• New health and safety guidance launched for farms

• Southland, Clutha Declared Adverse Event Zone

• Dairy Goat Co-op secures US investment, stays farmer-owned

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New health and safety guidance launched for farms

Two new codes of practice have been launched to help farmers, contractors and workers meet their health and safety responsibilities ahead of law changes taking effect next April.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says the codes, Roles and Responsibilities in Agriculture and Safe Farm Vehicle Operation, clarify overlapping duties on farms and set out practical ways to manage vehicle-related risks.

Van Velden says the guidance isn't creating new duties, but making existing responsibilities clearer around who needs to do what, particularly when contractors are on farm or conditions change.

Following an ACOP won't be compulsory, but from April it could provide safe-harbour status, meaning businesses that follow it would be treated as meeting their legal obligations.

Southland, Clutha Declared Adverse Event Zone

The Government has classified Southland and the Clutha District as a medium-scale adverse event, unlocking extra support for farmers after the region's wettest winter since 1980.

Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says up to fifty thousand dollars will go to Southland and Otago Rural Support Trusts, with the classification also enabling tax relief and Rural Assistance Payments for farmers unable to meet essential living costs.

Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson says this is the third tough spring in a row for the region, and he's urging farmers to check in on family, neighbours and staff, and ask for help if needed.

Farmers needing support can call the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254, or MPI on 0800 00 83 33 for animal welfare concerns.

Dairy Goat Co-op secures US investment, stays farmer-owned

Dairy Goat Co-operative has completed a capital raise with US agribusiness investor AGR Partners, while remaining fully farmer-owned.

Chief Executive Alastair Hulbert says the deal gives the co-op capital to fund its growth strategy, including re-entering China and expanding into the US, without giving up ownership like several other New Zealand co-operatives have in recent years.

Hulbert says shareholder feedback has been positive, with no vote needed since the investment doesn't change the co-op's structure. AGR gets a board observer seat, but no voting rights.

The co-op has guaranteed suppliers a payout of fifteen dollars a kilogram of milksolids this season, and says it's actively looking for more milk.