Category Archives: Uncategorized

EXPECT FEDERATED Farmers to place more emphasis on science and be more ‘evidenced based’ when dealing with issues for the next three years. That’s the message from the new president Dr William Rolleston, successor to Bruce Wills who has retired … Continue reading →

  THERE’S A hackneyed saying that if you lived through the 1960s, you won’t remember them. (Attributed to the tendency for people in that era to use mind-altering substances.) However, for anyone who farmed – or was associated with farming … Continue reading →

IN CASE you missed it, Fonterra last week released some fantastic figures in its payout announcement. An opening forecast farmgate price of $7.00/kgMS for the 2014-15 season – a historically high figure that matches the opening forecast 12 months ago … Continue reading →

‘WE NEED the resources to keep the drive for change moving.’ That’s the plea from meat industry reform lobby group MIE (Meat Industry Excellence) in asking farmers to support its remit for funding from Beef + Lamb NZ (BLNZ).  This … Continue reading →

  KILLING bobby calves with hammer blows to their heads should send shivers down the spine of every Kiwi dairy farmer. The days of ‘she’ll be right’ are gone, as are the days when ‘what happens on the farm stays … Continue reading →

The agriculture sector needs to do more to inform the public about what’s involved and happening in our industry. Farming’s critics have the industry constantly ‘under the pump’, often using misleading information and ill-informed assertions. Many claims are made about … Continue reading →

THE LATEST media beat-up on Fonterra’s fresh cream recall cannot go unchallenged. Everyone, from opposition politicians to a handful of Fonterra’s 10,500 shareholders, has jumped on the bandwagon to bag the dairy co-op. One unsuccessful Fonterra board candidate went as … Continue reading →

Another year has passed, yet another busy one for the agribusiness sector. Rural News’ editorial team reviews the 2013 year and its highs and lows… Bad ‘KICK EM in the guts Trev’ award: AgResearch for the way it handled its … Continue reading →

THE DEBATE over foreign investment in agriculture is clouded in politics, ambition and fear. It polarises farmers, political parties, investors and the community. Yet foreign investment in New Zealand agriculture has been a reality for decades. In fact, New Zealand … Continue reading →

Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy wants to see a doubling of New Zealand’s primary exports to $60 billion by the year 2025. Even Guy, himself, concedes this is going to be “a challenge”. As he admits – it is … Continue reading →