Sabotage fear for dairy sheds

Fairfax NZ

A New Zealand dairy industry leader has suggested it may be time for increased food security in the dairying shed following the recent threat to poison infant milk powder.

It might be time for farmers to adopt a "food defence" mentality with tougher on-farm security, especially round the milking shed, says dairy leader Andrew Hoggard.

The Federated Farmers dairy chairman said while the work of a "nut job", the threat to lace infant milk powder with 1080 toxin revealed by police last week suggested New Zealand's strong food safety focus may at farmer level have to shift to food defence.

"New Zealand's done bloody well on food safety. We have a great reputation on food safety but we may have to think outside the box. I'd hate to think it meant totally locking down farms but what might come out of this is a focus on security of dairy sheds.

"And I've got to say the weak point in security is the dairy shed."

Hoggard said he had recently installed internet cameras in his milking shed.

He could watch the shed "from anywhere in the world" in real time. His system included monitor sensor alarms.

It had required a bit of technical nous to install but the basic system only cost him $100 from Trade Me, he said.

He had installed it to counter theft and monitor "weird vehicles" he saw from time to time on his property. He intended to add more cameras.

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Sabotage fear for dairy sheds