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Noticeboard and Events | Issue 184

Dec 8, 2022

Noticeboard

Changes in the DINZ office

The winds of change have been through the DINZ office and while the faces are familiar, there's been some role changes. 

Cenwynn Philip is now the DFA Coordinator, focused on helping Lindsay with the administration of the DFA. She is still part-time usually working Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Rebecca Norling is now permanently with DINZ as the Events Coordinator and Designer. She works Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Amy Wills has returned from parental leave and will be working one day a week supporting the Science Groups, Deer Industry News advertising sales, and other projects as they come up.

With the conclusion of the P2P programme, Rob Aloe has moved on from DINZ. The DFA thank Rob for his time at DINZ and appreciate the work he did with the DFA, especially the Future Deer Farmers tour.  

Phil Stewart is handing over the editor reins of Deer Industry News to Lynda Gray. The DFA thanks Phil for his contribution to the industry over the years and welcome Lynda to the role.

DINZ looking for a Board Observer

DINZ are seeking a board observer to join them for 2023. 

The chosen observer will attend and make contributions to DINZ board meetings over a 12-month period. Institute of Directors training will be offered, at DINZ expense, on completion of the term.

Candidates should, ideally, have interests in the farmed deer sector, either through ownership of deer or employment in the production, processing or marketing of farmed deer products, or related industries.

Applicants should submit an expression of interest to DINZ, innes.moffat@deernz.org before 9 December 2022.

For more information head to deernz.org/home/deer-industry-new-zealand/training-and-careers and click on the "DINZ Board Observer" tab. 

NVSB Reminders

Supervisory Visits
Now we're well on our way through the velvetting season, a reminder that all NVSB supervisory visits should be completed by 15th December.

If you haven’t had your visit yet, make sure you book it in with your vet as soon as possible to secure a date. This visit is part of your annual requirement for the NVSB Programme.

Change of vet, vet clinic/practice?
If you are part of the NVSB velvet removal programme and have had a change of vet or vet clinic/practice or new to the programme, it may be timely to ensure your current supervisory contract is all up to date.

This also applies to VelTrak, farmers need to ensure that the vet clinic/practice supplying their tags is also up to date showing their current clinic/practice.

RCS Audit Awaiting Action?
If your farm has undergone a recent RCS audit and your outcome is Awaiting Action, you will need to ensure any required actions are remedied ASAP to ensure you can get tags from your vet and be eligible to sell your velvet into the food chain. 

Any queries on the NVSB programme, get in touch with DINZ on info@deernz.org or call 04 473 4500.

How do you choose your stags? Got 5 minutes? We want to know!

With the stag sale season about to kick off we want to know what information you use to make you stag selection decisions. We will use this information to help us provide the best information and tools to assist breeders and stag buyers in the future, including for DEERSelect.

AgResearch have a summer intern, Mykilah O’Sullivan, who will be attending stag sales and directly surveying sale attendees. As Mykilah can’t be at all sales we will have flyers at sales, and the survey will be available to anyone to complete online (on mobile phones or computers), just click the link scan the QR code below. We can also complete the survey for you over the phone, give us a call.

The survey will take you around 5 minutes to complete and has been approved by AgResearch Human Ethics.

For more information, please contact Jamie Ward - 03 4899186

qfreeaccountssjc1.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eL4bShrh27fdphc  

REMINDER: Guidelines for Velvet Competitions and Stag Sales

These guidelines are available on the DINZ website: deernz.org/deer-hub/velvet-and-antlers/health-safety-and-food-hygiene-guidelines-for-velvet-competitions-and-stag-sales >>

Please note these are guidelines only (and not compulsory/mandatory) but you may wish to provide these to event organisers in your branch.

Training with Primary ITO?

Primary ITO is now part of Te Pūkenga. They may look a bit different, but their people and training remain the same.

As Te Pūkenga grows, they will have options available for you to learn in a way that suits your life while giving you the skills you need to succeed. Visit www.primaryito.ac.nz/tp 

Muka Tangata, People Food and Fibre Workforce Development Council keen to engage with Deer Farmers

 Muka Tangata is a new entity that has arisen from the Review of Vocational Education. They are responsible for the development of qualifications and unit standards across the food and fibre space, as well as quality assurance, and working alongside industry and iwi to form workforce development plans for each of the 14 industry groups.

They are the voice of industry and iwi under the new settings. They work alongside Regional Skills Leadership Groups, Centre of Vocational Education, and providers, so Te Pukenga (now encompassing ITO’s and Polytechnics), private training establishments and wananga.

The vocational space is going through a once in 30-year shift, on job/work-based training will see a substantial increase in funding. The Workforce Development Plans will be recommending to the Tertiary Education Commission where funding is required, and for which specific industry.

DINZ is working closely with Muka Tangata and are keen to ensure farmers have the opportunity to engage, a ‘grass roots’ perspective is really important to all parties. Rachael Handy is keen to hear from those interested in sharing their thoughts, sense checking findings to date, and really exploring the future workforce needs of the industry.

If this is a particular area of interest to you, please get in touch rachael.handy@mukatangata.nz or 027 411 7091.

2023 Deer Industry Conference and Awards Evening

Next year will see a revised Deer Industry conference format.  The conference will be over one day and consist of a mixture of workshops and presentations.  This will be followed by a dinner that will also include presentations to winners of the Deer Industry Award, the Matuschka Award, the Environment Awards and the Photo Competition.  Please keep an eye out in future issues of DFA Stagline for the venue and date, but it is anticipated that it will be in the North Island in early June 2023. Four roadshows in other parts of the country are also being planned to complement the conference.

2023 Environment Awards

The industry's biennial environment awards will be held in 2023 with the award winners to be announced at the Industry Awards Dinner in June.  Traditionally alongside the supreme Elworthy Award there are other award categories thanks to generous sponsorship from our industry partners.  Look for nomination forms and more information in future issues of DFA Stagline.

2023 Photo Competition

Get clicking with your phone or SLR cameras and capture that winning shot of your deer doing what they do best (being deer).  The photo competition is back for 2023 with winners announced at the at the Industry Awards Dinner in June.  Entry forms and information will be available in early 2023. 

Season's Greetings from the DINZ Producer Management Team 🦌🎄🌟 

Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable Christmas and New Year and a thriving and profitable 2023! Cenwynn, Rebecca, Sara and Lindsay.

 

Joke of the Month

Do you recall the name of the other, 10th reindeer?

You have the original eight reindeer: Dasher, Prancer, etc. And of course, there is Rudolph which makes nine.

The 10th reindeer is Olive. It says so right in the song:

"Olive, the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him names!"

 

Events

National Velvet and Hard Antler Competition

14-16 December 2022, Ascot Park Hotel Invercargill, awards dinner Friday 16 >>

Environment Award Field Day - Goudies Station Reporoa

SAVE THE DATE: 1 February 2023, Reporoa, winners of the First Light Foods Award, details will be added to deernz.org/home/events when available.

2023 EWSNZ Velvet Competition

3-4 February 2023, Cromwell, enquires to Grant Hasse elkwapitinz@gmail.com or 027 224 5542 >>

2023 Rising Stars

Will be held at the Racecourse in Te Awamutu on 25 February 2023. All enquiries to Helen Clarke, at campbell.clarke@xtra.co.nz >>

Return to summary DFA Stagline Issue 184 >>

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