Rural news briefs: A quick look around the rural traps

Rural news snippets from around the regions.

Award entries close

Entries close at midnight tonight for the 2018 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, so those wanting to compete in the Share Farmer, Dairy Manager and Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions have little time left to get their names in.

Entrants experience gains including education, career advancement, networks and friendships, confidence, business improvement as well as $180,000-plus in national prizes that can be won. For more, visit dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

Infringements rise

So far this year, Ministry for Primary Industries officers have issued more than 9100 biosecurity infringements and given 1135 warnings to air passengers for failing to follow New Zealand's strict biosecurity rules.

Last year, officers issued 9704 fines in total, compared with 6102 in 2015 and 4851 in 2014. MPI passenger manager Craig Hughes said that, with the busy summer period yet to start, another rise in infringements was expected this year.

Herd numbers drop

The average Kiwi dairy cow produced 4259 litres of milk in the 2016-17 season, containing a total of 381kgMS, compared to 4185 litres and 372kgMS in 2015-16. The latest New Zealand Dairy Statistics 2016-17 show milking cow and herd numbers have decreased for the second consecutive year.

The latest count is 4.86million cows nationally — down from 4.99million in 2015-16 — while herd numbers have dropped to 11,748 from 11,918.

New programme

Fonterra has joined with Shine and Women's Refuge to launch a programme to raise awareness about family violence and provide support services for any of its 12,000 New Zealand employees who may need help.

A new family violence policy sets out how the co-operative will aim to create a safe and supportive environment at work, while also enabling team members impacted by family violence to take up to 10 days of additional paid leave per year to attend health appointments, legal proceedings or other activities relating to family violence.

The programme will initially be rolled out to Fonterra's New Zealand workforce and later considered for its offshore operations. The co-operative recognised White Ribbon Day last week through fundraising activities and white ribbons on some of its tankers.¦