Tagged: biosecurity

Eradicating cattle disease M. bovis in New Zealand may be costly, even impossible, but we must try - Guest Work

Guest Author • Jul 13, 2018 •

• biosecurity,
• cattle disease,
• Mycoplasma bovis

Richard Laven, Massey University In May this year, the New Zealand government decided that it would attempt to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis, a bacterial disease that affects cattle. A phased eradication means that an additional 126,000 livestock will need to be culled, at an estimated cost of NZ$886 million. Here’s what we know, what we don’t know and … Read More

Why are we gifting so much to farmers? - The Dismal Science

Michael Reddell • May 29, 2018 •

• biosecurity,
• eradication,
• MPI,
• Mycoplasma bovis

Despite announcing yesterday a plan that aims to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis from New Zealand, there was no sign of the pro-active release of any background papers or analysis. We don’t have copies of the relevant Cabinet papers, or the relevant advice from The Treasury or MPI. Not that long ago, the incoming government talked of its commitment to open government, … Read More

Book review: Animal Eco-Warriors - Scibooks

Sarah-Jane O'Connor • Jun 08, 2017 •

• biosecurity,
• conservation dogs,
• endangered species

A new book from CSIRO about a range of animals helping their human companions to protect the environment will make a great gift for conservation-minded and animal-crazed kids. Animal Eco-Warriors: Humans and animals working together to protect our planet, written by Nic Gill, is a first-person account of some of Australia and New Zealand’s most active non-human conservationists. Read More

Be careful who you trade with – New Zealand’s biosecurity threat vectors - News

Erica Mather • Jun 17, 2016 •

• Biodiversity,
• biosecurity,
• invasive species,
• Ministry for Primary Industries,
• trade,
• Victoria University of Wellington

There is an increased likelihood that invasive species arrive in New Zealand from countries with poor regulation and low political stability, according to research published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Research released this week from Victoria University of Wellington reveals that a country’s level of governance and development has a strong impact on their risk of exporting exotic … Read More

Protecting New Zealand’s natural treasures - Mātau Taiao

Laura Goodall • Feb 27, 2016 •

• amanda black,
• bio-protection research centre,
• biological heritage national science challenge,
• biosecurity,
• indigenous knowledge,
• invasive species,
• mātauranga māori,
• native species,
• protecting,
• protection,
• taonga

Tangata Whenua — People of the Land — is the name that Māori call themselves as indigenous New Zealanders, and likely signifies the deep roots they have to this green and blue place of jagged peaks and valleys.  The land sustains us. It carries paths to the future as well as ties to the past: whatungarongaro te tangata, toitū te … Read More

How the Japanese tsunami sent marine invaders across the ocean - Guest Work

Guest Author • Jan 18, 2016 •

• ballast,
• biosecurity,
• fish,
• Japan,
• marine biosercurity,
• marine invaders,
• tsunami

Emma Johnston, UNSW Australia and Jim Carlton, Williams College When the tsunami waters withdrew from the devastated coast of Japan in March 2011 they took with them a vast amount of debris consisting of potentially millions of objects, and sent it rafting across the Pacific Ocean. On this debris came a host of Japanese marine … Read More

Getting ahead of a potentially deadly salamander disease - News

Sarah-Jane O'Connor • Dec 11, 2015 •

• amphibians,
• biosecurity,
• disease,
• frogs,
• fungal pathogen,
• salamander

A fungal pathogen with the potential to devastate salamander populations has yet to arrive in North America, but scientists are ready and waiting should it appear. New Zealand researchers are among a group calling for global action against the emerging disease before it spreads. Scientists in Europe discovered the fungal pathogen, Salamander chytrid disease – Batrachocytrium … Read More

Forest health reliant on global biosecurity strategy - News

Erica Mather • Aug 31, 2015 •

• biosecurity,
• pests,
• planted forests,
• quarantine,
• radiata pine

Insects and microbial pathogens pose an increasing threat to planted forests worldwide.  Without urgent action, the long-term sustainability of all planted forests will be imperilled. Dr Eckehard Brockerhoff and colleagues, authors of a review published in Science, urgently call for a coordinated, global approach in order to protect these valuable resources. Wealthy countries have designed effective strategies to … Read More

Irradiation of Food and Compulsory Labelling - Honest Universe

Mark Hanna • Feb 01, 2015 •

• Bad Journalism,
• Bad Science,
• Biosecurity,
• Claire Suen,
• Food Irradiation,
• FSANZ,
• irradiated food,
• MPI,
• New Zealand,
• Queensland Fruit Fly,
• Regulation,
• Sue Kedgley

Biosecurity is a big issue for New Zealand. Being a group of islands fairly isolated from all other landmasses and having quite a unique native ecosystem (many native birds with no native mammalian predators and few native land mammals), we have a lot to lose from introduced species. There are also biological threats to industry […] … Read More

Supporting homeopathy for Ebola loses natural health brief but more needed - Code for life

Grant Jacobs • Nov 04, 2014 •

• agriculture,
• biosecurity,
• ebola,
• fisheries,
• GE,
• gmo,
• Green Party,
• Homeopathy,
• Metiria Turei,
• Steffan Browning

In a step in the right direction for evidence-based policy, Green Party member of parliament Steffan Browning has been stripped of his natural health portfolio by his party’s caucus but more is needed. As I related in my previous piece, his is not a idle blunder but an example of his thinking. This line of … Read More