increase font size
ACT MP Mark Cameron says the Green Party policy is out of touch with reality.
Retiring MP and dairy farmer Mark Cameron is blasting the Green Party for proposing to ban the use of synthetic fertiliser and cutting cow numbers.
Cameron describes the Greens' policy as "completely out of touch with reality".
"Synthetic fertiliser has lifted millions out of poverty around the world over the last 50 or 60 years of its use," he told Dairy News.
"It has increased food production several-fold giving the farmers the necessary tools they need to be productive.
"The Greens' policy is a utopia that simply does not exist. Many countries have natural resources. Our greatest one is our ability to convert green grass into animal protein."
The Greens released their 'Drink Swim Fish' policy ahead of the upcoming election.
The party wants to tackle pollution before it reaches waterways. It proposes to phase out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and take action to reduce stocking rates on a catchment basis to improve the health of rivers and drinking water quality.
But Cameron, who is retiring on health grounds after serving two terms as an ACT MP, says the Greens' policy would be a disaster for New Zealand.
"It will destroy property rights and productivity and production, ultimately making us a poor nation."
Another ACT MP, Andrew Hoggard, who milks cows in Manawatu, says farmers don't use fertiliser for "giggles".
"It's bloody expensive, but also veery important for growing crops and food."
Hoggard says less fertiliser means less production.
"If you reduce the supply of food, then the price will go up so, I'm not sure that's a brilliant idea for improving the cost of living."
Hoggard says reducing ag exports out of the country will slash export receipts.
"Farmers up and down the country are doing great work on protecting waterways.
"The way forward isn't one-size-fits-all, neither is more blunt rules from Wellington.
"But each farmer understanding the key risks on their farm, having mitigations in place, working with their neighbours on catchment plans.
"That's how we move forward and unlock our nation's potential," he says.
OPINION: In politics, credibility is and should be big. It must surely rank higher than charisma, which is quite trite and superficial. Yet, voters nowadays are often wooed and influenced by how someone looks or talks at a superficial level. TV plays a huge role in this.
When Northland farmer Mark Cameron entered parliament six years ago, the Beehive was a lonely place.
New Zealand's pest problem has reached crisis point, according to Federated Farmers' second National Pests Survey, which shows farmers are spending more money and effort on control — yet pest numbers keep climbing faster than they were two years ago.
I think it's going to greatly weaken National at the election. That's the view of a former senior National MP on the recent attempted coup against Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
Despite political shenanigans in Wellington, farmers are confident that Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms will get over the line in this term of Parliament.
An Auckland gelato shop and an established New Zealand ice cream maker have both been named Supreme Champions at the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2026.
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to put pressure on household grocery budgets, new figures show pork remains one of the most affordable fresh meat options for New Zealand families.
OPINION: In politics, credibility is and should be big. It must surely rank higher than charisma, which is quite trite and superficial. Yet, voters nowadays are often wooed and influenced by how someone looks or talks at a superficial level. TV plays a huge role in this.
Farmers can spend less time on paperwork, thanks to a new data sharing agreement between DairyNZ’s DairyBase and LIC’s MINDA software.
Kaikōura families affected by July's severe storm have found a practical solution to a problem that's kept some children away from regular schooling for weeks: a washed-out section of Inland Kaikōura Road, which has stopped the local school bus from running its usual route.
Rural New Zealand is welcoming the Government’s recent package of rural healthcare initiatives.
OPINION: After hogging the media limelight for telling a NZ Chinese MP to "go back home", Winston Peters has decided…
OPINION: With fuel prices soaring, one would have expected most farmers to be reclaiming excise duty on petrol.
