Tuesday, 08 February 2022 08:55

Rumblings in the ranks?

Written by  Peter Burke
The clear view of the industry is that the He Waka Eke Noa consultation should be stopped in its tracks rather than putting the lives of farmers and their families at risk. The clear view of the industry is that the He Waka Eke Noa consultation should be stopped in its tracks rather than putting the lives of farmers and their families at risk.

It would appear that the industry has been reluctant to go ahead with the He Waka Eke Noa consultation because of Covid and have felt heavily pressured to do this, against their better judgement.

B+LNZ and DairyNZ have asked the Government for an extension of time, but as Dairy News went to press, 'silence was the stern reply' from the Beehive.

It is acknowledged by industry that the timelines for the consultation are enshrined in legislation, but they point out that, in the past, this hasn't stopped the Government changing its mind when it suits them.

Some industry insiders say that the stubbornness of government to postpone the consultation is 'political' with claims the 'green' elements in Parliament are being appeased at the expense of the rural sector. There are also claims that the call for postponement is just another case of the primary sector 'dragging the chain' - a claim strongly refuted by industry sources.

The clear view of the industry is that the consultation should be stopped in its tracks rather than putting the lives of farmers and their families at risk by effectively forcing them to attend the workshops. 'Attending' online is regarded by many as unsatisfactory.

Tim Mackle says DairyNZ is monitoring the Covid situation on a daily basis both in the lead-up to the roadshow, and every day it takes place, to make sure people's lives are not at risk. Therefore ther is still a chance the whole show will be off the road.

More like this

Featured

Rural contractors call for overhaul of ag vehicle rules

Following a recent overweight incursion that saw a Mid-Canterbury contractor cop a $12,150 fine, the rural contracting industry is calling time on what they consider to be outdated and unworkable regulations regarding weight and dimensions that they say are impeding their businesses.

NZ seeks certainty on US tariff, says McClay

Trade Minister Todd McClay says his officials plan to meet their US counterparts every month from now on to better understand how the 15% tariff issue there will play out, and try and get some certainty there for our exporters about the future.

National

Machinery & Products

JDLink Boost for NZ farms

Connectivity is widely recognised as one of the biggest challenges facing farmers, but it is now being overcome through the…

New generation Defender HD11

The all-new 2026 Can-Am Defender HD11 looks likely to raise the bar in the highly competitive side-by-side category.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Buttery prize

OPINION: Westland Milk may have won the contract to supply butter to Costco NZ but Open Country Dairy is having…

Gene Bill rumours

OPINION: The Gene Technology Bill has divided the farming community with strong arguments on both the pros and cons of…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter