Sticky situation
OPINION: The Federated Farmers rural advocacy hub at Fieldays has been touted as a great success.
Dozens of people lined the main street of the Horowhenua rural town of Levin to cheer on the huge turnout of Groundswell protestors as they drove their tractors, utes and other farm vehicles through the town.
According to locals it was the largest protest they have ever seen with the vehicles taking nearly an hour to pass down the main street.
The protest was led by about 30 tractors followed by at least 200 utes and other vehicles.
Those taking part in the protest came from various towns in the Horowhenua and Kapiti Coast, but there were others who came from as far away as Taihape to take part in the protest.
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One of many protest signs from the Levin protest. |
As well as farmers there were rural contractors, other rural professionals and trades people.
Their concerns ranged from the way the environmental reforms are being rushed through by government without proper consultation to the ute tax which was seen by all as an outright attack on rural NZ.
Before the protest began, there was call for the farm dogs to have their say and for about five minutes the huntaways led a boisterous chorus of barking and howling.
When told about reports by Labour MP Kieran McAnulty that the Groundswell movement didn’t represent farmers, people just rolled their eyes in disbelief at his remarks.
Some farmers in the Nelson region are facing up to five years of hard work to repair their damaged properties caused by the recent devastating floods.
Federated Farmers is joining major industry-good bodies in not advocating for the Government to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
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