Dairy farmers urged to focus on what they can control amid GDT drops
Keep focused on things that can be controlled on farm.
Farmers are calling for Kiwi banks and their overseas parent companies need to follow the lead of America's six biggest banks and urgently withdraw from the Net Zero Banking Alliance.
Federated Farmers points out that since the start of December, heavyweights JP Morgan, Citigroup, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs have all exited the UN-backed banking alliance.
"These big US banks have seen that their involvement ion the Net Zero Banking Alliance is about to come under huge scrutiny," says Federated Farmers banking spokesperson Richard McIntyre.
"They're leaving in droves because of lawsuits for anti-competitive behaviour within the banking sector and growing political pressure.
"Federated Farmers are now calling on our banks to do the same. They need to do the right thing and withdraw from the Net Zero Banking Alliance - and fast."
In December, Federated Farmers lodged a formal complaint to the Commerce Commission, requesting an urgent investigation into the lending practices of New Zealand banks.
The complaint relates to alleged anti-competitive and coordinated behaviour from the banks, driven by their involvement in the international Net Zero Banking Alliance.
The Net Zero Banking Alliance is an international group committed to aligning their lending, investment, and capital markets activities with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
McIntyre says with five major banks dominating 97.3% of the agricultural lending market in New Zealand, Kiwi farmers should be asking serious questions of their bank managers.
"All five of those banks are either directly members of the Net Zero Banking Alliance or are indirectly affiliated through their parent companies."
Ashburton cropping and dairy farmer Matthew Paton has been elected to the board of rural services company, Ruralco.
The global agricultural landscape has entered a new phase where geopolitics – not only traditional market forces – will dictate agricultural trade flows, prices, and production decisions.
National Lamb Day is set to return in 2026 with organisers saying the celebrations will be bigger than ever.
Fonterra has dropped its forecast milk price mid-point by 50c as a surge in global milk production is putting downward pressure on commodity prices.
The chance of a $10-plus milk price for this season appears to be depleting.
Keep focused on things that can be controlled on farm.
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