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Federated Farmers water spokesman Chris Allen.
Federated Farmers water spokesman Chris Allen says with the absence of detail on Labour’s new water tax policy, voters will be sailing blind into the election.
Allen says while the pledge to consult with those affected if Labour is part of the new government is appreciated, farmers need information before the election.
“Surely at least they have a starting figure in mind, to open negotiations with water users and to give voters a clue on the quantum of tax they envisage.
“Ten cents a litre has been suggested for exporters of bottled water, which has been contested as a thousand times exaggerated for the royalty that might apply to large commercial users. So what is the figure?” Allen says.
Federated Farmers is strongly opposed to a water royalty when it would essentially be an extra tax on electricity, food and exports.
“If the problem is with bottled water, then let’s just fix that problem.”
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
Federated Farmers says the final report into banking competition is a significant step forward for rural New Zealand - and a vindication of the farming sector's concern.
Farmer lobby group Federated Farmers has announced it is supporting a new Member’s Bill which it says could bring clarity to New Zealand farmers and save millions in legal costs.
Federated Farmers says climate protest group Greenpeace is manufacturing outrage and attempting to scare New Zealanders with headlines that have no basis in science.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.
