Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is one of the most serious biosecurity threats facing livestock industries worldwide, with South Africa’s recent outbreak highlighting the devastating impact it can have on commercial dairy farms. In this episode, Anne Lee speaks with Georgie Muller, Steve Moss and Andrew Morphew about the rapid spread of the disease, its impact on dairy businesses and the urgent need for coordinated vaccine programmes and national response planning.

Host:

• Anne Lee, Senior Journalist, Dairy Country

Guests:

• Steve Moss, Sharefarmer and Hub Manager overseeing seven dairy farms for management company Just Milk
• Georgie Muller, Dairy Junction and Pinion Advisory
• Andrew Morphew, Colbourne Farming and spokesperson for FMD Response South Africa

Georgie Muller explains how Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) has historically been contained to specific endemic regions in South Africa, but in recent years has spread into major commercial dairy areas with severe consequences for farmers. She says the virus is difficult to control because it is present in wild and communally owned animal populations. Once in dairy herds it spreads rapidly, causing mastitis, lameness, calf losses and major production challenges. Georgie says this latest, large-scale outbreak has hit farmers hard, and highlighted gaps when it comes to the roll out of vaccination programme across large communal and commercial farming regions.

Steve Moss shares firsthand experience from his dairy businesses after FMD spread through several of their farms earlier this year. He says the outbreak caused catastrophic calf losses, widespread mastitis and major milk production declines, while also placing enormous emotional and physical pressure on farm staff and management teams. Steve says vaccination has shown promising results in reducing the severity of outbreaks, but ongoing vaccine shortages and delays continue to leave many farms exposed to further infections.

Andrew Morphew says FMD Response South Africa was established as a farmer-led organisation to push for faster, more coordinated action from government and industry. He says the current vaccination rollout is not happening quickly enough to effectively control the disease and argues South Africa needs large-scale vaccination campaigns completed within tight timeframes to reduce viral spread. Andrew says farmers, private veterinarians and industry groups all need to play a role in the response if the country is to regain control of the outbreak and protect the long-term future of its livestock industries.

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Technology, AI and environmental markets are creating new opportunities for rural businesses and farmers, with platforms designed to simplify recruitment, trading and carbon projects becoming increasingly relevant across the sector. In this episode from the Wānaka A&P Show Agri Exchange, Anne Lee speaks with Tony Dodunski from Ag Assist and Mitchell McLaughlin from MyNativeForest about how their businesses are helping farmers navigate labour shortages, rural commerce and the growing complexity of environmental markets.

Host:

• Anne Lee, Senior Journalist, Dairy Country

Guests:

• Tony Dodunski, Ag Assist
• Mitchell McLaughlin, MyNativeForest

Tony Dodunski explains how AgAssist was created during the COVID border closures when many farms were struggling to source staff, leading the business to develop a platform connecting employers with part-time and under-utilised workers. He says the platform has expanded well beyond recruitment into a broader rural marketplace where farmers can buy and sell machinery, livestock and services, while also promoting rural events and businesses. Tony says AI features built into the system help streamline the process by automatically generating listings, CVs and product descriptions, making the platform quicker and easier for farmers to use.

Mitchell McLaughlin says MyNativeForest is focused on helping farmers turn native forestry into a financially viable part of their farming business by accessing carbon markets and environmental schemes. He says many landowners have areas of regenerating bush or marginal land that could generate long-term returns, but the complexity of carbon rules and project setup often discourages people from exploring the opportunity. Mitchell says the business works to simplify the process by managing the technical, legal and environmental requirements, while helping farmers understand where voluntary carbon markets and native forestry projects may provide stronger commercial outcomes.

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There’s been a lot of talk when it comes to the new wave of dairy conversions but what’s really going on in terms of design and fitout? In this episode Anne Lee speaks with Tambo consultant Luke Palmer about what setups farmers are favouring, what they should be aware of when planning and what costs are on the rise. Tambo is an agribusiness management and consultancy company that has been working with a number of recent and planned conversions. Luke says it’s important to start with a clear understanding of the “why”, whether it’s expansion, succession, or improving system efficiency to guide decisions around design, scale, and investment.

Host:

• Anne Lee, Senior Journalist, Dairy Country

Guest:

• Luke Palmer, Consultant, Tambo

A thorough understanding of environmental compliance requirements is a must as they will likely underpin many design considerations including effluent and off-paddock infrastructure. Luke says today’s conversions are being built with the future in mind, from larger rotary sheds and improved cow flow to layouts that reduce labour and support staff efficiency. He highlights the growing role of automation, real-time data and animal monitoring. Alongside this, there is rising interest in solar energy and flexible, modular systems that allow farms to adapt over time, while early planning remains critical to managing costs, securing contractors, and avoiding delays in a busy pipeline.

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