Feds make case for rural bank lending probe
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
A top-level primary industries taskforce will work through Brexit issues, the Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy told Federated Farmers.
He and Trade Minister Todd McClay and officials from MPI and MFAT plus people from DCANZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, the Meat Industry Association and Feds will steer the 'flexible' group advising and supporting formal government action.
Guy singled out biosecurity, calling on all New Zealanders to help protect the country from problem diseases and pests. He urged all primary producers to farm responsibly and he praised farmers for supporting the new bobby calf regulations.
"I acknowledge dairy farmers in particular have come a long way, investing $1 billion in the last five years to upgrade effluent handling on farms. And 96% of waterways on dairy farms are now fenced [but] you don't get acknowledged enough for what you have done.
"Now we want to work constructively with the beef sector on more fencing regulations. Consumers are more connected to what's happening inside the farmgate and our international markets are demanding more from us."
Guy called for an end to the "blame game" over water quality, a subject also touched on by Feds' president William Rolleston, who says farmers and townsfolk need to talk positively and work together to find solutions.
He accused news media of not focusing on good news. "I feel frustrated that the good news is so hard to get out and that bad news travels so easily. Some fantastic things are happening, but you don't see them splashed around the papers.
"The general public has always seen agriculture as being in a good space, but listen to the noise out there in media land and you probably get a different impression."
Rolleston says overall the mood of farmers is better than expected given the dairy payout, as evident at Fieldays. And he is pleased to see more younger people becoming active in Feds.
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
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