Deer Industry News #36 June 2009 - Deer Industry New Zealand

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conferencepossible and it must be workable, he added.The startup for NAIT is still proposed as mid-June 2011, witharound an 18 month transition phase.There was general acceptance that the AHB’s database(DMIS) was well suited for Tb control on a herd basis, butthat it was not suited to the individual animal traceabilityrequirements of NAIT.Andrew Peters (Taihape) expressed severe misgivings aboutthe application of NAIT to the Taihape weaner sales whereabout 1000 animals go through annually. “I don’t want to beponcing around the saleyards with a [scanning] wand,” henoted. “Accuracy is going to be a real problem at our sales. Wedon’t have quiet little mobs of weaners. They’re whipped inand out. There’s no time to be mucking around with electronicreaders that don’t work. None of [the readers] are 100 percent.”Craig Purcell said the industry had to cooperate to make itwork. He said it was much easier to have deer scanned atsaleyards than expecting every deer farmer to scan boughtinstock onto their properties. “It’s a lot lower cost to findsolutions that work at the saleyards.”Ed Noonan (Executive Committee, Canterbury) said the useof a scanner and computer at the saleyards could actuallyreduce the paper war that’s already required at weaner sales.Tony Bayliss (Wairarapa) argued that with 75 percent ofNew Zealand deer going direct to slaughter, NAIT wasadding over $1 million of cost to the deer industry for nodirect benefit. He suggested a low-cost RFID tag for direct-toslaughter(DTS) animals. Ian Corney said RFID tag costs werecontinuing to fall, and the cost of a NAIT tag was unlikely tobe much more than that of the current DTS tag.Lindsay Burton added that RFID tags will give much bettertraceability than is possible with bar-coded tags now. The$6–7 million a year that this costs does not give goodtraceability, he said, adding that an EU audit of our meatprocessing in 2006 identified gaps in our traceability systems.Former DFA Executive Committee member, Mark Hawkins,advised the NAIT group that processors would be thelogical place to get NAIT started. “Farmers will never agreeto it regardless. If processors penalise farmers or rewardthem with a premium, then the job’s done.” He added thatthe system should be allowed to bed in before it becamemandatory. Lindsay Burton replied that, in effect, this wouldhappen, with scope for voluntary uptake before the proposedmid-2011 mandatory deadline.Mike McCormick (Hawke’s Bay) quizzed the NAIT groupabout an apparent lack of cooperation between NAIT andthe AHB, which would allow proper integration of thesystems. Ian Corney admitted to some frustration with slowprogress, and said agreement was imminent on the use of thesecondary “button” tag as an RFID tag that also carried theAHB number. Craig Purcell emphasised that the AHB’s DMISsystem was herd focused. “They’ve done a fantastic jobwith Tb control in New Zealand, but their job isn’t tracingindividual animals.” He said talks with AHB had been goingon four years, but the Board was now very supportive ofNAIT’s objectives.Ian Corney said the various farm databases including theAHB’s DMIS system, Livestock Improvement, Ambreed andAgribase were not compatible. He said the DMIS might be agood basis for the NAIT system, which would ideally be able12to share information with all of these specialised databases.Ken Swainson (Fallow Society) raised the well-knownproblem of the fallow deer’s love of chewing plastic, andproblems with tag retention. Craig Purcell said the buttonstyleRFID tags were less vulnerable to loss than visual tags.Although not perfect, they were the best available now. Othertypes, such as subcutaneous or bolus RFID tags, carried otherdisadvantages.Lindsay Burton concluded that it is not up to NAIT alone tosolve each technical problem. “NAIT is a partnership, andthe partners will find solutions together.”Velvet competitionsThe 2009 North Island Velvet Competition will be hostedby Central Regions Branch at the Coachman, PalmerstonNorth on Saturday 28 November. The competition has beenstruggling for entries, and the organisers will be seekingbetter support this year.The 2009 National Velvet Competition will run from 7–9December at the usual venue in Invercargill. More support isencouraged for the additional class which has been added tocater for some of the non-typical heads.The 2009 Rising Stars Competition was again a success,although velvet antler entries were down a little. OrganiserSharon Love reported plans to make the competition portableso that it can be hosted in different parts of the country.Dates and the possibility of a shift are yet to be decided.Ian Spiers Memorial TrustDon Gregson reported that the fund currently stands atabout $70,000. The grant made this year to Brian Russell (toattend the Kellogg leadership course at Lincoln) was the firstmade for four years. Don said that in the current low-interestrateenvironment the capital needed boosting to more than$100,000 to yield the $5,000 a year needed to make annualgrants. He suggested that Branches with surplus funds mightconsider making donations to the Trust. The lack of grants inrecent years have been because of a lack of applicants ratherthan a lack of funds.National Pest Management Strategy reviewDeer farmers’ representative on the AHB Members’Committee, Ponty von Dadelszen, reported that theNPMS review was now into its fourth cut. He said there isresistance to increasing funding for the strategy to achievetotal eradication, especially from the dairy sector and theGovernment. The latest proposal canvassed containment,rollback and eradication (including proof of concept in thefield, rather than computer modelling). There would be fiveyearlyreviews and no increase above current expenditure.Ponty said the regional councils are looking to withdraw the$6.3 million they currently contribute towards the strategy.Some councils are only committed for another 12 months.“Funding is going to be a key issue,” he said. The AHBwould propose to do an eradication proof of concept in theHokonui hills (Southland) and Hauhungaroa Ranges, west ofTaupo. Ponty said the AHB was on the back foot now, withboth the regional councils and dairy industry pulling backtheir support.Deer Industry News
