It's the first day of winter and a day in every landowner's diary – Gypsy Day.

The day is traditionally the first day of the new dairy season when sharemilkers load their cows into stock trucks or herd stock on roads and move equipment and families to new farms.

Velvetleaf is one weed that is a risk to landowners.

Biosecurity staff in the region are warning local land owners to check their machinery is clean and stock are empty before letting them through their gates.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council biosecurity manager Greg Corbett says Waikato Regional Council have been working to contain velvetleaf infestation found within maize crops and silage in Waikato. 'Velvetleaf is just one of many pasture weeds we're working hard to keep out of the Bay of Plenty.

'Along with Noogoora bur and alligator weed, its seeds or plant fragments can easily be carried from one property to another in stock faeces, hooves, fur or soil attached to machinery,” says Greg.

‘It's important that landowners protect their land and livelihoods by being their own border control.”

Farmers in the region can keep invasive pasture weeds off their farms by checking where maize feed, stock or machinery has come from and ensuring they are not bringing any unwanted pests with coming on their farm.

Greg says key precautions landowners much take care to ask contractors and new tenants to remove all visible soil and plant matter from their machinery and stock before leaving their previous location.

'Allowing stock to empty out before transport will also reduce the risk of seed being spread through cow dung.”

For more information about pasture weeds and machinery visit: www.boprc.govt.nz/pestplants.