DairyNZ staff have been deployed across the country, with 40 people working alongside Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and other agencies. Our staff range from farm systems experts to communication specialists, and they are working both on the ground and at governance level to ensure farmers are given practical solutions.
DairyNZ's Chris Morley speaking to farmers about biosecurity and M. bovis at a Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) open day.
DairyNZ in the National Control Centre
We have three staff working out of MPI’s M. bovis National Control Centre in Wellington, supporting communications, planning and governance. Our team is helping to ensure MPI works in the best interests of dairy farmers and that the information you receive is practical and easy to digest. At the governance level, we are helping develop policies and recommendations that will work for farmers.
DairyNZ on the ground
We also have a team of people on the ground, working directly with farmers affected by M. bovis. Operating out of MPI’s regional field headquarters – in Oamaru, Ashburton, Invercargill and Hamilton – this team is helping farmers to develop feed budgets, coordinate feed, and put systems in place that allow them to continue farming under movement restrictions. The team is also dedicated to supporting farmers through the recovery phase as they restock their farms.
DairyNZ response team
Our M. bovis response team, formed in July 2017, is working hard to help farmers by coordinating DairyNZ’s staff, and information and advice for farmers. We have recently appointed a new response manager whose role is to ensure DairyNZ’s staff, time and resources are used in the best way possible for farmers.
Keeping their boots clean are DairyNZ consulting officers Trevor Gee and Teaghan Lourie at a LUDF open day.
Information to help you
Another key focus for us throughout the M. bovis response has been ensuring you have access to information that will help you make informed decisions to protect your farms and animals. For example, we have developed many resources, including the Biosecurity WOF (dairynz.co.nz/biosecurity) and provided advice through regular email updates, social media, and via our website. Check out dairynz.co.nz/mbovis for everything you need to know about M. bovis and biosecurity.
If you are affected by M. bovis, we are here to help. Whether you need support with form-filling, getting access to feed, forming management plans, or you just need someone to talk to or get advice from, please contact us on 0800 4 324 7969 or email info@dairynz.co.nz to arrange a visit from a member of our team.
This article was originally published in Inside Dairy September 2018
