Latest news with #Beef+Lamb
NZ Herald
7 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
EU deforestation rules: NZ beef and wood exporters may face extra costs
The regulation was amended to exclude sheep products in 2022, and its implementation was delayed last year. But the beef, meat and wood processing sectors were preparing for the new requirements. It was announced this week that the Meat Industry Association, Beef + Lamb and an analytics firm were developing aerial and satellite-generated farm maps, as well as compiling the movement of livestock. The New Zealand Deforestation Map initiative was to help the sector prepare the documents and data needed with each shipment of their products to the EU from December 31. The regulation was expected to affect $213 million in beef and leather exports to the EU and $100 million in wood products. Minister 'banging on the table' for exemption Agriculture Minister Todd McClay speaking at the Red Meat Sector Conference in Christchurch on Tuesday. Photo / RNZ, Monique Steele McClay, the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Trade and Investment, told the Red Meat Sector Conference in Christchurch on Tuesday that companies should prepare for the incoming rules. 'Well done for preparing,' he said. 'I'm so very sorry this cost has been put upon you, because in my view it is unnecessary. 'Since we came to government, I have consistently said to the European Union we have standards, the equivalent to yours if not higher, so you should not be putting costs upon every single producer in New Zealand, and we have been looking for ways to find exemptions or to changes, or to get the cost down.' McClay wrote to the European Commission last year and said he met one of the commissioners in Brussels last month, who suggested other countries were also trying to gain exemptions, such as France. 'You'd figure when the EU member states don't like something, perhaps there's a change coming,' McClay said. New Zealand already had rules protecting native forests, and penalties for offending. 'They [the EU] have nothing to worry about in New Zealand. 'You're not allowed to deforest native forests in New Zealand. 'Ultimately, I, as the Government, can give an absolute assurance that it doesn't happen because we prosecute, we go and find these things.' He said the new regime was likely to impose 'unreasonable' costs on producers, creating a barrier to trade, despite New Zealand's free-trade agreement with the EU. 'So you need to keep preparing in case they don't get there, but we're gonna keep banging the table.' Mapping farms and tracking livestock Industry analytics firm Prism Earth is a partnership between Silver Fern Farms and Lynker Analytics, launched to meet the increased demand for carbon traceability, its website says. It uses satellite imagery, aerial photography, remote laser sensing and artificial intelligence to map farms and identify grazing areas and forests. It also tracks animals via the National Animal Identification and Tracing (Nait) programme. Managing director Matt Lythe, who also spoke at the red meat industry event, said the challenge was to accurately understand the conversion of land and animal movements. 'Every consignment will need to have a due diligence statement that essentially monitors every Nait tag, every animal and its passage through the New Zealand landscape and the grazing process through all its dimensions, and whether it's past deforested land or not. 'There are some record-keeping requirements that need to be held in place for five years, so it's a reasonably onerous obligation on us all to achieve.' Its modelling showed there were just under 14,000 hectares of beef production farmland to October 2024 from which forests had been removed, and 1600 'affected Nait' farms. 'So headline number, just under 14,000 hectares have had forest removal,' he told the conference. The main types of removal were pine rotation, followed by woodlots, then shelterbelts. The modelling showed 32 hectares of indigenous forest were removed, affecting 24 farms. 'I've highlighted the indigenous loss as really the key critical area that we're focusing on. 'Thirty-two hectares of indigenous forest in New Zealand has been removed that breaches that European rule.' Owners of farms deemed to have been deforested would need to demonstrate to Prism that the removal of trees was not to convert land for agricultural use. Lythe said farmers could mitigate the risk of cattle crossing into deforested land through fencing or other controls, and demonstrate that the removal of trees was due to either animal welfare, erosion control, health and safety or conservation and biodiversity protection. The New Zealand Deforestation Map will be updated before December and updated every year. The Meat Industry Association is then expected to engage with the wider sector. - RNZ
NZ Herald
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Sunday roast revival: Kiwi families embrace tradition with a twist
On a recent Sunday, Dean Thompson found himself doing something he hadn't done in years: sitting down with his family for a proper Sunday roast. Thompson, the head chef at Schnappa Rock in Tutukākā and a 2024 Beef + Lamb NZ ambassador chef, usually works
NZ Herald
29-04-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Field day at East Coast station Tutumatai on Friday
A field day is being held on Beef + Lamb NZ monitor farm Tutumatai Station near Ruatōria from 10am to 4pm on Friday. Beef + Lamb New Zealand is hosting a field day on hub farm Tutumatai Station near Ruatōria on Friday. The property in Mangaoporo Rd was named as a B+LNZ whenua Māori monitor farm early last year. Promoted, resourced and supported by B+LNZ for a two-year period, with the option of a third year, it follows on from a successful monitor farm programme B+LNZ ran at Waikura Station at Tiniroto for several years. 'B+LNZ Hub Farms are all about bringing farmers together to connect, share ideas and tackle regional challenges,' a B+LNZ spokesman said. 'They provide a unique chance to follow a real farm business as it navigates change, helping you see firsthand how decisions play out over time and translating those insights into practical strategies for your own farm.'
