News for 2008

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) says good progress is being made towards the elimination of the southern saltmarsh mosquito in Coromandel with the end this week of aerial treatments.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) has today issued a provisional import health standard (IHS) for the importation of horses from Australia, removing the existing import requirements for equine influenza.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) is seeking submissions from interested parties on proposed guidelines for the issue of animal welfare export certificates.

Cabinet has approved funding of $3.6 million for a five-year local elimination programme to rid Lyttelton Port of the marine pest Mediterranean fanworm. More...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) is releasing 3000 grass carp into Lakes Tutira, Waikopiro, and Opouahi today as part of its programme to eradicate the invasive aquatic weed hydrilla from the lakes. Hydrilla has not been found anywhere else in New Zealand.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) have received advice, from Biosecurity Australia that they have revised their emergency measures which will allow the importation of tomato and capsicum fruit from New Zealand.

Kauri dieback (Phytophthora taxon Agathis or PTA), the newly-identified disease attacking kauri trees, is being addressed by six agencies working together as one response team.

New Zealand cut flower and foliage growers, who export product to the USA, have received an early Christmas present.

Minimum standards of animal welfare and recommended best practices for anyone responsible for sheep and beef cattle are outlined in a new draft code of welfare to be released for consultation by the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) tomorrow.

A Dannevirke father and son, Ian and David Livingstone, have been convicted of offences laid by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) Enforcement Group relating to the starvation of sheep in their care. These convictions come within a year of being convicted of the ill treatment of dogs in their care.

New Zealand’s defence against marine pest arrivals is set to be strengthened with a recent Government decision to join an international convention controlling ships’ ballast water discharges.

Calves should be disbudded early and with proper pain relief, is the message from the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) and the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC).

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) investigations after last week’s find of varroa bee mite outside of the current South Island Controlled Area have confirmed further reports in North Canterbury.

A surveillance programme researching the presence of avian influenza in New Zealand has found low pathogenic (LPAI) H5N1 virus in two samples taken from mallard ducks. Tests indicate that the virus is closely related to viruses found in the past and has been here for some time.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) has confirmed varroa bee mite in hives outside of the current South Island Controlled Area.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) has successfully eliminated the Southern salt marsh mosquito (SSM) from the Kaipara area, ending some six years of treatment and surveillance activity.

The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) issued its 2007 Annual Report today.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) is about to test its armoury of marine pest treatment weapons against the introduced Mediterranean fanworm which was recently detected in Lyttelton Port of Christchurch.

Mr Dempster had sheep on three separate properties, “Willowbrook”, “Thornhill” and “Hillhead”.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) has established a new South Island Controlled Area for the varroa bee mite.

North Wellsford farmer Keith Thomas pleaded guilty to 5 charges under the Animal Welfare Act 1999 earlier in March this year for allowing stock in his care to suffer from malnutrition. Mr Thomas was convicted and sentenced yesterday in the Warkworth District Court. He was ordered to pay $53 000 in costs and an enforcement order was made for supervision of his farming operation for two years.

The National Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC) Annual Report was released today. A significant feature of NAEAC's work in 2007 was the review of a number of the codes of ethical conduct that govern the use of animals in research, testing and teaching.

A thorough search of the Lyttelton Port and surrounding marine environment for the pest marine species the Mediterranean fanworm has revealed the organism is widespread in the inner harbour.

Four members of AgResearch’s Biomembrane Laboratory have been selected as the recipients of the 2008 National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC) Three Rs Award.

The Candidatus Liberibacter spp. bacterium, recently found in glasshouse tomato and capsicum crops, has now been detected in commercial potato crops in the Auckland region.

Work begins today on surveying Lyttelton port for the marine pest the Mediterranean fanworm (Sabella spallanzanii).

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) will discontinue funding national management of the Dutch Elm Disease programme.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) has today withdrawn phytosanitary certification for New Zealand fresh tomato and capsicum export produce until further notice, following the confirmation of a new disease-causing bacterium in three commercial hot-house operations in the North Island.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) welcomes todays conviction's of Noel Cudby in the Wellington District Court for the de-velveting of deer without adequate pain relief and the required approvals.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ), is responding to the detection of a new and unwanted marine species in Lyttelton Port.

The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) has completed a review into the minimum standard that relates to maximum stocking densities in the 2003 Broiler Code of Welfare and has concluded that a change to the minimum standard is not required at this time. This conclusion is based in part on New Zealand research that found that the welfare of broiler chickens in New Zealand was on a par with world best practice.

A dredging operation to reduce the threat of exotic brown mussels establishing in Tasman Bay has been wound up, with MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) satisfied any remaining risk is minimal.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) has established a new South Island Controlled Area to protect beekeeping operations in the West Coast, Canterbury and areas further south, from varroa which was found at St Arnaud, outside the previous South Island Controlled Area, three weeks' ago.

Varroa bee mite has been found at several apiary sites near St Arnaud, just outside the Nelson-Marlborough Varroa Controlled Area boundary, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) said today.

In response to recent reports circulating about the apparent 'disappearance' of didymo, particularly in the Waitaki, Hakataramea and Maerewhenua Rivers, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand can confirm that didymo is still present in the those rivers and people must check, clean and dry their equipment before moving to other waterways.

A survey to monitor the effect of control work for the invasive aquatic weed hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) at Centennial Park Lake, Timaru has revealed no visible signs of the weed, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand said today.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) is pleased with the conviction handed down today in the Tauranga District Court to a Katikati company for the illegal importation of sowing seeds.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) has today issued an Import Health Standard for horses from Australia, lifting the suspension on imports that has been in place since August last year.

A Marlborough farmer was sentenced today and must pay a fine of $6500, and was ordered to pay investigation and court costs of $715.60 in the Blenheim District Court for the illegal dehorning of his cattle.

A second round of testing has confirmed that ten horses in the Karaka quarantine facility are free from equine influenza.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) Animal Welfare Investigation Team welcomed the conviction handed down in the Palmerston North District Court last week for the obstruction and hindering of an animal welfare inspector whilst performing his duties.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) announced this afternoon that it is retesting samples taken from horses imported directly from the United States to the Karaka quarantine facility due to conflicting test results.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), Animal Welfare Investigation Team are pleased with the conviction in the Christchurch District Court last week to a farmer for the wilful ill-treatment of animals.

Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata) has been confirmed in the Wairau River near Dip Flat, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) announced today.

The MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) dredging of the Tasman Bay site where an oil rig was cleaned late last year is progressing well.

Control of the invasive weed hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) at Centennial Park Lake, Timaru is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 18 March 2008, weather and conditions permitting, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand said today.

Twenty eight possible alternatives to the ozone depleting gas methyl bromide came under scrutiny yesterday as over 90 government and industry representatives met in Wellington to review the alternatives to methyl bromide use at our borders.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) is arranging to dredge an area of seabed in Tasman Bay early next week to reduce the risk posed by marine organisms that fell on the ocean floor during the cleaning of an oil rig there late last year.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's biosecurity arm, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) is today working in close co-operation with the nursery and gardening industry to limit the distribution of suspected pest weeds through contaminated imported coconut fibre.