The establishment of the Winter Grazing Action Group, made up of 15 representatives from industry organisations, government, vets, farmers, and other rural professionals, follows the final report by the Winter Grazing Taskforce.
In its report, the taskforce, established by Mr O’Connor in August last year, made 11 recommendations to help ensure that animal welfare became a key part of all winter grazing decisions in the pastoral supply chain.
‘‘The new Winter Grazing Action Group met for the first time last week and is eager to progress the work begun by the taskforce. I will continue to take a strong interest in the progress and they will continue to report to me as that work takes shape,’’ Mr O’Connor said.
The action group members are:
Lindsay Burton (independent chairman); Ash Keown, veterinary manager (large animal) NZ Veterinary Association; Caroline Murray, technical adviser, Dairy Companies Association NZ; Helen Thoday, animal care manager, Dairy NZ; Tony Pearse, production manager, Deer Industry NZ; Julie Geange, policy adviser, Federated Farmers; Milton Munro, technical team manager, PGG Wrightson; Miranda Hunter, consultant, Roslin Consultancy; Peter Young, consultant, Farm Advisory Services; Pania King, sheep and beef farmer and Taskforce member; Tim Driscoll, dairy farmer, Southern Dairy Development Trust; Will Halliday, senior adviser animal welfare and biosecurity, Beef + Lamb NZ; Leonie Ward, manager animal welfare sector liaison, MPI; Penny Timmer-Arends, adviser animal welfare sector liaison, MPI; Gray Harrison, manager animal welfare and NAIT compliance, MPI.
