Rural Vote Debate on Q&A: Substance or Just Platitudes?
It was billed as a chance for all the political parties to woo the rural vote, but question marks hang over just how effective this was.
ACT MPs Mark Cameron (right) and Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard make their way to the House with gumboots.
Last week's Parliament sitting saw another first – a few Government MPs wearing gumboots in the House during Question Time.
ACT MP Mark Cameron obtained special permission from the Speaker, Gerry Brownlee, for rural MPs to do this.
Cameron says it’s a show of solidarity with farmers and the rural sector, and an acknowledgement of the pressures on the sector.
“This includes from laws and regulations originating in our Parliament,” he says.
Cameron hopes to make this an annual tradition.
Converting a longstanding cropping farm to dairy was the only way to ensure the land stayed in the family long term, says new dairy farmer Rod May.
As the election heats up, Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) has launched its election scorecard designed to help voters wanting to support policies that grow organic and New Zealand's organic sector.
A 'tsunami' of milk from key exporting countries is winding down and this may be good news for New Zealand dairy farmers.
Will the good times last? That's one of the key issues to come out of the latest Federated Farmers confidence survey.
Outgoing Fonterra Co-operative Council chair John Stevenson says that it has been a privilege to represent the co-op's farmer shareholders.
Have a plan in place for your cows and staff.
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.