Otago Daily Times
29-04-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Former B+L boss on the move to arable sector
Dr Scott Champion is replacing Dr Alison Stewart as chief executive of the industry body Foundation for Arable Research. Photo: FAR Former Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive Dr Scott Champion will take over the leadership of the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR). Dr Champion takes on the role on July 1, replacing Dr Alison Stewart who will pursue semi-retirement after seven years at the helm. Chairman Steven Bierema said Dr Champion's skills were well matched for the developing needs of the arable industry and its growers. "Scott has been involved with the New Zealand and Australian food and fibre industries for 25 years, holding leadership and governance roles in research, tertiary education, marketing and industry good and has strong networks across agribusiness, government and other sectors. Dr Champion is a founding partner of consulting company Primary Purpose, the programme director of the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme. The former B+LNZ chief executive also led the New Zealand Meat Board. Mr Bierema said this experience would be invaluable to FAR and its growing levy payers. Dr Champion said he was looking forward to supporting arable farmers as they worked through many challenges and opportunities facing the industry. "Growers are dealing with a lot; understanding everything from how to reduce environmental impacts to meeting customer and consumer needs, and of course, remaining profitable. I've been involved in developing strategies and programmes to address some of these issues in both arable and other food and fibre industries, and look forward to working with and supporting growers and the broader arable industry." Dr Stewart plans to plans to fill semi-retirement with science advisory and agricultural consultancy work and will continue to represent agency boards as a director, as well as building a new home at Governor's Bay. Among many small wins, she counts establishing the investment fund Cultivate Ventures the most satisfying as few thought it would get off the ground. In the initial fundraiser FAR fronted $3 million as the cornerstone investor with a total of about $9 million raised. A second capital raise is going out to larger agricultural agencies with the goal of raising $20m. FAR is the research organisation for arable growers, funded by grower money in three levies.
Otago Daily Times
27-04-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
New CEO to champion FAR
Scott Champion Former Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive Dr Scott Champion will take over the leadership of the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR). Dr Champion starts work on July 1, replacing Dr Alison Stewart, who will semi-retire after seven years at the helm. Chairman Steven Bierema said Dr Champion's skills were well matched with the developing needs of the arable industry and its growers. "Scott has been involved with the New Zealand and Australian food and fibre industries for 25 years, holding leadership and governance roles in research, tertiary education, marketing and industry and has strong networks across agribusiness, government and other sectors." Dr Champion is a founding partner of consulting company Primary Purpose and the programme director of the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme. The former B+LNZ chief executive also led the New Zealand Meat Board. Mr Bierema said this experience would be invaluable to FAR and its growing levy payers. Dr Champion said he was looking forward to supporting arable farmers as they worked through many challenges and opportunities facing the industry. Dr Stewart plans to fill semi-retirement with science advisory and agricultural consultancy work and continue to represent agency boards as a director, as well as building a new home at Governor's Bay. FAR is the research organisation for arable growers, funded by grower money in three levies. — APL
