Ravensdown Elects Montgomery, Acland to Board
Ravensdown shareholders have elected Jane Montgomery and Kate Acland to the Ravensdown Board for three-year terms, following a closely contested director election.
Beef + Lamb NZ has welcomed most of the recommendations in the latest report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) relating to land use change.
Chair Kate Acland says the case studies show that existing and expected environment-related policies and rules, could lead to a significant decline in the sheep and beef sector.
In his report, the PCE, Simon Upton says for too long the issue of land use change has been relegated to the 'too-hard' basket and it's now time to confront some of the difficult questions regarding this.
He says while afforestation should continue, it should be in a way that is better suited to the landscape. He adds that national-level regulations that impact on land use change do not consider the differences of NZ landscapes and their communities. He says at present land owners are the main decision makers when it comes to land use change, but argues that catchment groups provide a way for willing land users to learn from each other.
Acland says B+LNZ supports the PCE's concerns about the impact of NZ's current policy settings around forestry offsetting in the ETS. She says the PCE modelling shows a high risk that major areas of productive farms will continue to be converted into forestry for carbon credits under current policy settings. Acland says they also support the PCE's recommendation for a 'catchment based approach' to environmental rules.
Massey University vice chancellor Pierre Venter says his institute is moving from a period of austerity into a growth phase, based on their new strategy.
With the red meat sector going through a boom time with high prices, the time is right for the industry to step up its investment into developing new food products.
Meat Industry Association chief executive Nick Beeby says there’s now much closer cooperation between meat processing companies than there was many years ago.
A new fruit quality research laboratory has been opened in Auckland by agritech company Hectre to develop pioneering hyperspectral technology.
Farmer lobby Groundswell believes that farmers are worried about the implications of a potential centre-left government.
With less than a week to go before voters choose the next government, Federated Farmers has a simple message to its members - get out and vote.

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