Wilding Pines Could Cost New Zealand Billions, Says Hoggard
Wilding pines are the wrong tree in the wrong place, and they need to go, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.
Taupiri farmer Chris Woolerton is tipped to take over as Federated Farmers Waikato president from next week.
Woolerton, current Feds provincial vice-president and North Waikato branch chair, takes over from Phil Sherwood, who is giving up the post after one year in the role.
Dairy News understands that Sherwood is relocating to Taranaki. He remains a Federated Farmers member.
Woolerton farms in Taupiri on 370ha including a runoff. The family-owned business runs two herds, one with 380 cows and the other with 480 cows.
He represented Waikato District Council's rural Hukanui-Waerenga Ward from 2019 until 2022, before the ward was disestablished due to council boundary changes.
The farms have a contract milker who has five staff and this gives Woolerton time for his Federated Farmers work.
Woolerton will be confirmed in the top role at the Federated Farmers Waikato provincial annual meeting next Thursday.
Applications for Silver Fern Farms Co-operative's next board-appointed farmer director are open.
It's our time to shine, says Deer Industry NZ chief executive Rhys Griffiths.
New Zealand needs to have "a really mature conversation" around modern gene editing technologies and synthetic biology, says the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor, Dr John Roche.
A booming agriculture sector and sold-out exhibition sites are pointing to a bumper 2026 National Fieldays at Mystery Creek, Hamilton.
Wilding pines are the wrong tree in the wrong place, and they need to go, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.
According to new research, industry leaders have ranked world-class biodiversity as the number one priority for the 16th year in a row.