increase font size
Federated Farmers previous president, William Rolleston.
Federated Farmers previous president, William Rolleston, was very supportive of GE and there was a perception that Feds was leading the charge in support of the science — but this could now cost them.
When Northland Regional Council declared itself GMO-free Feds went to law and challenged this, but it has lost badly and could face a hefty legal bill for enthusiastically supporting GE.
Meanwhile the Feds president, Katie Milne, says she’s taken aback by the fervour of the judge’s remarks and the issue of costs. The possible awarding of costs against a party in such an appeal is unusual, she says.
“No one likes decisions that go against them, but we did have a lot of people who supported our stance,” she says.
Katie Milne says Feds took the case because they believed it was wrong for local government to have a role in controlling the use of GMOs and that this should be left to central government. She believes local government doesn’t have the expertise to deal with the GMO issue.
She says the federation is looking to keep the door open to new technologies that could help farmers and she would like to hear a mature, unemotional conversation take place on such technologies.
Federated Farmers is celebrating following the Government's announcement that young farmers will be able to use their KiwiSaver funds to buy their first home or farm.
OPINION: The euphoria over the Government’s two new bills to replace the broken Resource Management Act is over.
Canterbury arable farmers are down by tens of millions of dollars after a rollercoaster of wild changeable January weather saw harvests delayed and some crops destroyed by violent hailstorms.
OPINION: The past few weeks have been tough on farms across the North Island: floods and storms have caused damage and disruption to families and businesses.
Sheep and beef farmers in Hawke's Bay are being urged to keep a close eye on the wells that supply water to their stock.
OPINION: "We are back to where we were a year ago," according to a leading banking analyst in the UK, referring to US president Donald Trump's latest imposition of a global 10% tariff on all exports into the US.
DairyNZ says the Government’s proposed Resource Management Act reform needs further work to ensure it delivers on its intent.
Overseas Trade Minister Todd McClay says he's working constructively with the Labour Party in the hope they will endorse the free trade agreement (FTA) with India when the agreement comes before Parliament for ratification.
Donald Trump's latest tariff tantrum has again thrown the world of trade into a new round of turmoil and uncertainty, and NZ is caught up in it.
The third edition of the NZ Dairy Expo, held in mid-February in Matamata, has shown that the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid) was getting a positive response from exhibitors and visitors alike.
Twenty years ago, South African dairy farm manager Louis Vandenberg was sent to a farm in Waikato to provide training on Afimilk technology.
OPINION: Expect the Indian free trade deal to feature strongly in the election campaign.
OPINION: One of the world's largest ice cream makers, Nestlé, is going cold on the viability of making the dessert.
