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Tim Mackle
Hoggard says the advertisement is “bullshit”.
“We could eventually win, but the coverage around it is shocking,” he told Rural News.
“There’s a risk we will give it more oxygen.”
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that Greenpeace’s "dirty dairying" advert did not breach advertising principles.
Both Greenpeace and DairyNZ received embargoed copies of the ruling in December, which said they had until January 23 to appeal the ruling.
DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle says it is not happy with the outcome; an appeal will be filed. DairyNZ was behind one of the 12 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over the ad.
Hoggard says he supported DairyNZ’s appeal.
“It absolutely pissed me off; the advertisement used footage, like sediment erosion in rivers, which has nothing to do with the dairy industry.”
Mackle says while the ASA process risked further legitimising Greenpeace's view of the dairy industry in the eyes of the public, appealing the ad was about doing what was right.
"We don't believe that standing by and allowing these activist groups to pitch messages and stories anyway they like to the public is acceptable.
"We believe it's the right thing to do in this case and that's really based on the good work dairy farmers have done in the last five to seven years around environmental initiatives."
Rather than "admitting defeat" the right thing to do was to point out that this kind of advertising was not appropriate, Mackle said.
He also rejected any claims that it complaining about the ad, the dairy industry was attempting to brush the environmental issues it faced under the carpet.
"We're not covering anything up. That's nonsense. Our issue is with that ad and how it is pitched."
Greenpeace Campaigner, Genevieve Toop said, “What industrial dairy lobbyists don't want the public to focus on is that they are planning a big increase in the number of dairy cows, already at 6 and a half million, which will cause more pollution in our lakes and rivers."
Central Otago District Council (CODC) has voted against a plan to spread treated sewage sludge from Cromwell and Alexandra on farmland near Lauder, a decision Federated Farmers says reflects strong opposition from rural residents.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
Federated Farmers says new legislation replacing the Resource Management Act will cut red tape, unlock investment and help grow New Zealand's export-led economy, after the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill passed their third reading in Parliament yesterday.
Leading figures from the major political parties will be questioned on their primary sector policies at the Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, on 30 September.
Beef + Lamb NZ funded research has shown that some simple changes to pasture management could help farmers make better use of rainfall and build resilience before dry conditions hit.
OPINION: There could hardly be a more appropriate theme for a conference than the one chosen by the red meat sector - Navigating Volatility.
When Northland leather worker Vernon Suckling started making horse saddles 50 years ago, quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles were unheard of.
Alliance Group has confirmed that eligible farmer-shareholders who supply and continue to back the business will receive up to $20 million later this year, following the strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats.
With a general election under five weeks away, Rural News is asking major political parties about their policies and positions on key issues facing the primary sector. We will run their responses to each question over the next four weeks. The ACT Party and the Greens didn't respond in time.
Entries opened on Monday, 5 October 2026 for the 2027 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA), which organisers describe as the nation's biggest celebration of excellence in the dairy sector.
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.
