The Ministry for Primary Industries has released a document providing guidance for farmers who have had velvetleaf identified on their properties.
The Velvetleaf Farm Management Advisory has been developed by the MPI Biosecurity Response Team, with input from FAR, Dairy NZ, Federated Farmers, AgResearch and PGG Wrightson, with the aim of providing on-farm management options to restrict the spread of velvetleaf from affected paddocks within affected farms or beyond those farms to new ones. It is particularly applicable to those properties where mature (black) seed has already fallen.
The plan provides advice on issues such as machinery movement, stock movement and the feeding of fodder beet from infested paddocks.It also outlines some crop options and management techniques which may reduce the likelihood of the seed germinating or growing through to seeding next year. It recommends that all crops which have been identified as being infested should be re-inspected by the landholder before being fed to stock this year, and notes that a plan is also being formulated to ensure all identified paddocks are checked again next summer before velvetleaf seeding time.
Click here to read MPI Farm Management fact sheet
Click here to read MPI Velvetleaf Farm Management Advisory
Click here to read MPI fodder beet seed return protocol