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OPINION: Greenpeace's criticism of the appointment of farmers’ champion Andrew Hoggard as Associate Minister of Agriculture and of the Environment is baffling.
They claim that Federated Farmers has long been the attack dog in the dairy industry’s predatory delay of climate action and water protection and blames farmers for badly polluted rivers, dangerous levels of nitrate contamination in rural drinking water and high levels of climate pollution.
Greenpeace conveniently forgets that farmers have planted thousands of kilometres of fencing on their farms and reduced nitrate leaching.
They also conveniently forget that sewage from urban centres have been washing up on our beaches and making them unfit for swimming.
Farmers, along with their milk processors, are already working to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions profile. That’s what make them the leaders in the global dairy community when it comes to sustainability.
OPINION: For thousands of Southland farmers, this week would have tipped them into the non-compliant category when it comes to following regional freshwater plan rules. But the Government has stepped in to give them the clarity they deserve.
Southland farmers staring down a May deadline to submit freshwater farm plans under current regional plan rules have been given an 18-month reprieve by the Government.
Federated Farmers says the Government's announcement of $79 million in funding for wilding pine control marks a major breakthrough.
ACT MP and Minister for Biosecurity Andrew Hoggard says he's hearing a common story about school buses, with empty seats, driving past pick-up points, while a parent follows behind in a farm ute, burning fuel and taking up time to get their children to school.
The Government has announced changes to stock exclusion regulations which it claims will cut unnecessary costs and inflexible rules while maintaining environmental protections.
Federated Farmers says the Government’s latest investment in road resilience is a positive step toward protecting rural communities and freight routes from increasing severe weather events.
The stockfood storage capacity of J Swap Stockfoods continues to grow in the South Island with the opening of a new store that boosts its capacity in Christchurch and work starting on another store in Southland.
Fonterra has lifted and narrowed its full year forecast earnings range to 60-70 cents per share after a strong quarter, supported by robust milk production, strong shipment volumes and continued demand across its Ingredients and Foodservice businesses.
Fonterra has announced it will continue with the planned expansion of its organic business into the South Island.
New Zealand farmers have been told they all have amazing people on their farms and have been urged to be “that one person” that can make a huge difference to those going through tough times.
OPINION: For thousands of Southland farmers, this week would have tipped them into the non-compliant category when it comes to following regional freshwater plan rules. But the Government has stepped in to give them the clarity they deserve.