NZDFA 2009, 34th Annual General MeetingconferenceOnce again the NZDFA’s Annual General Meeting was a quiet and orderly affair, with only one major policy issue on thetable: the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme.Chairman’s reportTaking a more pragmatic approach to proceedings this year, theExecutive Committee Chairman’s report was taken as read. The fulltext of Bill Taylor’s report can be found in the NZDFA Annual report,which was printed in the April/May issue of Deer Industry News andis also available on the website at: www.deernz.org/n330.htmlTom Williams took up the role of seconding the adoption of theChairman’s report this year. In supporting the motion, Tom invokedthe plummeting dairy payout to remind farmers how quickly thewindow of opportunity can close. Referring to his “intemperate”remarks about the emissions trading scheme at the 2008 AGM,Tom confirmed he stood by his remarks then, and welcomedthe subsequent change in the political landscape regardingthe treatment of greenhouse gasemissions from livestock. He alsourged farmers not to let up on thestruggle against two industrythreateningdiseases: Johne’s and Tb.The recent shrinkage of the industry’scapital herd was also a cause forconcern, he said. “The killing ofcapital stock is not smart.”As a postscript to his report,Bill Taylor, who has been electedto continue in the Chairman’srole, thanked Errol Croad for histremendous contribution chairingthe Animal Health Board Members’ Tom Williams: Standing byCommittee. He said the currentETS remarks.representatives on the committee,Ponty von Dadelszen and Mark O’Connor would need to be vigilantto ensure that the deer industry did not end up paying more than itsfair share under the reviewed National Pest Management Strategy(NPMS) when notified later in the year.NZDFA formal financial motionsFinancial accounts and statements for the year ending 2008/09“That the Audited NZDFA financial statements and accountsfor the year ending 31 March 2009 be received and approved.”Wells/NoonanCARRIEDHonoraria“That the Executive Committee honoraria for the 2009/10financial year be fixed at $9,000 for the elected Chairman,and $6,000 for each other Executive Committee member”.Mitchell/McCormickCARRIEDAuditors“That Deloitte be appointed as NZDFA auditors for the ensuingyear, 2009/10”.Wells/NoonanCARRIEDBudget to year ending 31 March 2010“That the NZDFA budget of expenditure for the year ending 31March 2010 be approved”.Wells/NoonanCARRIEDThe AGM noted that a subscription increase of $10.00 plus GST wasproposed on a stable membership expectation of 1750. The DFAchairman urged Branches to keep the role and value of the DFAhigh in people’s minds at local level and advised that the ExecutiveCommittee was committed to seeking new ways of communicationand adding value to DFA services.Branch remitsRemit 1: Canterbury – Lower Tyne Removal (From 2006)“That in the absence of an accepted velvet marketingrestructuring, the NZDFA request DINZ to ensure that NZFSA(New Zealand Food Safety Authority) requires removal oflower tynes from velvet antler (frozen or dried) destined forthe Korean market, in accordance with Overseas Market AccessRequirements (OMAR). The NZDFA requests DINZ to reportconclusions and progress by beginning of 2009/10 sellingseason.”Gilbert/NoonanSpeaking in support of the motion, Malcolm Gilbert acknowledgedthat circumstances had changed since it was drafted in 2006,when production was high and New Zealand processors were at adisadvantage to Korean processors, who were required to removethe lower tynes as a formal condition of entry to Korea for processedproduct.Ed Noonan said the remit was not intended to subsidise NewZealand processors. He pointed out that the OMARs were Koreanrequirements, and that there should be some integrity in themarket.Steven Borland noted that a Korean FTA could render the remitredundant.DINZ Chief Executive Mark O’Connor supported the sentiment ofthe remit, but said it would not help processors. He said wholevelvet sticks were being exported via China now. Lower tynesare theoretically removed in Korea before processed velvet isre-exported. “We don’t know if this is happening. It’s a commercialissue now.”John McDonald (Venison Processors’ Association Chair and DINZBoard member) said that time has overtaken the remit and it shouldbe withdrawn. “We appreciate the support that was given to theindustry, but China has entered the market now. The bulk of thevelvet is going to China, it’s being dried there, the tynes have beenremoved, and it’s then exported as a whole piece and then China isbringing the tip back into China.”In his right of reply, Malcolm Gilbert said the Korean FTA may stilltake some time to implement, so the remit may still have a role inthe interim.The remit was put and LOST on a voice vote.Issue No 36 • June 2009 13
Page 7 and 8: conferenceExporter/marketer forumFo
Page 9: conferencepeople) now receive this
Page 13 and 14: conferenceThe amendment was CARRIED
Page 15 and 16: Hannah Hsu joins DINZ teamgeneral n
Page 17 and 18: conferenceand returns. This strateg
Page 19 and 20: Korean FTA negotiations under wayco
Page 21 and 22: industry newsFitting climate change
Page 23 and 24: Market ReportVelvetWhile the weight
Page 25 and 26: general newsStrategies begin to sho
Page 27 and 28: general newsThe treated group showe
Page 29 and 30: Venison production shows healthy gr
Page 31 and 32: July technical conference draws top

Deer Industry News #36 June 2009 - Deer Industry New Zealand

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