News

Agriculture minister mum on future of live animal exports as public calls grow for a ban

November 19th, 2020

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor will not comment on the future of live animal shipments from New Zealand, as public calls grow for the exports to stop after the loss of a large animal carrier in a storm this week. New Zealand has suspended live cattle exports after a ship carrying...

Cattle ship capsize: Role of live export trade under intense scrutiny

November 19th, 2020

A Government review into the live export trade will not be released before the election despite calls for it after the capsizing of a ship carrying thousands of cows and two New Zealanders, during a typhoon. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she would not pre-empt the outcome of that review...

Live export of animals should end says former ship veterinarian

November 19th, 2020

A former ship’s vet has called for an end to the live export trade, saying it’s both inhumane and unnecessary. Lynn Simpson worked in the Australian live export trade for 10 years and undertook 57 long-haul voyages to destinations like Russia and the Middle East, taking care of vast numbers...

MPI merely ‘stalling’ with new review into livestock exports – animal rights group

November 19th, 2020

SAFE – Animal Rights Charity Animal rights group SAFE says the Government’s independent review into livestock exports is mere “stalling” and akin to doing nothing. On Friday, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) announced a review would be undertaken to look at the assurances it receives when it considers an...

A case against exporting live animals

November 19th, 2020

environment The sinking of a live export cattle ship has thrust the debate about live exports into the limelight and transformed one farmer from exporter to critic A first-time exporter of live animals said he’s never selling his animals offshore again after the sinking of the Livestock Gulf 1. Read...

‘Not a good look’: Animal rights group says top dairy farmer’s apology falls short

November 19th, 2020

Learn More: SAFE – Animal Rights Charity Animal rights group SAFE says the apology of the country’s top dairy farmer was a missed opportunity to show the importance of animal welfare on farms. Nick Bertram, along with his wife Rose, was last week named Share Farmer of the Year in...

Home detention for selling caged eggs as free range

November 19th, 2020

An Auckland man has been sentenced to 12 months home detention for selling millions of eggs from caged hens as free range. Xue (Frank) Chen sold eggs through his company Black Water Trading Limited, trading as Gold Chick, a producer and supplier of free range eggs from a farm in...

Egg industry’s measures to control fraudulent labelling ‘ripe for abuse’ – animal rights group

November 19th, 2020

SAFE – Animal Rights Charity Animal rights group SAFE says the egg industry’s efforts to prevent producers misleading consumers over where eggs come from don’t go far enough. But the industry insists it’s “very difficult” for dishonest operators to get away with fraudulent activity. Read more

Greens commit to a ban on factory farming in new animal welfare policy

November 19th, 2020

Green Party animal welfare policy would see an end to factory farming in New Zealand. A ban on factory farming will be included in the Green Party’s animal welfare policy to be announced on Saturday, MP Gareth Hughes says. Hughes, who is about to retire from politics, said he was...

Animal rights group calls for ban on live exports as ship arrives in Napier

November 19th, 2020

SAFE – Animal Rights Charity The ship Dareen is scheduled to arrive in Napier on Friday, just days after another livestock carrier, Yangtze Harmony, collected a consignment of cows from Port Taranaki. But SAFE says the Government needs to reexamine the laws around live exports, particularly in the wake of...

Top farmer’s tweets drag dairy industry through the dirt

July 13th, 2020

Nick Bertram was named Share Farmer of the Year on Saturday. OPINION: When Tararua sharemilker Nick Bertram was crowned 2020 Share Farmer of the Year, nobody could have predicted how quickly his victory would turn sour – except the judges who awarded him the title. Read more

Dairy farmer stripped of national title after offensive tweets surface

July 13th, 2020

Share Farmer of the Year Nick Bertram has been stripped of his award. Tararua dairy farmer Nick Bertram says he is a victim of “cancel culture” after being stripped of his Share Farmer of the Year title over a series of offensive tweets. Bertram and his wife, Rose, took out...

Calls to ban ‘inherently cruel’ duck shooting ahead of opening weekend

July 10th, 2020

With this year’s duck shooting season starting on Saturday, an animal rights group says 200,000 birds will be maimed and left to die in agony over the course of the season. But hunters have defended the sport, insisting the group’s “numbers simply don’t add up” and do not reflect reality....

Anger at Winston Peters’ ‘make racing great again’ leads to petition against Government funding for racing industry

July 10th, 2020

As the racing industry continues to toast a mega-million dollar financial shot in the arm, New Zealand animal welfare groups are outraged, shocked and angry over the taxpayer-funded bailout. As strange as it sounds given New Zealand is facing so many post-Covid-19 issues, the racing support package – announced by...

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