, despite a general market downturn of 25-30%.  New features at this year's Fieldays included the Fieldays VIP Business Plus Lounge, the Fieldays Rural Advocacy Hub, and a Family Activation Zone, enhancing the overall experience for business leaders, exhibitors, and visitors.  International representation was strong, with increased visitation from last year, 49 businesses from nine countries exhibiting, and 25 delegations from 15 countries registered. Next year's Fieldays is scheduled from Wednesday, June 11 to Saturday, June 14. Don't forget to check out the Countrywide Podcast “Fieldays Special” wherever you listen to podcasts. Bumpy ride into the NZ market for Aussie fertiliser company Australia-based fertiliser company Marnco has made adjustments to its product's name and compensated farmers after encountering issues with its entry into the New Zealand market. The company initially shipped super phosphate to New Zealand in an effort to compete with established co-operatives Ballance and Ravensdown. The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand (FANZ) quickly took action against Marnco, seeking a court injunction on the grounds that Marnco's product did not meet the FertMark code's 8% phosphate standard for superphosphate. Marnco's product tested at 7.4% phosphate and was also claimed to have lower solubility than the standard. In response, Marnco's managing director Mark Been acknowledged the discrepancy and rebranded the fertiliser as "SulPhos." Additionally, the company compensated all affected farmers by paying the difference in content and covering re-application costs. This move was well-received by customers, who expressed satisfaction with the resolution. Been noted that while their entry into the NZ market had been challenging, the steps taken to address the issue should make the impending court case unnecessary. He emphasised that FANZ is not a legal entity or regulator but acknowledged the need to rectify the situation for their customers. Dr. Vera Power, CEO of FANZ, confirmed that legal action against Marnco is no longer necessary given the company's corrective measures. She clarified that FANZ's concerns were about the product's compliance with the FertMark code, not Marnco's presence in the market. Been remains optimistic about Marnco's future in New Zealand, anticipating better business prospects in the spring. He also credited Marnco's market entry with contributing to recent significant drops in fertiliser prices. For instance, urea prices fell from $895 to $795 per tonne as Marnco and competitors adjusted their prices in response to market conditions. The global market for fertiliser is starting to see price increases again due to factors such as China's export ban on nitrogen products, tightening supply.  Marnco is still deliberating whether to join FANZ. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.