Kia Ora,
The Prime Minister announced tonight that Auckland will move to Alert Level 3 from 6am, Sunday February 28, and the rest of the country will move to Alert Level 2.
The Alert Levels will initially be in place for a period of seven days while further investigations are conducted.
The primary sector can continue to operate at both levels 2 and 3. Businesses and workers need to comply with the Government’s COVID-19 alert level settings and observe any protocols for their particular industry. For more information please see here.
An Alert Level boundary will be in place around Auckland. Many primary sector businesses will be able to travel across the Alert Level boundary. These include businesses involved in:
Please note, forestry and wood processing can operate within the alert level boundaries, but they will have to apply for an exemption to travel across the alert level boundary unless they are involved in packaging for food and drink. Note that forestry and wood processing freight can cross the border, but not employees going to work.
More information about permitted activities, exemptions and travel across Alert Level boundaries can be found here on the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) website.
Register to travel
A reminder that MBIE has developed a Business Travel Register (see here) to enable businesses and organisations to request travel documents: either for permitted activities or, if required, to seek an exemption to travel from the Director-General of Health if your business activity does not appear on the permitted activities referred to above.
The Business Travel Register will generate Business Travel Documents for workers to display at checkpoints. This includes a QR code, which enables Police at the cordon to verify the document digitally against the travel register. It is important that today you register your businesses for travel.
If you requested and received Business Travel Documents during the Alert Level 3 in Auckland earlier this month, or received an exemption, you can use those documents and do not need to apply again.
Thank you for your perseverance and commitment to continue operating while keeping your staff and New Zealanders safe from COVID-19.
Ray Smith
MPI Director-General
Challenges Facing International Traders in 2021
A webinar will be held Tuesday 9th March from midday – for Grain and Seed “Challenges facing International Traders in 2021”
The webinar will be for approximately an hour and in conjunction with Western Union.
You will need to register and details will be sent out very soon.
It will be recorded so if you can’t make it at midday the recording can be sent to you.
This morning the USD has hit almost a 3 year high so given the major banks are calling it as a potential shift to .78 NZD/USD ( which of course ) is never guaranteed, and currency analyst’s are talking of potentially higher.
News Release – 15 February 2021
Ray Smith, MPI Director-General
Kia Ora,
I just wanted to update you with some helpful information now that Auckland has moved to Alert Level 3 and the rest of New Zealand Alert Level 2.
The lockdown will initially be for a period of 72 hours, until midnight Wednesday, while further investigations and tracing are conducted. This will be reviewed on a 24-hour basis.
The primary sector can continue to operate at both levels 2 and 3. Businesses and workers need to comply with the Government’s COVID-19 alert level settings and observe any protocols for their particular industry. For more information please see here.
An Alert Level boundary is in place around Auckland. Please see here. Many primary sector businesses will be able to travel across the Alert Level boundary. These include businesses involved in:
More information about permitted activities and travel across Alert Level boundaries can be found here on the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) website.
You can view the health order for the Alert Level settings here.
Register to travel
MBIE has developed a Business Travel Register (see here) to enable businesses and organisations to request travel documents: either for permitted activities or, if required, to seek an exemption to travel from the Director-General of Health if your business activity does not appear on the permitted activities list referred to above.
The Business Travel Register will generate Business Travel Documents for workers to display at checkpoints. This includes a QR code, which enables Police at the cordon to verify the document digitally against the travel register. It is important that today you register your businesses for travel.
MPI is committed to working with the sector and I am confident that together we can deal with any issues that may arise.
Ray Smith
MPI Director-General
News Release – 12 February 2021
Ryegrass the Largest Proprietary Pasture Seed Crop
Calendar year 2020 sales figures from the Plant Breeding and Research Association (PBRA) shows over 10,700 tonnes of branded proprietary pasture seed was sold to farmers, up 21% on 2015. This was the strongest sales year on record.
Proprietary seed, which comes with built-in technological advances to increase performance, is increasingly recognised as the one of the best investment farmers can make in their land says Association president David Green.
“This is the highest quality seed you can buy. As well as its advanced performance attributes, it’s certified, which means it has been grown under regulatory supervision, has passed inspection for purity and germination, and is fully traceable.”
The current market for forage seeds shows ryegrass and clover dominates the category.
Most of this seed is produced by specialist growers in the Canterbury region. Certified ryegrass and clover seed was grown on around 29,000 hectares.
Different ryegrass types comprise 81% of grass seed sales by volume. Red and white clover comprises 9% of the legume sales by volume.
Mr Green says NZ pasture seed development is underpinned by intensive and local private breeding programs.
And breeders are focused on delivering new locally adapted seed genetics and desirable traits for our pastoral farmers.
Seed breeding and development can take up to a decade and cost up to $1million before a new cultivar is ready for the commercial market.
“There are many variables with seed selection and proprietary seed is genetically superior to older public domain varieties and the degenerating quality of farm saved or farm traded seed; the latter is of course illegal under the Plant Variety Rights Act.
Mr Green said that the forage genetics and seed technologies farmers use is more important than ever and proprietary seed is reliable and high performing for long-term success.
For further information, please contact:
Thomas Chin, General Manager, NZPBRA
Ph 021 679 989
An update from Hamish –
2020 went well all considering, the period of study during lockdown provided its challenges but it was also great to be able to work on farm while studying! The balance was great! My studies went well.
Over my holidays I have been working on a sheep, beef and mixed cropping operation! I have been busy harvesting and baling grass seed and barley.
I am doing honours this year, in Plant Science. My exact project is yet to be decided, but I am working with a couple of academics including Derrick Moot to organise a suitable project. I am looking at a few, one on cereals, another on grass tillering, a couple on forage brassicas/annual grasses and am quite interested in red clover so there are plenty of options!
I head back to university on the 20th of February and will enjoy my summer work before heading back.
Kind Regards,
Hamish
Congratulations to Ben Chambers of Geraldine on being awarded the NZGSTA Scholarship for 2021.
FROM BEN
My name is Ben Chambers and I hail from the small South Canterbury township of Geraldine.
I am about to start my second year of study at Lincoln University where I am doing a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science.
I will be taking papers such as farm management, plant and animal science, soil management in my first semester and will be able to specialise which papers I would like to take into the second semester.
Over the past two summers as well as the 2020/21 summer, I have been working for local agricultural contractors servicing the Mid/South Canterbury area and the Mackenzie Country too. This gave me the real drive to pursue a career within the grain and seed industry as I have been a part of the production cycle from direct drilling through to the baling and cartage of the straw by-product.
The NZGSTA Scholarship has enabled me to further pursue my drive to work in the grain and seed industry, as well as opening doors that I didn’t know even existed. I will be able to take a lot from being a 2021 recipient of the scholarship as the ability to network with industry professionals will be priceless.
I cannot wait to see what 2021 has in store for the NZGSTA and myself.
I am very fortunate to be the 2021 recipient of the scholarship and this will be utilised to help me achieve my goal of getting into the grain and seed field after university.
Thank you, Ben
