The real emergency
The nutters of the green world, aided and abetted by the lamestream media, are rewriting the English language for the worse.
The multi-national environmental activist group Greenpeace is again targeting the New Zealand farming sector, this time calling for a ban on the use of nitrogen fertilisers.
The group has spent the last few years blaming the agricultural sector for polluting the country’s waterways and rivers, campaigning against irrigation and criticising agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Now in its sights are the two farmer-owned fertiliser co-operatives Ravensdown and Ballance, which Greenpeace claims sell 98% of all fertiliser used in NZ.
“Chemical nitrogen fertiliser is the fuel that drives industrial dairying,” claims Greenpeace campaigner Gen Toop. “It is spread onto NZ’s dairy farms in ever-increasing amounts to grow more and more grass for too many cows.”
Toop says the use of nitrogen fertiliser has increased seven-fold since 1990.
“Chemical nitrogen fertiliser is a double-whammy for the climate and our rivers. It increases the number of cows, which increases greenhouse gas emissions and pollution of rivers. On top of that it directly emits nitrous oxide and leaches nitrate into waterways.”
Toop and Greenpeace accuse Ravensdown and Ballance of “profiting off environmental destruction”.
“It’s time the Government reigned them in and banned chemical nitrogen fertiliser.”
Acclaimed fruit grower Dean Astill never imagined he would have achieved so much in the years since being named the first Young Horticulturist of the Year, 20 years ago.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.

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