News and views

Innovation has seen a number of plant-based meat alternatives grow in popularity. These plant-based products often use terms such as ‘milk' or ‘patty’ to label their products. European authorities are currently looking at whether such terms should be restricted to use with animal-based products only. Here in New Zealand, Federated Farmers has indicated that it may push the government to follow suit.

Significant changes post-M.bovis The NAIT (National Animal Identification and Tracing) system was first introduced in 2012 and came into effect progressively until it was fully implemented on 29 February 2016. Any completely new system is likely to need a review after being in operation for a period of time.

If you’re in business and employ staff, there is a raft of newly-implemented and incoming employment changes – and, you need to be not only across them, but actively prepared.

Your business is growing and heading in the right direction – but at the same time you have new responsibilities and risks.

Employers have a thousand new reasons to ensure all employment agreements are in writing as of May 6.

In light of recent difficulties in the construction industry, not taking protective measures opens subcontractors up to recovery and enforcement issues. If you are a subcontractor, you should think about how to prevent your tools and equipment (including cranes and scaffolding) from being seized and sold by a receiver, and to ensure you have the best chance of getting paid.

Agri-tourism and food are growing sectors in New Zealand. We have farm tourism where tourists are shown working farms with activities such as sheep dog and shearing exhibitions. Artisan producers are growing their own products and then processing them into, say, cheese, and free-range pigs are becoming salami, bacon and ham.

One of the perennial problems that farmers face is that of stock wandering or stock getting out and interfering with, or causing damage to, neighbouring properties. Generally speaking, the issue of having a small number of stock grazing on your land for a short time until they are put back in the neighbour’s property may not be too great a concern.