Rural Parents Blindsided By Bus Route Changes
OPINION: Rural school buses is a topic I have had a great deal of correspondence on over the last couple of months.
Incoming Minister for Food Safety and Biosecurity Andrew Hoggard says he’s “really excited” to get those roles.
“Food safety and biosecurity are really important roles for a nation economically dependent on exporting safe and nutritious food,” he told Rural News.
Hoggard is also the Associate Minister for Agriculture overseeing animal welfare and skills. His roles are outside of Cabinet.
“The associate environment role will probably be where a lot of energy has to go in first up, as we deal with issues around the freshwater regulations,” he says.
Hoggard’s rise in national politics has been meteoric. Just six months ago, he was president of Federated Farmers and fighting on behalf of farmers against an avalanche of regulations lobbed by the previous Labour Government.
Hoggard resigned from Federated two months before his term was due to expire, after media reports linked him to an ACT Party ticket. The party confirmed his candidacy shortly after.
The Manawatu dairy farmer was ranked fifth on ACT’s list, ahead of sitting MPs.
While the District Field Days brought with it a welcome dose of sunshine, it also attracted a significant cohort of sitting members from the Beehive – as one might expect in an election year.
Irish Minister of State of Agriculture, Noel Grealish was in New Zealand recently for an official visit.
While not all sibling rivalries come to blows, one headline event at the recent New Zealand Rural Games held in Palmerston North certainly did, when reigning World Champion Jack Jordan was denied the opportunity of defending his world title in Europe later this year, after being beaten by his big brother’s superior axle blows, at the Stihl Timbersports Nationals.
AgriZeroNZ has invested $5.1 million in Australian company Rumin8 to accelerate development of its methane-reducing products for cattle and bring them to New Zealand.
Farmers want more direct, accurate information about both fuel and fertiliser supply.
A bull on a freight plane sounds like the start of a joke, but for Ian Bryant, it is a fond memory of days gone by.