DUSTING OF SHEEP

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28421, 30 October 1957, Page 14

DUSTING OF SHEEP

Comment By Minister

"The Government is concerned that the legalising of dieldrin dusting as an alternative to dipping as prescribed under the Stock Act has had to be delayed.” said the Minister of Agriculture (Mr S. W. Smith) in a statement in Wellington. A report of the Minister's statement published in “The Press” on Monday omitted the comment of the Minister that although dusting was not legally an alternative to normal dipping, that did not mean that it was illegal to dust sheep. Trials by the Department of Agriculture which showed that dieldrin dust, if applied within three months of shearing, was efficient for the control of lice and keds had just been completed when representations werp received from the United Kingdom authorities regarding possible dieldrin residues in meat, the Minister said.

Amendment of the Stock Act to legalise dieldrin dusting had then to be held up pending clarification of the matters raised by the United Kingdom authorities, he said.

Consultations with the United Kingdom authorities were continuing.’the Minister said, and while he hoped for early advice that the

United Kingdom authorities were satisfied that dieldrin residues were not a problem, it would be most unwise to take any premature action which might antagonise New Zealand’s principal market for meat.

“Though dusting is not legally an alternative • to normal dipping, this does not mean that it is illegal to dust sheep.” the Minister concluded. “Dieldrin dust has been approved as an insecticide by the Stock Remedies Board _ and farmers are quite within their rights in using it to prevent fly strike.”