94% of NZ farmers oppose Paris Agreement, survey shows
A survey of 2000 farmers shows 94% of respondents believe that remaining in the Paris Agreement for climate change is not in the country's best interest.
Groundswell NZ organisers say a lack of response from the Government has led it to plan another major nationwide protest event later in the year.
It says while a date in November is yet to be set, the expectation is the next protest action will be of a "scale and impact that will be significant in New Zealand's history".
Spokesman Bryce McKenzie says there is widespread concern among both rural and urban people, councils and the business sector about the direction the Government is taking our country and the tsunami of unworkable regulations being rammed through.
McKenzie says in the lead up to November's nationwide protest, several actions will be undertaken.
The first is for the next three Fridays at 12.30pm, under the banner "CAN YOU HEAR US", Groundswell is calling for 2 minutes of support by every car, bike, truck, train - anything with a horn - tooting in support of its campaign.
The group is also writing to all councils around NZ calling for a halt to all RMA planning processes. In tandem with writing to councils, Groundswell NZ is calling for all landowners to decline access for councils or their agents wanting to undertake mapping or information gathering on private land.
"We are not against the need for regulation or the need to care for the environment," McKenzie says. "Nor are we calling for a halt to addressing environmental issues. We are saying there are much better, proven solutions to addressing environmental issues than the one-size-fits-all approach being legislated by the Government."
He adds that the group has recently added the Three Waters reform and the Water Services Bill to its growing list of unworkable regulations.
Metallica's charitable foundation, All Within My Hands (AWMH), teamed up with Meet the Need this week for a food packing event held at the New Zealand Food Network warehouse in Auckland.
After two years, Alliance Group has returned to profit.
According to Zespri's November forecast for the 2025/26 season, returns are likely to be up for all fruit groups compared to the last forecast in August.
Next month, wool training will reach one of New Zealand's most remote communities, the Chatham Islands - bringing hands-on skills and industry connection to locals eager to step into the wool harvesting sector.
Farmers' health and wellbeing will take centre stage with a new hub at the 2026 East Coast Farming Expo.
Dannevirke farmer Dan Billing has been announced as the new national chair of Beef + Lamb New Zealand's (B+LNZ) Farmer Council.

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