increase font size
Federated Farmers' 'Farmers Feed Families' campaign has raised $37,000 to date.
Farmers are doing their bit to help needy families this Christmas.
The Federated Farmers ‘Farmers Feed Families’ campaign is in its last week: to date $37,000 has been raised for the Auckland City Mission.
The farmer lobby is pushing on to get to the $100,000 target.
Feds Gisborne president Toby Williams, who came up with the campaign, says the struggle is real for families as a result of Covid fallout, including loss of jobs or cutbacks to hours.
‘Farmers Feed Families’ encourages farmers and growers to consider giving a wee bit to the cause via a Givealittle page which links directly to the Auckland mission.
"We can do this and I ask farmers and growers to dig deep this week," Williams says.
It costs $135 to provide a box of food for a family of four, with enough good ingredients for about four days’ worth of meals.
"The ongoing impact of three months of lockdowns has reduced the ability of too many families to provide the necessities of life, and especially to get through Christmas. We want to do something about it," he says.
Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard says the organisation is pleased to actively support the Mission’s Zero Hunger initiative.
"Sometimes Feds does things that are not about politics or regulations. We just want to feed families, especially when times are tough. ‘Farmers Feed Families’ - that’s what we do.
"We often talk of how we can make connections between farmers and urban communities, well here’s one way."
Auckland City Mission was chosen as the recipient because it is able to get to those who need the support most - and fast.
Mission chief executive Helen Robinson says more people have been turning to them for support than ever before during this latest lockdown, and it will be a difficult Christmas for many. In one week alone about 2,000 parcels of food were distributed, which is more than four times the weekly amount prior to Covid.
"Supporting people in Auckland who are facing the greatest need is a very real way farmers can connect with the city where the majority of their produce and meat is consumed," Robinson says.
"Quite simply we cannot offer the level of support we do without the generosity of people. My thanks goes to them all."
The Mission expects to give out around 9,000 Christmas food parcels and tens of thousands of gifts to families who would otherwise go without.
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.
State farmer Pāmu (Landcorp) has announced a new equity partnership in an effort to support pathways to farm ownership for livestock farm operators.
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.
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.
A landmark New Zealand trial has confirmed what many farmers have long suspected - that strategic spring nitrogen use not only boosts pasture growth but delivers measurable gains in lamb growth and ewe condition.
It was recently announced that former MP and Southland farmer Eric Roy has stepped down of New Zealand Pork after seven years. Leo Argent talks with Eric about his time at the organisation and what the future may hold.
OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.
